Windows 7: Custom Install Query, 0MB Unallocated?

I was installing Windows 7 on my existing XP 500GB HDD.

I created a new 100GB partition for Windows 7 and was expecting to get:-

1. 100MB system - the System reserved that Windows 7 creates
2. 100GB (102400MB) primary - for Windows 7
3. The rest Unallocated - I was going to use this for DATA

Instead I got:-

1. 0.0MB Unallocted
2. 100MB system - the System reserved that Windows 7 creates
3. 100GB (102400MB) primary - for Windows 7
4. The rest (in MB) Unallocated - I was going to use this for DATA

Could anyone tell me why the 0.0MB Unallocated is there?

I have had Windows 7 on this HDD before and everything was as expected then. The HDD was checked in windows prior to the install and it did not flag any bad sectors, so I am hoping the HDD is OK.

I was wondering whether to use "diskpart" in the install disk "repair" and "clean all" to clear the HDD before installing.



Many thanks for any replies.

Using the Clean all would very good idea.

Thanks theog, I will do that first before the install.

Do you know why the 0.0MB Unallocated is there? I was worried it may be bad sectors or something.

It may be bad sectors, see what clean all can do.

Can you post a screenshot of the disk management window? Click on Start button, type "Diskmgmt.msc" without quotes, hit Enter.

Sorry Bill2 for late reply.

Have already done "clean all" then installed, so too late for screenshot.

I could repeatedly delete/merge all partitions and when I created the 100GB OS one it would always be there, an extra 0.0MB Unallocated.

It was OK this time, back to normal after the clean all.

I am doing diskchecks (with both options checked) for both partitions (C: & D) and will find the output file to read, in case of bad sectors. Just managed to read "0 bad sectors" for C: before it completed, and screen went, so hope D: ok too.

Should there be a few bad sectors anyway on a 500GB or are they usually perfect?

Many thanks for any replies.

Well, bad sectors would appear after age and use. But the hdd SMART tech does a pretty good job of hiding them. It draws good sectors from a pool of spare ones, so for the end user, nothing appears to have changed. But you are now fine and good to go.

Thanks for the info Bill2

That is good news, well done

Thanks theog, The Windows 7 install is very fast compared to XP. The clean all is very slow though for 500GB