Need help. Re installing Windows 7 to fix issues

branflake · 01 Oct 2011

Ok so my computer is having a lot of issues lately. I believe it is because of some registry issues that cleaners have caused. I cant install many driver (gpu drivers ) some games etc. I built this computer its very fast. i use it for gaming and school work. Now heres what i want to do. I have 2 hard drives. One is a western digital 320gb blue drive i bought when i first built the computer. I filled up the driver messed everything up some how and bought a western digital 1tb and reinstalled windows on that. What i would like to do is completely start over. I want to wipe both drives and install windows on my 320 gb drive and make that strictly for windows. And then i want to run all my programs games and other things on my 1tb drive. Is this possible? I have my install disk . Just want to do things right this time. One more thing. last time i reinstall was many because my old mother board died and i replaced it and when i did windows wasnt genuine so i called windows hoping they would give me a new product key (i have the old one but it didnt work) and i couldnt understand the two people i called and talked to... any way i can get it registered without buying a new copy just for the cd key?

SlasherIT · 01 Oct 2011

Wait, slowly now :). First of all you need to type properly if you want people to help you... Fix up your grammar. Now, from what I understand, you want to format your computer clean and install Windows 7 on the 320GB HDD right? Are both your HDD's internal? And did you buy Windows 7 from retail?

Slasher

theog · 01 Oct 2011

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

Clean Install Windows 7

gregrocker · 01 Oct 2011

Registry cleaners are sales scams that will always ruin your Win7. The only exception is CCleaner Disk and Registry cleaner, perhaps the most respected little app in the tech world.

Follow these steps to get a perfect reinstal: Reinstalling Windows 7

branflake · 01 Oct 2011

sorry for my grammar. I'm at work so doing this on my phone.
What I would like to do its completely wipe the two drives and have the 320gb just run windows. So all the installation to go on the 320gb. And i want the 1 tb to have all my programs, games documents etc. They are both internal drives.
And yes I bought the windows 7 from newegg still have it in the case.

theog · 01 Oct 2011

theog said:

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

Clean Install Windows 7

Have read of the tutorials above.

SlasherIT · 02 Oct 2011

Backup your data you want to keep safe to another HDD or something (external). Then, pop in the Windows 7 DVD. Let it load and prepare. When it asks if you want to activate Windows, tell it that you want to do it later, (30 day grace period to do so). It will proceed, and then ask you which HDD you want to install to. First, format both HDD's clean, or the 320GB at least if you don't want/need to format the 1TB. When done, select the 320GB HDD as the one you want to install Windows 7 on. It will install Windows 7 and eventually after asking some questions will go to the desktop. From there, update Windows 7 fully to SP1 and all remaining updates. Then install the necessary drivers for your computer. You'll then want to Activate Windows by going to Control Panel, System and Security, System. There is an option at the bottom to activate Windows. Type in your key from the Windows 7 box. It should check online to verify. Done! :).

gregrocker · 02 Oct 2011

I would not install programs to another partiiton or HD, since they integrate themselves into the OS and become a part of it so should be on the same partition for imaging purposes.

I gave you the steps to get a perfect reinstall. No need to wipe your HDs, just boot the installer, delete all partitions on both HD's, create and format new ones as you wish, install Win7 to the 320 gb ignoring the 100mb System Reserved (boot) partition the installer will create for it.

Make sure the 320gb is plugged into the first SATA port and shows up as DISK0 in Disk Mgmt first.

SlasherIT · 02 Oct 2011

As gregrocker said, that is recommended. If you are gaming, then its ok to install games and Steam to the other HDD, but except that, just use it for data and store your programs on the 320GB HDD.

branflake · 02 Oct 2011

i have windows 7 loaded on both hdd so they both need wiped.
So I started the sd/hdd reinstall that was linked. I get into disk part after booting from my windows disk and in the command prompt i type diskpart and it does not show my two drives. I know that my 320 gb hdd is the 0 drive and the 1tb is 1 from looking at it earlier today while on my account.