The first rule of Windows 7 installation, when you have multiple hard drives:
Disable or disconnect all hard drives other than the one that will receive Windows 7.
Do that and reinstall.
System reserved and C will then be on the same partition because Windows has nowhere else to put it---the other drives are disconnected.
After you are back up and running, post another screen shot.
Reconnect and worry about the other drives after that.
Great. Well i've already reinstalled in downloaded updates... now i have to disco drives and reinstall again? Ugh
If you ask here first, before doing a step, you might find you don't have to do much of this 'starting over' business.
Of course you do miss out on all the learning you get from trial and error.
Well i made a windows backup image and it didn't work during the installation or after. Maybe it didn't work because it might have back up that system partition that was on the wrong, slower drive? IDK...
I am downloading the updates, for the fifth time, and all seems well. We will see when i hook up the other drives.
Is there a way i can make an almost COMPLETELY reliable bit by bit backup of windows so that i don't have to re-install windows? Paid or unpaid, idc.
Completely?
No.
If you will settle for less than completely, the most commonly recommended choice here is to make an image with Macrium Reflect Free Edition.
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download
If you have a System Reserved, you will have to image it also.
I'd just image C and System Reserved. Use a file by file program for your data.
I'd make an image a week or so after getting Windows up and running---when most or all of the kinks are worked out. And then maybe monthly or so thereafter. Keep the oldest and maybe the 2 newest.
I say that in the context of the question exitPrOgram asked, which was:
"Is there a way i can make an almost COMPLETELY reliable bit by bit backup of windows so that i don't have to re-install windows?"
Answer no.
Meaning it's not completely reliable. Nor is any other imaging program.
I think it does both clones and images.
I gotcha. Nothing's perfect. Thanks ignatzatsonic!
I did EXACTLY as you said but i also had to change the way the SATA cables were plugged in to the motherboard... i also switched the power connectors accordingly. Fry's REALLY did a bad job on me. I trusted them, could you believe it!? lol.
BUT (there's always a but) even though i formatted the partition in windows installation for my other, separate, internal drive that was going to use for Linux and data . . . i STILL could not install Linux on to it. I think I did something in Gparted that started the whole mess with the system partition being on the wrong disk.
But when i re installed windows after disconnecting all but my OS SSD drive, as ignatzatsonic recommended, Ubuntu wouldn't install. So i installed Linux Mint Distro instead.... Afterwards i was able to install Ubuntu x64 with 0 problems!! Sorry if i'm excited in know this is Windows 7 forums but, still.
Hope this helps somebody, but at the same time finds a shorter solution than i did, HAH.
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