How to create a recovery partition for a blank HD

[medwatt]

Hello,
Although this is my first post here, I am no stranger to this forum. So I have a blank hard drive which is for a notebook laptop with no DVD drive. I am planning to install windows 7 but I also do not have a 4GB shock flash disk, at least not at the present.
So I though of creating a recovery partition. I am using windows 7 on my laptop and I have a SATA to USB cord. I have been creating partitions for some time now so I though it will be just the same process except that it is on another HD. Here is what I usually type on the console window.

diskpart
list disk
select disk X
list partition
select partition X
active
exit
X:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 X:

But when I was done with the process, transferred the HD to the notebook it did not boot into the set up process.
Although I don't know the problem, I suspect that the problem might be this last line :

X:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 X:

Please help if you can.

Thanks.

 

[whs]

I think you are better off to make a USB recovery stick. Those sticks cost pennies.

Newegg.com - $0 - $10, usb stick

 

[medwatt]

I think you are better off to make a USB recovery stick. Those sticks cost pennies.

Newegg.com - $0 - $10, usb stick

Please, you are not answering my question. The thing is I do not want to use a USB because I could have bought one as you pointed out. I want to have a permanent recovery partition.

 

[whs]

If your notebook has a recovery partition, you can just transfer it to the blank drive (together with the C partition and the 100MB system partition). For that you use imaging.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

Here is some other little tutorial I made for transferring the OS. It was made for new SSDs but is the same for HDDs. You just have to define all the required partitions on the HDD.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

Btw: The commands for creating partition are below. If you create several, you have to specify the offset for the second and third (in MBs) in the 'create' command.

Diskpart
List disk
Select disk n (where n is the number that was given for your Disk in List disk)
Clean
Create partition primary
Format fs=ntfs quick
Active
Exit

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc727978(v=ws.10).aspx

 

[medwatt]

Thanks for the reply. I think that what you're implying is too much. I wouldn't be needing the windows file for my computer since it is almost certain that the HD will not boot on the other computer as the hardware on both are not the same. I will just see the blue screen of death.
What I want is a way of installing windows 7 from a partition to another partition on the same disk when the disk is empty. i.e. The partition will not be made by an operating system on the HD but rather by another operating system.

 

[AddRAM]

I think you are better off to make a USB recovery stick. Those sticks cost pennies.

Newegg.com - $0 - $10, usb stick

Please, you are not answering my question. The thing is I do not want to use a USB because I could have bought one as you pointed out. I want to have a permanent recovery partition.

A permanent recovery partition would be a partition with an image on it.

 

[gregrocker]

How about if you ask us what works best so we can share what we've learned from helping tens of thousands of users with Win7 since before it was even released?

It isn't worth the trouble to install from bootable HD.

To use a partition or HD for Recovery what works is to store a backup image there, then boot with the Win7 disk to reimage C from the stored image. However since this image can be placed anywhere there is no sense putting it on the same HD where it would be lost along with the OS if the HD fails.

But if you have another OS onboard we can show you how to run Win7 installation files from a partition or another HD so that it overwrites C, or set those files to boot from a Boot menu at startup to reinstall or run repairs with this method: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/309891-install-os-hard-drive.html

 

[medwatt]

How about if you ask us what works best so we can share what we've learned from helping tens of thousands of users with Win7 since before it was even released?

It isn't worth the trouble to install from HD. To use a partition or HD for Recovery what works is to store a backup image there, then boot with the Win7 disk to reimage C from the stored image. However since this image can be placed anywhere there is no sense putting it on the same HD where it would be lost along with the OS if the HD fails.

If you have another OS onboard we can show you how to run Win7 installation files from a partition or another HD so that it overwrites C, or set those files to boot from a Boot menu at startup to reinstall or run repairs with this method: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/309891-install-os-hard-drive.html

I don't understand exactly what you're saying. The thing is I have already made a partition on the new HD and copied the entire windows 7 installation disk just the same I do when doing it on the same HD. But the setup cannot boot from the HD when as would be the case when not done on an external HD.
So if you know why this is the case and can offer me a solution I'll be happy. If you can suggest another method (as you claim) without the use of a DVD drive or USB flash drive I'll be glad too.
You know I already have a 1.5TB external HD and would have used it to install the windows but every tutorial that I read I see that I must format the drive which is not advisable in my case since it has almost every piece of data that matters to me. Is there a way, as in linux distros, to create a bootable USB without formatting ?

 

[whs]

I think we don't understand what you are trying to do. Your story is very confusing.

If you want to create a recovery partition using the partition from another system, I don't think that will work. What exactly is installed on the system for which you want to create a recovery partition. And what are the specs of that system.

 

[Golden]

Is there a way, as in linux distros, to create a bootable USB without formatting ?

This doesn't make any sense to me....to create a bootable Linux USB you usually have to format it. Im quite confused over what you are trying to do....

 

[whs]

I think we are all confused.

 

[SIW2]

Copy the the 7 install dvd onto any partition ( except the one containing your current windows installation).

It will look like this:



With these guys inside that folder:




1. You can run setup.exe from within your existing installation for a repair ( also called upgrade ) install.




2. You can set up your recovery image, like the oems but without the crapware. Very simple.
Open an elevated command and type:

reagentc /setosimage [/path <dir_name> [/target <dir_name>]

My image ( install.wim ) is on partition O in GRMCULFREO_EN_DVD\sources folder

Therefore, I type:

reagentc /setosimage /path "O:\GRMCULFREO_EN_DVD\sources" /target c:\windows

(then press enter)

reagentc /enable

(then press enter)

Like this:



Job done. Very very simple.

 

[gregrocker]

You'd need an OS onboard to make the bootable installation partition, which only gives the ability to reinstall or repair by booting it.

By comparison a stored image in the same space (or preferablly externally) can be up and running in 20 minutes since it's already your customized ideal install and doesn't require hours or days of reinstalling and setup.

Hopefully these options are helping to better shape what you want. Keep asking back until you find your perfect solution.

 

[medwatt]

Is there a way, as in linux distros, to create a bootable USB without formatting ?

This doesn't make any sense to me....to create a bootable Linux USB you usually have to format it. Im quite confused over what you are trying to do....

No I really create linux distros without formatting at all. I use LiLi USB creator and there is an option to uncheck 'format' and I always uncheck it.

 

[Golden]

Thats because you have formatted it previously

 

[medwatt]

I'm sorry to be posting this late.

Can you suggest how I can avoid formatting my HD if I want to create a bootable Win 7 USB ?

 

[gregrocker]

Create the bootable sticks from Steps 1 and 2 of http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164. Formatting your HDD is not involved.

If you want to use an ISO you had previously the Windows tool may not work since it is picky. In that case use Ultra ISO to create bootable flash stick.

If you'll tell us exactly what you want to do then we will be able to help you better.

 

[medwatt]

I am myself a little bit confused in presenting what I want done.
Ok once more.
1. I want to install win 7 on a blank HDD which has no DVD drive
2. I already have a 1.5TB HDD which is semi full formatted as NTFS
3. I already have an ISO image of win 7
4. How to make the 1.5TB HDD a win 7 bootable installation disk without formatting it (1.e. retaining all files)

 

[whs]

ad 4) If you post a disk management picture of this 1.5TB disk, we could have a look on how to go about it.

 

[medwatt]

Please see the attachment !