Installing Windows after a complete format, just a few questions.

[Ntxeidr]

Hello, before I start I'll give you a thanks in advance.


I asked my friend to uninstall the Ubuntu I'd installed for him to try it and he just deleted the partition which has led to a whole host of issues as he's managed to delete some of the grub boot manager and many Wndows files. After a great deal of headaches I've decided to simply format they entire hard drive and reinstall Windows. My problem is that I don't have the Windows disc, it was pre-installed - does the version have to precisely match up for my product key to work or just Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit generally? I believe Microsoft supply the ISOs.

So my questions are:

1.) Do the versions have to match as I said above.
2.) Where do I get the ISO or can it be found with a quick Google (on my ipad at the moment, borrowing my Mum's laptop to get the files etc. but want to do it in one sitting)
3.) How do I make sure the hard drive and all partitions are completely formatted so they won't conflict with the new install?

Cheers for any assistance.

 

[Ztruker]

If you do not have a Windows 7 installation DVD, or it's not up to the Service Pack level currently installed,you can download a legal copy with SP1 integrated from here:

Windows 7 Direct Download Links

Make sure you get the same version you have, Home Premium, Pro or Ultimate and 32 or 64 bit. Note that Basic or Starter is not available.

I recommend using ImgBurn at 4X speed (or the slowest available) to create the DVD from the downloaded .iso file.

You can do this on any computer capable of burning a DVD.

YOU MUST HAVE A VALID KEY TO INSTALL THIS .ISO. The one on the COA sticker on your computer will work.

You can also create a bootable USB Flash drive (4GB or larger) to install Windows 7 from.

1. Download and run Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3
2. Select Windows 7 from the first drop down list, all the way to the bottom
3. Select the downloaded Windows 7 iso file
4. Select your USB flash drive
5. Click Create

For techies or folks who work on computers: Create Windows 7 Universal ISO With All Editions Selection On Install with ei.cfg Removal Utility.
This will fit on a 6GB flash drive or can be burned to a DVD.

 

[Ztruker]

There may also be a Recovery p[partition on the hard drive you can use to restore the computer to it's factory state. A clean install is a better choice but if you provide the make and full model number I can check to see if the Users Manual tells how to do a recovery.

 

[gregrocker]

Everything you need is here to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

 

[Ntxeidr]

There may also be a Recovery p[partition on the hard drive you can use to restore the computer to it's factory state. A clean install is a better choice but if you provide the make and full model number I can check to see if the Users Manual tells how to do a recovery.

I don't want to do a recovery but will a recovery partition affect the format or will formatting software get rid of that too? It's a Samsung NP305E7A if that is enough information? Thank-you!

 

[Ntxeidr]

Everything you need is here to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

Thank-you very much. I did see this but I posted this to ask about formatting also. The links provided in there, I've began to download the Home Premium 64-bit (old) - whether it is the old one etc. won't affect whether I'm able to use the product key on the sticker will it?

 

[Ntxeidr]

Please can anyone answer my last question? I only have the laptop I'm using for a brief amount of time to get everything downloaded etc. I either need a really simple way to format the entire drive and put it all into one partition or software that will do it for me?

 

[gregrocker]

You don't want old HP 64 bit ISO. As it says clearly in the tutorial you want latest official Win7 installer ISO with SP1 and Media Refresh.

That would be Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download

It also tells you how to decide whether to keep the Recovery partition. In the case of Samsung since Recovery will not run after reinstall you'd want to make your Recovery media, or a full disk image backup to external or another internal HD, then during Clean Install Windows 7 delete all partitions to create New as you wish, or just click Next in the Unallocated space to let the installer do it for you and begin install.

May I suggest you follow the steps closely in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 so you are well prepared, don't forget anything, get and keep a perfect install. This is not something that should be rushed.

 

[Ntxeidr]

You don't want old HP 64 bit ISO. As it says clearly in the tutorial you want latest official Win7 installer ISO with SP1 and Media Refresh.

That would be Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download

It also tells you how to decide whether to keep the Recovery partition. In the case of Samsung since Recovery will not run after reinstall you'd want to make your Recovery media, or a full disk image backup to external or another internal HD, then during Clean Install Windows 7 delete all partitions to create New as you wish, or just click Next in the Unallocated space to let the installer do it for you and begin install.

May I suggest you follow the steps closely in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 so you are well prepared, don't forget anything, get and keep a perfect install. This is not something that should be rushed.

What do I need to back up? My entire hard drive has went haywire because of deleting that partition so I just want to merge all partitions and delete all Windows and Linux files then reinstall Windows so why do I need to take a system image? Besides I don't have access to either systems. I'm having to go on through a Linux Mint DVD just to copy my documents off so I don't lose them.


EDIT: Just click next in the unallocated space? I don't know what that means. Also where is the recovery stuff, is that in a partition because that could have been deleted? If not, do I need to keep it?

 

[gregrocker]

As it also says in the tutorial, you can try to rescue files from unbootable Win7 using Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console with the Install DVD or Repair CD, or Paragon Rescue Kit Free Edition 11.0 Free CD. Just browse into C:\Users\Your User Name to see if they can be found to copy out to external, stick or another HD.

