Simpliest Way to Partition For New Install?

Hi,

I have 1TB HD. Currently have Windows 7 but I want to install fresh copy of Windows 10 Preview (know of the risks). On this HD I have ~100GB of data I wish to backup (no other HD available).

In the past, I would just wipeout/format the HD, and install new OS. I'm assuming if I want to save the 100GB, I need to create a new partition (~100GB), and than when installing Windows 10, delete and format the partition that has Windows 7 (~900GB) for the Windows 10 install?

What is the simplest way of doing this? Is it as simple as I make it out?

Thanks!

I'm assuming you want to get rid of Windows 7, rather than have both 7 and 10.

Correct?

You could do either of the following:

1: Shrink your current C (Win 7 partition) and then install Win 10 to that freed up space, making a new partition. Then move your data from the current C to the new partition containing 10. Then delete the current C, wiping out Windows 7.

2: Shrink your current C and make a new partition from that freed up space. Move your data to this new partition. Then install 10 to the current C, wiping out 7.

I'd probably take choice 2 as I like to keep data and operating system on separate partitions or preferably on separate drives.

You might be able to do it with Windows Disk Management or you might need Partition Wizard.

Post a screen shot of Windows Disk Management so we can see what you've got right now.

ignatzasonic - thank you for your response. your suggestions are much better than what i was thinking.

2) makes most sense. lets say i shrink, and leave 100gb for my data on new partition. the windows 7 partition i overwrite/format with 10. can i later, increase / decrease the partition of both, or does that require new partitioning? also by shrinking through disk management, does that create automatically new partition with the new space, or do i need to use 3rd party app to create the partition?

Why abandon so quickly the best OS ever created?

With all that space, might as well keep the Win7 partition, shrink as suggested to create the space to partition during Clean Install Windows 10 Technical Preview.

This is what I have done and even though I haven't gone back to Windows 7 there are some risks which make keeping WIn7 worthwhile. Some hardware may not adjust yet to the Technical Preview.

You can even shrink another partition to move your User folders into, then link them from both OS's so they share the same data: User Folders - Change Default Location.

Or from Windows 10 you can rightclick each User folder in Windows 7 to add it to the related Library so it is readily accessible while in Win10.

nyjohn1 said:

ignatzasonic - thank you for your response. your suggestions are much better than what i was thinking.

2) makes most sense. lets say i shrink, and leave 100gb for my data on new partition. the windows 7 partition i overwrite/format with 10. can i later, increase / decrease the partition of both, or does that require new partitioning? also by shrinking through disk management, does that create automatically new partition with the new space, or do i need to use 3rd party app to create the partition?

Yes, you can later enlarge or shrink any partitions as necessary.

Shrinking generates "unallocated space", not a new partition. After you've got the unallocated space, you then create new partitions or enlarge existing partitions.

The correct tool depends on your particular partition layout. Windows Disc Management will work within its limitations. Partition Wizard, a free download, is much more flexible. WDM's main limitation is that it cannot expand a partition UNLESS there is unallocated space IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT to the right of the partition to be enlarged, as shown in WDM.

BUT--as Greg says---you've got much more nerve than I would in abandoning 7 for what is currently a technical preview, not even a Beta.

I haven't messed with 10 at all yet as I don't want to go through application installation and configuration hell on a Tech Preview. It's too time-consuming--several days at least and I'd have to do it yet again when the finished Win 10 is made available next year.

thank you both for the guidance. saved me lots of researching and reading :)

i agree about windows 7 being the greatest. i bought this computer in 2009 with windows 7, and i haven't had to re-install even once. despite 5 years of heavy use everything was running like brand new until few months ago. caught a spyware/adware bug , but i cleaned up it. last few weeks system is a bit sluggish and noticing hd/cpu activity when doing the simplest things (fear remnants of virus/spyware). need to do fresh re install anyway, so might as well try out 10. i have laptop for work, so this is my secondary computer, and if things don't work out i'll just go back to 7.

AddRam - Disk Management

Shrink C by the amount you want for your TP partition, then create and format that from the booted installer during install of TP.

This keeps 7 intact, HP Diagnostics and Recovery still bootable from the ESC and F11 keys.