Best way to reinstall the Operating System?

[pragnesh89]

I was actually looking for something else but nonetheless thanks a lot. Anyways, I need your suggestion. I just bought a new PC and it has windows 8 preloaded. I want to use dualboot. How would you go about installing. I did dualboot but I wish to redo it.

I wish to dualboot windows 7 and windows 8 from the scratch because I don't really like the way DELL did it. I have attached a screenshot of computer management for you to see. I also have unallocated space on my hard drive which I couldnt put it back in my OS. I tried easeus and partition but it didn't let me.

My question is, can I completely wipe everything from my hard drive and redo it the way I like it?Is there a software which completely wipes all the partitions on a hard drive and I can start from scratch? Can I put the two boot files for windows 7 and 8 in one partition? If yes, how large should I make it? If I install any applications, is that installed along with this partition or can I install in a different partition called storage?

I just wanted to know how you would go about it.

Thanks for all your help!!

 

[Kaktussoft]

Can I put the two boot files for windows 7 and 8 in one partition?=>what do you mean by "boot files"? Do you mean bootmanager and bootmenu?

If I install any applications, is that installed along with this partition or can I install in a different partition called storage?
=>When you install some applications you can select "custom install" or "browse" for installation software. Why do you ask ... you see that question all the time when installing applications.

 

[Kaktussoft]

1. Delete all partitions during install.
2. Create partitions during install.

It's all explained here http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

First install win7. After that install win8 (in a seperate partition).

 

[AddRAM]

Of course you can, make 2 partitions on the drive. Install Windows 7 1st then Windows Hate.

I would make the Windows Hate partition smaller, because you will get sick of it and want to remove it later.

Do you have an activation key for Windows 7 ?

A Partition Wizard Boot CD is a great tool for making and manipulating your partitions.

http://partitionwizard.com/partition-wizard-bootable-cd.html

 

[theog]

To clean install:
1) Clean the HD Drive, using Step one in this tutorial:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html
than
2) http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-7-a.html
than dual in UEFI mode.
3)
(Dual Boot Installation - Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista)
UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 8 with

 

[pragnesh89]

Can I put the two boot files for windows 7 and 8 in one partition?=>what do you mean by "boot files"? Do you mean bootmanager and bootmenu?

If I install any applications, is that installed along with this partition or can I install in a different partition called storage?
=>When you install some applications you can select "custom install" or "browse" for installation software. Why do you ask ... you see that question all the time when installing applications.

When I said boot files, I mean if I install windows 7 and 8, can I use one partition to install both and then another partition for storage?

Regarding the applications, I mean would they be installed along with the OS files? or separately?

 

[pragnesh89]

1. Delete all partitions during install.
2. Create partitions during install.

It's all explained here http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

First install win7. After that install win8 (in a seperate partition).

I think I had unallocated space before and I could not delete it during installation. I could not even merge the unallocated space using minitool, easeus, or default windows compmgmt.

 

[pragnesh89]

It's in one of the tutorials section, I saw it before but couldnt find it today. Someone has a tutorial on how to completely wipe the hard drive. It's more in detail than diskpart. Does anyone know what it is?


Edit: never mind found it. I was looking for Darik's boot

 

[gregrocker]

It isn't really needed. Just delete all partitions during the booted Clean Install Windows 7.

If you want you can wipe the HD first with Diskpart Clean Command but it will make no difference unless there are installation problems to troubleshoot.

Create your new WIn7 partition and either leave space for Win8 or create its partition at the same time. Then install Win7 to the first partition.

I would consider making a third data partition to store a copy of your User folders upon, then link them to each OS using Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums . You can even set each of those data partition User data folders as the default Save location for Documents, Pictures, Downloads, etc: Library - Set Save Folder - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[whs]

I would add the unallocated space to the F partition - that should be easy. Windows 7 I would run in a virtual VMware Player partition. That way you can run both systems side by side and share clipboard, etc.

 

[pragnesh89]

Thanks Shwan will do this and get back to you by the weekend unless I face problems of course. How big do I need to make the user folder? I have 668gb to make the partitions. I was going to put between 250-300 for each windows 7 and 8 and the the rest for something else.

 

[pragnesh89]

I would add the unallocated space to the F partition - that should be easy. Windows 7 I would run in a virtual VMware Player partition. That way you can run both systems side by side and share clipboard, etc.

I prefer to have a dual boot with its own OS and also another instance in virtualbox. It comes in handy sometimes.

 

[pragnesh89]

I have a question. When I bought my laptop, I also had a msata 32gb SSD drive which dell used as a cache drive. It supports Intel Smart Response Technology. I forgot to install this driver when installing the two Windows OS. So If I set BIOS to AHCI, I can boot fine. But if I change BIOS to Intel Smart Response, both windows crashes at boot.

Is there anyways I can install the driver for the the intel smart response before boot? I cannot change it to AHCI and boot to windows and then do it because when I do it it says Intel Smart Response technology not detected.

 

[gregrocker]

Install Windows on System with MSATA and ISRT - Windows 7 Help Forums
Install Windows on MSATA (SSD) Drive - Windows 7 Help Forums
The tutorial author can help you in the Comments section with any problems.

 

[pragnesh89]

so there's no need to install the driver for the mSATA and I can reinstall both the windows using this tutorial?

 

[pragnesh89]

Install Windows on MSATA (SSD) Drive - Windows 7 Help Forums
The tutorial author can help you in the Comments section with any problems.

I have a couple of issues. The tutorial shows how to install the OS on the mSATA drive. I don't want to do that. I want to install it on the hard drive and use the mSATA drive as a cache.

If I switch the bios to Intel Smart Response Technology and try to reinstall windows, then the windows installer will not be able to find any hard drives. I will have to switch the BIOS to AHCI. But switching to AHCI will install the windows but wont let me install the intel driver in Windows because for that I would have to switch the BIOS back to Intel Response Smart Technology and in that windows crashes.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Where you get stuck? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/307529-install-windows-system-msata-isrt.html

 

[pragnesh89]

Ok thanks for that tutorial. Let me retry that and see what happens.