Can't reformat

[finniksa]

I am trying to install Win7 64x and I had 2 partitions originally, one system partition with 32x vista and one storage partition. I already backed them up on an external so I want to reformat the current internal drive and install windows 7 64x.

In the installation screen, I went to Custom Install and Drive Options (following the tutorial here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html )

Somehow my storage partition was set up as primary so I deleted it and extended my other partition. I am on step 8 of the tutorial but there the option to Delete Extend or Format is greyed out and cannot be selected. I have one partition currently, and all I can do is hit Next or Refresh or Load Drivers.

What do I do?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

If I understand you correctly, all of your data is backed up.

If that is so, start over.

You shouldn't have any need to extend any partitions.

Boot from the installation disc and select custom install. When you come to the partition screen, select drive options advanced.

Delete all partitions at the next screen. Make one new partition of your desired size. Mark it active.

Continue with Windows install. When finished, go to Windows 7 Disk Management and make a new partition for your data. Then copy your backed up data to this new data partition.

If this doesn't work, advise EXACTLY how far you get and what any error message is. As I recall, you have to highlight a partition before you can delete it.

 

[finniksa]

That's what I was saying in my first post. I do not have the ability to delete. The option is greyed out.

To be more clear:
Delete, Extend, Format are not selectable and greyed out; I cannot click them.
Next, Refresh, Load Drivers are selectable; I can click them.

I think I may have to upgrade my BIOS to support 64x. Can anyone confirm? This will be my next step.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Are you selecting a partition before attempting to delete it?

Why are you trying to extend a partition?

The idea is to delete all partitions.

There is an alternative involving the diskpart command, but make sure you are doing things right with the standard method.

 

[richc46]

I am trying to install Win7 64x and I had 2 partitions originally, one system partition with 32x vista and one storage partition. I already backed them up on an external so I want to reformat the current internal drive and install windows 7 64x.

In the installation screen, I went to Custom Install and Drive Options (following the tutorial here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html )

Somehow my storage partition was set up as primary so I deleted it and extended my other partition. I am on step 8 of the tutorial but there the option to Delete Extend or Format is greyed out and cannot be selected. I have one partition currently, and all I can do is hit Next or Refresh or Load Drivers.

What do I do?

Did you boot from the DVD or the current OS?

 

[finniksa]

Did you boot from the DVD or the current OS?

I am booting from the DVD.

 

[richc46]

Ok Just wanted to be sure. If you booth from the OS, you would not have format, partition option, etc. Have A Great New Year.

 

[SIW2]

Boot to the command prompt, type

Diskpart

sel disk 0

detail disk

( make a note and post up exactly what it says)

exi.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Here is an alternative.

It is harmless assuming you have only 1 hard drive in your PC. If you have other hard drives, it would be safest to disconnect them before doing this:

1.Once Windows 7 Setup is loaded, press Shift + F10 keys at the first setup screen (which allows selection of language, keyboard and locale). A Command Prompt window will be opened.

2.Run Diskpart, the built-in disk partitioning tool of Windows 7 with the following command:

diskpart

3.Type in the following commands one by one, followed by the Enter key to create a partition (text in brackets are comments only):

list disk (to show the ID number of the hard disk to partition, normally Disk 0)

select disk 0 (change 0 to another number if applicable)

clean

create partition primary size=80000 (create a partition with 80 GB space; to use the entire disk as one partition, omit the “size=value” parameter switch; use a similar command to create more partitions if needed or create in Windows 7 after installation)

select partition 1

active

format fs=ntfs quick

exit

4.Type exit at command prompt to close Command Prompt window.

5.Continue Windows 7 installation as usual. Remember to just highlight and select the partition just created when you come to the partition screen.

 

[finniksa]

Ok Just wanted to be sure. If you booth from the OS, you would not have format, partition option, etc. Have A Great New Year.

I'm not sure what to do then. I am booting from the DVD and I don't have those options. Do I need to upgrade my BIOS or something?

 

[finniksa]

Here is an alternative.

Ok thank you Ignatzatsonic - I will try this out & let you know how it goes soon. Wish me luck!

 

[SIW2]

Detail disk first - curious to find out what it is that you can't delete .

 

[finniksa]

Ok - I have successfully installed Windows 7 now. Yay!

After I last posted here, I followed the same steps as I did previously. I rebooted the computer, booted from the DVD and was going to run the command prompt as instructed here.

But before I did that, I checked to see if it still had Delete & Format as unavailable options. And they were available! I didn't do anything different from the last time. I had NO clue what the difference may have been.

So, Thank you very much for your time and advice, ignatzatsonic, Richard and SIW2! I am happy to report that everything is fine. I am very impressed with the forum here, and I plan to lurk around & learn more while I'm here. Thank you all, and have a wonderful, healthy and safe New Year!