Windows 7 - Partition the Hard Drive in a Windows 7 Install

**iseeuu**

How to Partition the Hard Drive in a Windows 7 Install

Information

The purpose of this tutorial is to see what tools are available to partition the hard drive while installing Windows 7. Although not a complete partitioning utility, you can delete existing partitions, create new partitions, extend partitions into unallocated space, shrink existing partitions, and format.

Tip

It is not necessary to create the Windows 7 partitions on a new (empty) hard drive or format the partitions before installing Windows 7 as the installer will do that automatically.

Here's How:

1. Boot your computer to the Windows 7 DVD. At this screen choose to install now.

2. Select to "Go online" for latest updates.

3. Select the Operating System you wish to install.

4. Accept the license terms and click next.

5. Select "Custom (advanced)".

6. In this screen you see existing partitions (my test setup). Click "Drive options (advanced)".

7. I used "Delete" to remove the existing partitions. Now select "New" to create new partitions in the Unallocated space.

8. You can choose to use the entire empty space, or just a part of the space.

9. In this screen, I have chosen to use half of the 20 GB available.

10. Windows will, by default, create the "System Reserved" partition.

11. In this screen you see the "Reserved Partition" of 100 MB. I recommend keeping this. Next, you have the options of creating a new partition in the unallocated space, extending the selected partition into the unallocated space, shrinking the selected partition, or deleting one or all existing partitions.

12. I have chosen to extend the partition into all the unallocated space.

Now you can complete your Windows 7 installation in the partitions you have created. You can also cancel the installation process here while leaving the newly created partitions intact. Useful if you intend to install a different Operating System into one of the newly created partitions.

Conclusion:

While the Windows 7 hard drive partition utility is limited, it offers a convenient way to install Windows 7 without filling the entire hard drive. The leftover space can then be used for other purposes.

Related Tutorials

**pablo91011** · 02-26-2010

Hi,

What is the maximum number of partitions that can be created (and windows 7 installed) on a single HDD with windows 7?

Thanks in advance

**iseeuu** · 02-26-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by pablo91011

Hi,

What is the maximum number of partitions that can be created (and windows 7 installed) on a single HDD with windows 7?
Thanks in advance

Hello pablo91011, and welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

Windows allows four "Primary" partitions on a single hard drive.

However, one of those could be an "Extended" partition, and you can create as many "Logical Partitions" inside the "Extended" partition as there are letters of the alphabet!! So figure C is used, and D for your CD-Rom, that leaves you E through Z, or 22 "Logical Partitions".

So you can create three "Primary" partitions plus 20 "Logical" partitions.

Note: In order to be able to boot to an OS like Windows 7 when installed in a "Logical" partition, you would need to use the 100MB "System Reserved" partition as the first "Primary" partition containing all of the boot code.

Cheers!
Robert

**pablo91011** · 02-27-2010

Thanks for this Robert, much appreciated!

On installation, how do I create logical partitions, or do they have to be created in Disk Management when the first windows 7 is installed?

Thanks in advance

**iseeuu** · 02-27-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by pablo91011

Thanks for this Robert, much appreciated!

On installation, how do I create logical partitions, or do they have to be created in Disk Management when the first windows 7 is installed?

Thanks in advance

I found the Windows Disk Management Utility to be limited in features when working with "Logical" partitions. A third party utility will be needed to create the partitions before installation. I would need to see a snap shot of your current hard drive partitions to be more specific.

Two well known free utilities are GParted, for Windows and Linux, and Partition Wizard for Windows only. You would need to go to their web site, download the ISO file, burn it to a CD and boot to the CD to use the utility. Once the "Extended" partition and the "Logical Partitions" are created inside the "Extended" partition, Windows has no problems seeing the partitions and installing to them.

You have many options. For example I was able to use Partition Wizard to create the "Extended" and "Logical" partitions, copy XP and 7 partitions to the Logical partitions, and after making sure I could boot to the new logical partitions, delete the previous partitions and move into the empty space. You would have other options as well, so please let us know if we can be of any help?

Cheers!
Robert

**pablo91011** · 03-01-2010

Thanks Robert,

worked perfectly !!!

Keep up the good work.

**iseeuu** · 03-01-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by pablo91011

Thanks Robert, worked perfectly !!!
Keep up the good work.

That is great news! Good to hear!

Happy surfing!
Robert

**lonelyseason** · 09-25-2010

Hi ieeuu, I got one problem, When I using Windows 7 installation disk to install new window, in the drive option, I can't delete and create new partitions, the format, delete and create new button are all turn gray colour.
Inside the Window, I can create new partition and delete it for disk management.
My question is, I want to do a clean installation, that's mean I want to delete all of the other partitions and create new one for my new window.
Please help

**iseeuu** · 10-03-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by lonelyseason

Hi ieeuu, I got one problem, When I using Windows 7 installation disk to install new window, in the drive option, I can't delete and create new partitions, the format, delete and create new button are all turn gray colour.
Inside the Window, I can create new partition and delete it for disk management.
My question is, I want to do a clean installation, that's mean I want to delete all of the other partitions and create new one for my new window.
Please help

Hello lonelyseason, and welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

When you are in Windows 7 and you put the DVD in the drive and select "Install", you will not be able to use the "Hard drive utility". You must reboot (or restart) your computer and boot from the DVD and then begin the Install. Then you will be able to delete all of the existing partitions before installing Windows 7.

Hope this helps!

Cheers!
Robert

**lonelyseason** · 10-06-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by iseeuu

Quote: Originally Posted by lonelyseason

Hi ieeuu, I got one problem, When I using Windows 7 installation disk to install new window, in the drive option, I can't delete and create new partitions, the format, delete and create new button are all turn gray colour.
Inside the Window, I can create new partition and delete it for disk management.
My question is, I want to do a clean installation, that's mean I want to delete all of the other partitions and create new one for my new window.
Please help

Hello lonelyseason, and welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

When you are in Windows 7 and you put the DVD in the drive and select "Install", you will not be able to use the "Hard drive utility". You must reboot (or restart) your computer and boot from the DVD and then begin the Install. Then you will be able to delete all of the existing partitions before installing Windows 7.

Hope this helps!

Cheers!
Robert

Thank, I solved it

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