Formatting of HDD

[JackWH]

Hi guys,

I haven an 80GB HDD running Windows XP at the moment.

Tomorrow I intend to upgrade to Windows 7 64-bit.

I have an external HD for all my data, so the 80GB isn't really a matter to me at the moment.

What I am wondering is about formatting the drive, since I am going from Windows XP 32-bit to Windows 7 64-bit.

Will I have to format the Hard Drive BEFORE I insert the installation DVD, or does the Windows 7 Installer AUTOMATICALLY format my HDD before copying the Win7 files?

Sorry if this has been posted before, I did do a search.

Thank you very much!

~ Jack

 

[Tews]

When you first start the setup it will ask you if you want to do an upgrade or a custom install... choose custom install and follow the prompts...

 

[zigzag3143]

Hi guys,

I haven an 80GB HDD running Windows XP at the moment.

Tomorrow I intend to upgrade to Windows 7 64-bit.

I have an external HD for all my data, so the 80GB isn't really a matter to me at the moment.

What I am wondering is about formatting the drive, since I am going from Windows XP 32-bit to Windows 7 64-bit.

Will I have to format the Hard Drive BEFORE I insert the installation DVD, or does the Windows 7 Installer AUTOMATICALLY format my HDD before copying the Win7 files?

Sorry if this has been posted before, I did do a search.

Thank you very much!

~ Jack

Jack

Win 7 will take care of it. One word of adice get your 64bit drivers before you do the install just in case. Might save you some time

Ken

 

[TGSoldier]

You can format it before as well, but the setup will also have a format option. Either way, you're safe.

 

[Antman]

There is a consideration.

Windows 7 would like to create a 100MB recovery partition - allowing for recovery operations wthout inserting the DVD.

If you delete the existing partition(s), rather than formatting existing one(s), Win 7 will reserve the 100MB partition. Opinion varies if this is a good thing - I say it is. You can create a RAMdisk Options selection on the OS boot menu - like XP's Recovery Console.

 

[JackWH]

Hey guys, thank you so much for the prompt reply and helpful help! I have given you all good rep

One word of adice get your 64bit drivers before you do the install just in case

I have downloaded all my necessary 64-bit drivers and put them on my USB stick ready for installation once Win7 is up and running. I'm trusting Win7 will recognise my memory stick without any extra drivers? Ta!

 

[chuckr]

There is a consideration.

Windows 7 would like to create a 100MB recovery partition - allowing for recovery operations wthout inserting the DVD.

If you delete the existing partition(s), rather than formatting existing one(s), Win 7 will reserve the 100MB partition. Opinion varies if this is a good thing - I say it is. You can create a RAMdisk Options selection on the OS boot menu - like XP's Recovery Console.

Antman,
Any chance of posting exactly which files and folders (w/contents) are on that 100MB partition? (I ain't got one)
With visible 'hidden/system' files, etc...
Sounds like \boot\* from DVD.

Create a RAMdisk ? XP Recovery ?
Am I missing something from W7 and XP?

Thanks!

 

[Antman]

Antman,
Any chance of posting exactly which files and folders (w/contents) are on that 100MB partition? (I ain't got one)
With visible 'hidden/system' files, etc...
Sounds like \boot\* from DVD.

Create a RAMdisk ? XP Recovery ?
Am I missing something from W7 and XP?

Thanks!

I don't have the recovery partition on this (current) install, so I cannot list the contents, but they are available via Google.

My PC is dual boot. The XP install has the Recovery Console installed. By playing with BCedit, EasyBCD et al, you can get the Win7 equivelant of Recovery Console to appear in the Boot Menu. Win7 calls it RAMdisk Options (or something very close to that). It is my belief that the recovery process will create an X drive, just like the install process does. I am aiting patiently for a generic or MS release of a Win7 compatible ramdisk.sys-type app. RAMdisk Options is not visible to me within VistaBoot Pro - my current BCDeditor. EasyBCD zapped my XP install once - but I got it back.

Oddly, I have the RAMdisk O0tion on my boot menu with the recovery partition installed. Therefore, Win7 must still be able to create a RAM drive from either C:\Windows or the DVD.

