Installing win 7

Ken Davison · 22 Aug 2011

Hi All

Having taken your good advise I tried to install win 7 32bit on my E:

I disconnected my c: rebooted with disk in and selected a clean install. every thing went well until installing key which it refused to do.

Read the message and it said some thing about matching to manufacturers code.

The e: hd is an old sata drive from an Acer machine now scrapped and I am wondering if that is where the problem lies.

I went into disk management and this is the partitions on the drive.

1. 6mb unallocated

2. 2gb healthy recovery partion

3. 5mb unallocated

4. 147gb NTFS healthy (page file)

Is it possible to remove all partitions? I have tried in the past without success, so on boot up I get a choice of my O/S on c: or the defunct and deleted vista on e:

bigmck · 22 Aug 2011

I don't see why you are trying to install Win 7 on the E: drive? The default installation drive is C:. Have you had any problems trying to install on C:?

Ken Davison · 22 Aug 2011

On c: I have win 7 64bit installed and working well all bar one program which worked ok in win 7 32bit, I tried the virtual route without success so on advise I am going the clean install route on e: well I live in hopes of going so.

theog · 22 Aug 2011

From DVD:
SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

From disk management:
Partition or Volume - Delete
Partition or Volume - Create New

Zomby88 · 22 Aug 2011

bigmck said:

I don't see why you are trying to install Win 7 on the E: drive? The default installation drive is C:. Have you had any problems trying to install on C:?

He`s just calling it E: after install of course it will be C:

Skip adding your key, you can activate it anytime.

When you get to the partition page make sure you delete everything so you have 149GB total showing and only 1 partition. Format it if you like, but delete everything first.

Bare Foot Kid · 22 Aug 2011

Hello, if there's nothing on the HDD you need, have a look at the information below.

Information

1) To rule out HDD Master Boot Record format errors, boot the Windows 7 installation media to diskpart and run the clean command, it takes only seconds to complete; once the clean finishes, exit diskpart and use the Windows 7 installer to create and format a single 100GB partition for the installation.

If that doesn't work, after another clean, use diskpart to create, format and mark Active a single 100GB partition to see if that works, use Step Two #2 in the SSD/HDD tutorial for reference.

You can always extend the Windows partition to include the remaining unallocated space on the HDD / SSD or create additional Primary partitions or an Extended partition after the installation completes if you choose.

2) If you have ever had Linux installed to the HDD in any way, a simple clean command will not over-write the Grub boot-loader, you must use the full clean all command to completely over-write the Grub loader so Windows will install.

How to Boot to DISKPART at PC Startup

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

Zomby88 · 22 Aug 2011

Here`s an idea I just want you to ponder.

Instead of installing another system, why don`t you just use that other hard drive for backups and data, files, pictures etc.

All you have to do is reconnect it, then format it with disc management from your currently working Windows 7 and give it a drive letter.

If you ever have a problem with your current operating system and have to reinstall, all your stuff will be on the other drive.

After you get your current W7 the way you like it you can create a disc image and store it on that partition also.

Ken Davison · 22 Aug 2011

I think I must have misunderstood a bit of info.

I do not want to turn e: into c: I just want to do a clean win 7 32bit install on hd e:

I tried going through without a key and it did not want to know.

So how do I remove all partitions on e: HD ?

And then safely install win 7 32bit on e:

Zomby88 · 22 Aug 2011

Like I said format it from your current working W7 with disc management.

Bare Foot Kid · 22 Aug 2011

Did you see my #6 post above?