Clean Install Windows 7

Brink · Dec 12, 2009

Hello Kim, and welcome to Seven Forums.

What type of Windows 7 installation disc do you have? (ex: retail, OEM, student)

victor7 · Dec 13, 2009

Hi Brink, I read the whole thread and it doesn't seem like anybody has my issue.

I have a Windows 7 home premium upgrade media. I got this CD from my recent purchase of my computer with Vista installed.

I can't get to Step #10. As for Step #8, I did custom install and deleted all partitions. Step #9 seems to go well. It's when I believe is the final restart, that it restarts to the "Starting Windows" screen and then a black blank screen. I move my mouse and mouse pointer eventually appears. I wait for at least 10 minutes and still that screen.

I am forced to shut down the computer using the power button. I then hit the power button again and get "Windows error recovery". It asks me if I want to start in "Safe Mode" or "Start windows normally" mode. When I choose Safe Mode, I see the screen saying "Setup is preparing your computer for first use" and also "Windows cannot complete installation in safe mode. to continue installing windows, restart the computer". When i choose Start windows normally, I get Starting window and then the blank screen.

I have tried installing several times and still the same issue.

Thanks,

UPDATE:
I figured it out.. it was a dual monitor setup issue. I see the setup screen on the LCD TV instead of my regular LCD monitor. lol.

Let me continue to follow your tutorial! Thanks.

Brink · Dec 13, 2009

Hello Victor, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted. Thank you for posting back with your results.

jb1468 · Dec 15, 2009

Brink i just read this forum (after many others) and thanks for the all your input. It has answered many of my questions. Hope you can answer the others.

I am awaiting the W7 upgrade disc from Acer (have a new laptop with vista32) and wish to do a clean install (booting). In windows disk management there is a unnamed (no letter) partition - about 10gb (sure it is the recovery partition that acer states is hidden as it is not visible in my computer) and just my C drive amounting to approx 450 gb. I have burned copies of the factory restore and drivers/applications (in case of future need)

I need some further reassurance re progressing this (first time installing an OS) Firstly although I know I dont need this i would like to keep my protected partition that has the recovery to factory files on it. I dont need this space and see no harm in letting it sit there if it does no harm. If I boot and select custom and then select and format my C drive and install W7 to there will the protected partition referred to above still be left intact and operational?

I am also assuming that a format of the C drive (or even the entire HDD after deleting all partitions - although hoping not having to do this!) will not prevent W7 from recognizing a genuine copy of vista on it before and therefore W7 will activate ok. Sorry of these are dumb questions. Answers and reassurance will help me to take on such tasks and hopefully without hiccups. Many thanks

Brink · Dec 15, 2009

Hello JB, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I would recommend to leave the factory recovery partition on the hard drive, then just select to format and install the C: partition that Vista is on to install Windows 7. This way you will still have the factory recovery partition if you needed it in the future.

Even if you wanted to deleted all partitions and installed your upgrade Windows 7 as a clean install instead, you should still be able to activate it.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

jb1468 · Dec 15, 2009

I will indeed leave it on as this is my preference. If i ever wanted to roll back to vista (unlikely of course) using the recovery partition would the same process still apply which is using Alt F10.....would this still work from within W7 OS

and thanks for the link to install using 'a RETAIL upgrade' I read this forum as I thought it was applicable to my situ. Am i correct in now assuming I should follow the instructions in the

'Clean Install using a retail Upgrade Windows 7 installation disc'

many thanks

Brink · Dec 15, 2009

Your most welcome JB,

Yes, you should still be able to use F10, or from the recovery discs that you created, to do a factory restore of Vista if you wanted to in the future.

Yep, you would use that one to install Windows 7 with. Just be sure to only select the C: drive to format.

jb1468 · Dec 17, 2009

Just for information - from reading other forums and responses it appears that the software/applications/drivers required to make ALT F10 functional in acer laptops are not compatible with windows 7. (namely the e-recovery program used to back up and restore using the ALT F10 that worked with vista)

At this time it appears that the recovery partition, although remains intact appears obselete at this time. The discs (if burned) of course can still return your laptop to factory settings

Brink · Dec 17, 2009

JB,

Thank you for posting back with your findings. Hopefully they will get that fixed soon.

Flash587 · Dec 17, 2009

Hey! To start, thank you very much for the tutorial! I am excited to know that I will not first have to reinstall Vista before installing Windows 7 (my computer's been giving me trouble... long story).

Anyway, I have my Upgrade discs and I do not know what to do here. On your tutorial, it says to boot the computer from the installation DVD, but Dell sent me 2 DVDs.

One says the following:
Upgrade Assistant
Insert this DVD first before upgrading to Windows 7
Dell Windows 7 Upgrade Assistant DVD 64BIT
Contents: Dell Upgrade Assistant, Windows 7 Drivers, Windows 7 Applications

The other one says the following:
Operating System
Windows 7 Upgrade Option
Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium
This DVD supports 64-bit edition only
For Use Only as an Upgrade to a Qualifying Dell Windows 7 Upgrade Option PC.