Look at Steps 7 and 8 of Clean Install Windows 7 to see how to use the Drive Options to Delete all Partitions during the reinstall. One of the partitions should be Recovery which won't run any longer anyway after reinstall. So if you didn't make your Recovery media yet you might want to run Factory Recovery so you can do that afterwards.

Once you highlight and Delete each partition at that step, click on the Unallocated Space, then Next to have the installer create and format a single install and small boot partition for you. If you want to do it yourself click New to make your desired partitions, Format each, highlight the first large partition for install, and then Next.

 

[Ntxeidr]

As it also says in the tutorial, you can try to rescue files from unbootable Win7 using Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console with the Install DVD or Repair CD, or Paragon Rescue Kit Free Edition 11.0 Free CD. Just browse into C:\Users\Your User Name to see if they can be found to copy out to external, stick or another HD.

Look at Steps 7 and 8 of Clean Install Windows 7 to see how to use the Drive Options to Delete all Partitions during the reinstall. One of the partitions should be Recovery which won't run any longer anyway after reinstall. So if you didn't make your Recovery media yet you might want to run Factory Recovery so you can do that afterwards.

Once you highlight and Delete each partition at that step, click on the Unallocated Space, then Next to have the installer create and format a single install and small boot partition for you. If you want to do it yourself click New to make your desired partitions, Format each, highlight the first large partition for install, and then Next.

This makes more sense to me now, thank-you so much. I will go and back up my files when my external hard drive is finished defragmenting (it's pretty broke too but it will do for now) and then I'll burn off the ISO as it should be downloaded by then, hopefully if I don't run into any problems I'll be back here to say it was fixed and to start surfing the forums to learn some of the cool stuff on customisation etc. otherwise I'll be back with whatever went wrong... Thanks again for your help.

 

[gregrocker]

Keep us posted as you go.

With Samsung it is important to follow the steps closely as to how drivers are handled. Put your wireless driver from the Samsung Support Downloads webpage into your backup so if it isn't provided during install you can install it to get online. There is a 50% chance it will be, a 70% chance if plugged in by wire during install.

Once online immediately enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) to run all rounds of Important and Optional Updates. After each requested reboot, go back to Check for Updates again until there are no more.

Then if any drivers are still missing in Device Manager import them from the Samsung Downloads webpage for your model - we can help you find any needed. There is also a Note to Samsung Owners at the end of Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 about steps which may be needed to make the function keys work again.

 

[Ntxeidr]

Keep us posted as you go.

With Samsung it is important to follow the steps closely as to how drivers are handled. Put your wireless driver from the Samsung Support Downloads webpage into your backup so if it isn't provided during install you can install it to get online. There is a 50% chance it will be, a 70% chance if plugged in by wire during install.

Once online immediately enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) to run all rounds of Important and Optional Updates. After each requested reboot, go back to Check for Updates again until there are no more.

Then if any drivers are still missing in Device Manager import them from the Samsung Downloads webpage for your model - we can help you find any needed. There is also a Note to Samsung Owners at the end of Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 about steps which may be needed to make the function keys work again.

I don't know which driver I need, atheros or broadcom. I'm hooked up via ethernet, so I'll be able to find out when I install it right?

 

[gregrocker]

Chances are 70% if plugged in by wire that it will start up connected. Then you can get wireless and all other drivers via Windows Updates.

If Samsung Support Downloads webpage for your exact model offers both drivers, then since you can't get into Device manager to see which is installed just download them both to your backup and if it starts up needing a driver try each one.

 

[Ntxeidr]

Chances are 70% if plugged in by wire that it will start up connected. Then you can get wireless and all other drivers via Windows Updates.

If Samsung Support Downloads webpage for your exact model offers both drivers, then since you can't get into Device manager to see which is installed just download them both to your backup and if it starts up needing a driver try each one.

I will go ahead and download them both. I'm having issues backing up the files because of the issues with my harddrive. The files in it equal about 45GB but it says I only have 30/111GB available... It's making it very difficult to back up.

 

[gregrocker]

I would run a Disk Check on the HD now.

If it balks use Partition Wizard Check File System followed by Partition Wizard surface test

 

[Ntxeidr]

I would run a Disk Check on the HD now.

If it balks use Partition Wizard Check File System followed by Partition Wizard surface test

I ran a disk check and nothing came of it. I will fix it after I have my laptop up and running. For now, I'm moving all of my files off there and storing them on my Mum's laptop so that I can back up my files at least. Thank-you for the tips on that. For the record, should I post a new thread about that when I fix it or continue on from here?

 

[Ntxeidr]

I am finally posting from my own laptop, thank-you so much! I'm going through all the usual stuff of installing updates etc. It'll take some time but I've actually got access finally. Thanks to everyone who has contributed especially you gregrocker.

 

[gregrocker]

Keep us posted on how it goes.

Remember to keep going back for Updates after requested reboots, until there are no more. Which drivers are then missing in Device Manager?

I'd run the Disk Check using either method I gave you on the external when ready. If it fails then check the HD with maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan.

 

[Ntxeidr]

That is how my device manager is looking now. I will keep you updated. It's going to take some time unfortunately but I'll update as regularly as possible.

Just in case the image isn't working, the link is: http://tinypic.com/r/2j287pd/5.