How to re-install Windows?

Pashakitty · 20 Apr 2015

I don't know if I'm posting this question to the right forum or not, but here is the situation. My youngest daughter decided she wanted to teach me Linux, I wasn't too keen on it but let her install Ubuntu on my Lenovo ThinkPad that had been running Windows 7. I hate it, I'm feeling way too old to be trying to learn a brand new OS. I want to re-install Windows 7 on my ThinkPad, problem is my daughter is now out of state and will remain so for the next several months.

I do not wish to wait till she gets back to be able to use my laptop so I have been trying to figure out how to clear Ubuntu from my laptop and re-install from my Windows 7 install disk. It doesn't seem to want to work though. I only get as far as the "Where do you want to install Windows?" question. The install window shows two partitions on my hard drive, one is the system partition and the other is listed as logic. The install prompt says that I can not put Windows on the System partition, and it won't let me simply reformat the laptop.

I don't know enough about what I'm doing and all of the different tutorials that I have been trying to follow haven't helped. I'm kind of desperate here, please, can anyone help me?

Ranger4 · 20 Apr 2015

Hi Pashakitty welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

This tutorial should help you get it installed. Do keep in mind that reformatting your hard drive will delete all your files, so if you have any files you want to keep, back them up to a separate medium beforehand.

Clean Install Windows 7

gregrocker · 21 Apr 2015

You should be able to get by with deleting all partitions during the booted install using the Drive Options pictured in Steps 7 and 8 of Clean Install Windows 7.

Then if you have a partition scheme in mind (one big C partition or perhaps an extra D partition for data) you can also use the Drive Options to create New partition(s) and Format, then click Next for Install. If you have no partition scheme in mind then just click next after deleting all partitions down to Unallocated space and the installer will do it for you.

The reason many prefer to have a separate data partition is so that they can move their User folders (Documents, Pictures, etc) there so that if Win7 ever again becomes irreparable, they can use a backup image stored externally to reimage C in 20 minutes and the data will be waiting in current in D. More about that in tutorial below.

Since you have a factory installed Win7 read over these steps for a Clean Reinstall Windows 7 which compile everything that works best to reinstall factory OEM, and has been used by over 1.3 million consumers without a single complaint. You will have a perfect install which will stay that way as long as you stick with only the tools and methods in the tutorial.

Let us know how it goes! Have Fun!

Pashakitty · 21 Apr 2015

Okay, thank you so much for the assistance.