Clean Install GPT partition issue.

[charx2010]

I am trying to do a clean install of Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit on a 3 week old laptop. There was no recovery disk with the laptop (and long-story-short, error in rebooting forced the computer into the recovery partition which would not 'bridge' and therefore always led to an "error!" screen), so I downloaded the proper .iso, utilized the usb/dvd download tool to create a boot-able DVD, and changed the BIOS to reboot from the CD/DVD drive.

As I go through the install, and from all of the pages I've been reading, it seems that the issue is Windows 7 will not install to a GPT partition style disk. What I see in the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen is as follows:

Disk 0 Partition 1 200.0MB SYSTEM, D0P2 128.0 MSR(Reserved), D0P3 279.5GB Primary, D0Unallocated space 393.9GB, D0P4 Recovery

There is no 'advanced settings' link at the bottom right hand corner, the options to delete/format/new/extend are automatically visible.

My understanding is I can delete all the partitions and lose everything on the computer, back out and open up command prompt, use diskpart to reformat to mbr, and then I should be good to go, whether I make a new partition or not.

I haven't messed with PC in a while like this, so I wanted to make sure my research is correct before actually doing something. Any input would be great!

 

[gregrocker]

You have it correct. I would install to an MBR disk to make install and repairs easier. You can copy out anything you need first. Then boot into BIOS setup, take EFI Boot Disk out of Boot order, set DVD drive first, boot DVD to run Diskpart Clean Command followed by "Convert MBR" and "Exit." Then create your partitions and install to first OS partition, or just click Next and installer will do it for you.

The other option is to install to a GPT disk which more complicated steps are explained here: UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with - Windows 7 Forums

Read over these general steps to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

 

[Saltgrass]

It has been 3 days and I was wonder how it was going?

so I downloaded the proper .iso, utilized the usb/dvd download tool to create a boot-able DVD, and changed the BIOS to reboot from the CD/DVD drive.

Had you booted from the UEFI version of the DVD you would have probably been OK. Windows 7 will install to a boot drive configured as GPT if you are using a UEFI bios only.

As I go through the install, and from all of the pages I've been reading, it seems that the issue is Windows 7 will not install to a GPT partition style disk. What I see in the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen is as follows:

Disk 0 Partition 1 200.0MB SYSTEM, D0P2 128.0 MSR(Reserved), D0P3 279.5GB Primary, D0Unallocated space 393.9GB, D0P4 Recovery

There is no 'advanced settings' link at the bottom right hand corner, the options to delete/format/new/extend are automatically visible.

You had 4 primary partions plus some unallocated space. Windows 7, using an MBR install can't handle this. GPT drives are almost unlimited in the number or possible primary partitions.

My understanding is I can delete all the partitions and lose everything on the computer, back out and open up command prompt, use diskpart to reformat to mbr, and then I should be good to go, whether I make a new partition or not.

Using the clean command from Diskpart removes the GPT designation. No need to convert to MBR, and the install should be able to handle any partitioning or formatting.

Diskpart can be run to alter you hard drive on the "Select Install" page or the select partition page. Using Shift+F10 will get you in the command prompt. If you use it on the partitions page, you need to click refresh button to have the system rescan the drive. Using the command prompt from the "Select Install" page will allow for reconfiguring a drive without getting into the configuration error messages.