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Win7 Install on 2nd drive now need to format 1st
So I was not sure about Win7 and I have a PC with 2 physically separate internal hard drives. So I retained my vista OS on my C:/ drive (named OS) and did a clean install of windows 7 (using an upgrade disc student edition) on my D:/ drive (DATA).
After setting up, using and liking windows 7, I want to eliminate my vista system, which is boated now, completely. However, apparently with an intel chipset, I can't simply format the OS drive using the disc management utility, even though when I boot windows 7, it is renamed the D:/ drive because the bootloader is on the OS drive. I have tried changing the DATA drive to an active, bootable drive in disc manager. Unfortunately, I can't seem to make it the primary partition.
Originally found this forum on google with a hit on help: cannot reformat c drive
useful information, but I am not completely sure what it means.
After spending about a week customizing my Win7 install, I am not too happy about the possibility having to reinstall on the OS drive and go from there. What method should I use to format my OS drive, and still be able to boot the DATA drive. I would then like to use my OS drive for storing music, and pictures, etc.
I have an external HD to work with. I suppose I could image the DATA drive with the Win7 install, format the OS drive, and then restore the image to the C drive, but that still leaves the problem of how to format the OS drive in the first place. Also, I've never done a recovery from image before, and am not big on the prospect.
Thanks for your help,
A Windows Fanboy