Fastest 7077 Clean Install Method?

jimbo45 · 15 Apr 2009

Hi all

Nothing to add to the main posts here - but just a note to you guys using Virtual Machines.

If you use VMWARE and backup the Virtual Image (from within the Virtual machine itself -- back up the image on to a Network drive the VM has access to) with Acronis True Image you can restore the VIRTUAL IMAGE to REAL hardware using the Acronis Universal restore facility. This performs what is known as a "V2P" or Virtual to Physical conversion. (The reverse is true as well - you can create a Virtual Machine from your Real image by the same process - this is called a "P2V" or Physical to Virtual conversion).

You can at restore time point to extra directories for the restore facility to search for specific drivers. For other stuff you can either use the Windows HAL or the windows driver directories or both. Works a treat and saves multiple installs.

It's often much quicker and easier to build your base VM, perform a V2P conversion and then install any other apps you need.

If you don't like Acronis then there are many other V2P and P2V conversion tools out there.

Cheers
jimbo

baarod · 15 Apr 2009

PotatoMan83 said:

ok. im runnin 7077. I extract iso of newer build to folder and run setup.exe. Can i click custom and fresh install this way is what im asking

Nope, it won't let you change the active partition. You'll either have to upgrade or install a new copy into the same dirty partition leaving windows.old directories and old user profiles and old program files. Yuck.

Just use diskpart, bcdboot and imagex, they're what the pros use, they give you more flexibility and fewer headaches, and they're faster.

PotatoMan83 · 15 Apr 2009

Im not good at all with command prompt type applications. Even if i restarted my computer with the dvd in the drive, and select new install, it will still back up the older windows files from my drive. I only have one partition. What would I do, make a D drive, install it onto that, then delete the C drive containing my previous build and add the empty space back to D?

baarod · 15 Apr 2009

PotatoMan83 said:

all 3 of those or either one.

Read the thread -- Fastest 7077 Clean Install Method?

PotatoMan83 · 15 Apr 2009

and what Im asking is in reference to finding out just that. My question pertains to that excact phrase, otherwise I wouldnt have asked here. Finding out if it can be done the way I asked is part of asking about the fastest way Ive found.

--Thanks for letting me know what the Topic says, but I think i got it

baarod · 15 Apr 2009

PotatoMan83 said:

and what Im asking is in reference to finding out just that. My question pertains to that excact phrase, otherwise I wouldnt have asked here. Finding out if it can be done the way I asked is part of asking about the fastest way Ive found.

--Thanks for letting me know what the Topic says, but I think i got it

That was a direct hyperlink to the exact instructions you requested. Did it not show up that way in your browser?

PotatoMan83 · 15 Apr 2009

Hey, It was the name of the thread, and I totally took it as I was speaking off topic, cause the link is written as the thread name. My appologies to to you sir. Looked awkward to me.

mike2h · 16 Apr 2009

Thanks everyone.

and the winner is ...

well each solution has its merits

Image X, Acronis, ( and VM if unsure and doing forensics). Not sure about Daemon etc.

Coming a close second for simplicity - bootable USB. :)

Ps The stopwatch should start as soon as the source iso 'lands' on your system.

(Prior preparation of clean disk/partition assumed.)

Mods - this topic is 99% solved.

Night Hawk · 16 Apr 2009

One other thing that could be added here was testing out the method of installation by way usb key USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

Following the steps to see the usb flash made bootable with a large single Fat32 volume having replaced ubuntu and a larger ntfs recovery partition the installer started off while booted in the same 7077 build to still see the 20minutes total from copying setup files over until the installation finished arriving at the desktop.

It didn't speed up the installation time there. The preparation of the flash drive took the same amount of time as burning an iso to either a dvd-r or rw disk. But if you have more then one test machine one lacking a dvd drive or an older desktop or laptop that only saw the cd drive this solves that problem rather fast.

sarastro · 18 Apr 2009

My dvd burner/reader died after the last windows 7 installation. I only used the dvd drive for windows installations, so instead of buying a new one. I'd rather buy a usb stick. I have been looking for a good 4gb flash drive for fast windows 7 installations. and those install times of 8 minutes people speak of appeal to me.

I've seen the OCZ ATV turbo 4gb benchmarked as fast. Do people have any recommendations for a 4gb + flash drive?