It seems to me.

 

[SIW2]

I don't have the 100mb partition , and don't get an option in the visible boot menu for Ramdisk.

He's there allright - just hiding.

If you check out bcdedit - you can find him - there is an entry that should trigger the recovery options by autofailover.

D:\Windows\system32>bcdedit /enum all /v


<SNIP>

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {587e9dad-8402-11de-b60c-9ed3ec668626}
device ramdisk=[D:]\Recovery\9bd6ff3c-4cfe-11de-aa8d-ab30a7c73d
2e\Winre.wim,{587e9dae-8402-11de-b60c-9ed3ec668626}
path \windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Recovery Environment (recovered)
locale
osdevice ramdisk=[D:]\Recovery\9bd6ff3c-4cfe-11de-aa8d-ab30a7c73d
2e\Winre.wim,{587e9dae-8402-11de-b60c-9ed3ec668626}
systemroot \windows
winpe Yes
custom:46000010 Yes


<SNIP>



Device options
--------------
identifier {587e9dae-8402-11de-b60c-9ed3ec668626}
ramdisksdidevice partition=D:
ramdisksdipath \Recovery\9bd6ff3c-4cfe-11de-aa8d-ab30a7c73d2e\boot.sdi

D:\Windows\system32>


The difficulty with that is it will only work if bootmgr is working - any problems earlier in the chain and WinRe won't start up.

That's why there is also an option to run off a recovery cd.

The recovery cd is created from the Recovery folder referred to above.

It is a hidden folder on the root of the drive pretending to be empty.



If you copy and paste it somewhere else - you will be able to access the copy ( easier if you remove the H and S attributes from the copy)





If you like, you can copy that e.g. to the root of the drive of another machine running Vista ( 7 WinRe works perfectly on Vista - needs to be the same bit version of course).

Then create a boot menu entry for it on your Vista machine.

You could do it manually, or use Easybcd ( It will ask for an install dvd as it thinks you only have WinRe and wants to copy boot.sdi off the dvd).



Browse to WinRe.wim that you copied onto the drive ( I copied the Recovery folder with WinRe inside) - put the dvd in when it asks and add the entry.

 

[BishopLord]

For a "clean install" make sure you select the Drive Options link first to format the HDD. I missed this the first time around and ended up getting a Windows.old folder added to my system because of a previous install. Last night when I installed x64, I noticed the link and selected it and seen I could format the HDD.

 

[SIW2]

Here is the boot menu option for Ramdisk that was added by Easybcd:



Boots up perfectly.

 

[chuckr]

Here is the boot menu option for Ramdisk that was added by Easybcd:

View attachment 24678

Boots up perfectly.

If Easybcd put it there, then BCDEdit should also...

What do you 'see' when you boot this option ?

A W7 window with selectable Recovery options? <-- AutoExpansion: I typed 'w.7 window', no dot
An Admin command prompt with 'Help' ?

I had seen the word 'ramdisk' using the 'all/verbose' options, but the word was also strewn
amongst the multiple .vhd entries I have in there.
So I just ignored it, since all the .vhds worked OK from BootMgr menu.

This seems like pretty useful stuff if we're eliminating the DVD boot.
What does the 'NST' mean? (NST WinPE)

 

[logicearth]

Antman,
Any chance of posting exactly which files and folders (w/contents) are on that 100MB partition? (I ain't got one)
With visible 'hidden/system' files, etc...
Sounds like \boot\* from DVD.

Create a RAMdisk ? XP Recovery ?
Am I missing something from W7 and XP?

Thanks!

I posted screenshots of what is in the 100 MB partition here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/226923-post14.html

 

[SIW2]

Hi Chuckr,

I used Easybcd to add all the entries for WinRe to bcd, because I copied it to a different partition (and as a reminder of how Easybcd does it)

NST is for NeoSmartTechnologies - the makers of Easybcd.

When you boot WinRe from the HD, you see the same as when you boot System recovery options on the dvd.

As you already have the entries for WinRe on your 7 installation - you do not need to do that.

