Win 7: Black screen on boot up, before login screen (Clean Install)?

Thanks for all providing valuable suggestions in my previous thread Win 7: Black screen on boot up, before login screen?

As I am picking the clean install option for my resolution, I am opening this new thread. :)

I reviewed the tutorials (Macrium) of this community. I found Macrium Reflect Free (Version: 6.0.753 (21 July 2015)) for download.

I downloaded/installed above Macrium to working PC. This version has an option to create Macrium Reflect rescue media on CD, DVD, or USB stick upon installing on working PC. I created a rescue media USB.

I created complete HDD image of my unbootable (Z580), before doing clean win 7 install. I am going to clean install Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit) using my OEM KEY.

I posted the OEM DISKMAP in my previous thread Post # 90

I find System (d:\) 200 MB Windows_7 (OS) ( c:\) 653.44 GB & my Lenovo_data (e:\) 25.47 GB. Lenovo says, if I change the partition configuration, it will make built-in Lenovo recovery unusable.

I like the idea of adopting infrequent system changes (adding new programs etc) and frequent data changes (growing user documents) in image backup strategy. I mean taking system partition (d:\ + c:\) image back up as and when I add new programs and taking data partition (e:\) image backup periodically.

How do I re-structure my DISKMAP to have effective periodical image backup without disrupting built-in Lenovo recovery?

Are there any Windows 7 disk partition recommendation/guidelines?


Thanks for sharing/helping.

Why do you even care about Lenovo recovery which didn't help when needed.

Instead create 2 partitions: 100GB for System and the rest for Data. OS and Programs go to System, whereas all user data (Movies, pictures, music, documents, etc.) go to Data. Macrium can't image backup files/folders with free version and can't save the image to the same partition it is imaging. This way you can image backup System (C) to Data partition. And file synchronize Data partition to an external drive.

Say, your System partition is 50 GB (50% full). A full image will take approximately 30-35 GB. Daily differential images will depend on what has changed in System but 500MB to several GB. Then, schedule a full image once every week and 6 differentials in between. Keep 2-4 generations of images (4=1 month in this setup). So you would need 200GB for backups. A small amount for peace of mind.

Ask away if anything not clear.

What I am saying is:
- Backup all your data - Emergency Kit - save your files from a dead OS or Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console
- Clean re-install - Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
- It will give you the option to re-partition the HDD (Step 5, 2nd paragraph), C - 100 GB, D or whatever as the rest.
- Set your backup scheme as follows:
- Set Macrium free as described in previous post (maybe more detail once you get there) - Imaging with free Macrium
- Use FreeFileSync (or any other sync program) to sync everything on D to an external HDD.

Thanks for your reply. I did save my files to USB drive. I am able to get a recovery disks from Lenovo. I used those disks do recovery on Z580. I am able get to widows 7 now. The recovery disk did not give me an opportunity to specify the partition size. Upon recovery, I find the attached DISKMAP.

It created 200MB System Drive, 653.44 GB Windows_OS, 25.47GB LENOVO(Data), 19.53 GB OEM.

Do I able to adjust the above spec, to adopt efficient backup strategy discussed earlier?

Am I able to adjust these sizes before restoring my backed up data?

Thanks for helping.

Keep the recovery disks safe :)

No need to mess with 200MB system partition. However (since you already have recovery disks in case something goes wrong), I would delete OEM and Lenovo partitions. Then shrink C with Partition Wizard to 100 GB. Make the rest another partition for data. Then you can image C as detailed earlier, whereas file sync data. Once you have an image system going, you won't need the Lenovo recovery method.

Thanks for your suggestion.

GokAy said:

Keep the recovery disks safe :)

Then shrink C with Partition Wizard to 100 GB. Make the rest another partition for data. Then you can image C as detailed earlier, whereas file sync data. Once you have an image system going, you won't need the Lenovo recovery method.

How do I do the above? I do not want to mess up with disk configuration.

Do you mind sharing the steps in detail? Are there any tutorial to help in this process?

Will I face any surprises in this process?

Thanks for helping.

Of course, it is pretty simple:
- install and run Partition Wizard free (PW)
- delete the OEM and Lenovo partitions
- restart to see if it boots alright
- resize C with PW (drag drop the right side of partition (best is to check PW site, they have tutorials for everything))
- create a new primary NTFS partition on the unallocated space

Thanks for your guidance.

GokAy said:

Of course, it is pretty simple:
- delete the OEM and Lenovo partitions
- restart to see if it boots alright
- resize C with PW (drag drop the right side of partition (best is to check PW site, they have tutorials for everything))
- create a new primary NTFS partition on the unallocated space

In my previous thread someone said that PW Free does not allow resize etc. Am I able to do resize in FREE PW?

What to do, if it will not boot, after deleting the OEM and Lenovo partitions?

Thanks again.