Since I'm installing a fresh operating system, I would assume I need the second disc, but the first disc actually says "insert first" and has the drivers on it, I'm not sure what to do because I need to reinstall my drivers. (I can't just back them up from my current computer because the sound is corrupted on it and causing me issues.) Will Windows 7 already have everything I need (driver-wise) already pre-packaged?

What do I do?? Which disc do I use??

Thanks.

Jonathan_King · Dec 17, 2009

Hello Flash, Welcome!
Try installing from the second disc and see what happens.
Worst case scenario: installation fails
Possible scenario: setup prompts you to provide the drivers, in which case you put in the first disc
Probable scenario: you have no trouble, everything goes smoothly, no need to use the first disc.

Let us know how it works out. Good luck!

Flash587 · Dec 17, 2009

Jonathan_King said:
Hello Flash, Welcome!
Try installing from the second disc and see what happens.
Worst case scenario: installation fails
Possible scenario: setup prompts you to provide the drivers, in which case you put in the first disc
Probable scenario: you have no trouble, everything goes smoothly, no need to use the first disc.

Let us know how it works out. Good luck!

I would really rather not, just "wing it". That's how I ended up in this position in the first place. I tried reinstalling Vista once without really knowing what to do for sure and managed to make the system all buggy by installing the new OS over top of the old one and simply installing every driver on the disc (because I have no idea what I actually want/need to put on for each and what I don't... there's too many options). I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty much average-at-best with computers now. I kind of miss DOS and Windows 95/98; all of that was easy.

Jonathan_King · Dec 17, 2009

If you have any problems, let us know. We have many competent members here that can help you.

Flash587 · Dec 19, 2009

For anyone who has a Dell... the orange OS disc is the disc you want to do a clean install. It works just fine.

On a side note, I kind of have mixed feelings about Windows 7. I dislike that there are no Windows classic options for any features and the set-up reminds me of a Mac, asthetically-speaking, which I am not a huge fan of. It is definitely faster, though.

philkobe · Jan 19, 2010

My laptop froze at step 13 after entering a wrong product key. I then pressed the shut down button till my computer went off. I restarted the computer and chose the "start windows normally" option. The laptop boots to "setup is preparing for first use" screen. It lasts for about 1 minute and then the computer restarts automatically following the same processes.

Jonathan_King · Jan 19, 2010

philkobe said:
My laptop froze at step 13 after entering a wrong product key. I then pressed the shut down button till my computer went off. I restarted the computer and chose the "start windows normally" option. The laptop boots to "setup is preparing for first use" screen. It lasts for about 1 minute and then the computer restarts automatically following the same processes.

Try doing a Startup Repair. If that doesn't work, you may need to reinstall.

geekay46 · Jan 28, 2010

Thanks very much, shall read that closely. there is not a lot a lot on the laptop so a clean install shouldn't be a problem.

Rathex · Jan 29, 2010

Everything was working perfectly until I hit the PRODUCT KEY entry, at which point, entering the key caused this reply: "This product key is not valid."

The key was entered exactly as displayed on the back of the CD case. So what I don't understand is how others' keys work fine and mine is rejected? Any ideas? Am I just going to have to buy a full version? <--

Jonathan_King · Jan 29, 2010

Rathex said:
Everything was working perfectly until I hit the PRODUCT KEY entry, at which point, entering the key caused this reply: "This product key is not valid."

The key was entered exactly as displayed on the back of the CD case. So what I don't understand is how others' keys work fine and mine is rejected? Any ideas? Am I just going to have to buy a full version? <--

Welcome!

For the time being, leave the product key box empty. You can try to activate it later, but if it doesn't work, give Microsoft a call. They should take care of it for you.

Be sure that you got the key from a legitimate source, though. I would be a little cautious buying keys on eBay, if you know what I mean.

Rathex · Jan 29, 2010

Welcome!

For the time being, leave the product key box empty. You can try to activate it later, but if it doesn't work, give Microsoft a call. They should take care of it for you.

Be sure that you got the key from a legitimate source, though. I would be a little cautious buying keys on eBay, if you know what I mean.

Hey John,

Thanks for the welcome and for replying so quickly. I looked further into it via another site and found that I could bypass the product key by simply not including one the first time around. At the moment, I am looking at the desktop screen on my new computer after successfully finishing the install (while typing this on my laptop).

As far as rebooting and doing a second install (this time choosing "Upgrade Windows" and including the product key), how exactly do I go about doing that without making a stupid mistake? AKA I'm sorta new to this.

I'm guessing something like:
1) Turn off computer.
2) Turn computer back on.
3) Insert the Windows 7 Upgrade CD again.
4) Perhaps clearing my hard drive somehow? Or installing the OS a second time without clearing??
5) Officially lost and confused. :c

Thanks again BTW, I really appreciate any assistance.

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