If you simply want to add the option to boot WinRe directly from the boot menu - use /displayorder command to add it to the boot menu , like this:

bcdedit /displayorder id{...} [ /addfirst | /addlast].

To find the {identifier}:

D:\Windows\system32>bcdedit /enum all /v


<SNIP>

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {587e9dad-8402-11de-b60c-9ed3ec668626}
device ramdisk=[D:]\Recovery\9bd6ff3c-4cfe-11de-aa8d-ab30a7c73d
2e\Winre.wim,{587e9dae-8402-11de-b60c-9ed3ec668626}


To add it to boot menu:


D:\Windows\system32>bcdedit /displayorder {587e9dad-8402-11de-b60c-9ed3ec668626} /addfirst

The operation completed successfully.


The Boot Menu selection now looks like this:

 

[chuckr]

I posted screenshots of what is in the 100 MB partition here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/226923-post14.html

Thanks, logicearth, but I think you're missing one more 'important' picture:

That one being: System Reserved (B:), contents of folder \boot\

This seems to be the 'meat' of that 100 MB special.
I still feel its the same as DVD:\boot\, where all the 'good stuff' is...

Thanks,
Chuck

 

[Antman]

...That one being: System Reserved (B:), contents of folder \boot\

This seems to be the 'meat' of that 100 MB special.
I still feel its the same as DVD:\boot\, where all the 'good stuff' is...

+1.

 

[SIW2]

I suspect it is the more like the one on the root of the drive (if you don't have 100mb system partition):



Boot folder on dvd :

 

[chuckr]

I suspect it is the more like the one on the root of the drive (if you don't have 100mb system partition):

View attachment 25129

Boot folder on dvd :

View attachment 25130

Wow,

The more information I get, the more confusered i yam...

Now that I'm booted with w7, I was going to go thru it all tonight and set up the HDD_boot Recovery w/ menu select. (may still do that after sorting things out).

Firstly, siw2, I want to say "Thank you" for your clear and excellent technical posts!

Next, the discrepancies I see (and have to sort out) are probably attributed to two factors:
1. I have 32-bit. I believe yours is 64.
2. I run 'build 7201' and can check 7100RC in .vhd if nec. I'm sure yours is 7600 RTM.

For example, my DVD:\boot has 8 files, memtest.efi missing (64?)

Ahh, found it: its my "SystemDriveC:"\boot that has those language stuff folders.

Guess we'll have to wait for someone to post the System Reserved (B:), contents of folder \boot\ to actually see the 100 MB version...
Googled words are: 'backup', 'bitlocker', etc. With hacks to delete it...

PS:
Is the 'label' of "NST WinPE Image" correct?
Seems "NST WinRE Image" should be there IMHO. (This ain't your father's Vista.)

 

[chuckr]

As you already have the entries for WinRe on your 7 installation - you do not need to do that:

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {587e9dad-8402-11de-b60c-9ed3ec668626}
device ramdisk=[D:]\Recovery\9bd6ff3c-4cfe-11de-aa8d-ab30a7c73d
2e\Winre.wim,{587e9dae-8402-11de-b60c-9ed3ec668626}


To add it to boot menu:

D:\Windows\system32> bcdedit /displayorder {587e9dad-8402-11de-b60c-9ed3ec668626} /addfirst

Yup,

A real "piece of pie"!! Sweet! Nice!

Got it now, 'RAMdisk options" on the BootMgr menu.
Goes to "Install USA K/B", mandatory Admin password (like XP),
and eventually to 'Recovery options', like the DVD turtle does:
1.) Fix boot problems, 2.) Recover Win7 image, ...., DOS-box, etc.

Seems like the only option that my install is missing, for real Recovery of everything, is the "MS DaRT" (Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset), also sometimes called "MS Winternals ERD-2007".
Must be on a .vhd somewhere...
Thanks again, siw2.

Now, to wait for the SystemReserved_B:\boot\ contents...

 

[logicearth]

Now, to wait for the SystemReserved_B:\boot\ contents...

If you don't have the System Reserve drive, just look in C:\boot. Its exactly the same. Installations with the reserved partition do not have boot in the C: drive, because...you can figure that out.