Clean Install with Windows 7 Upgrade disc.

[Jacka]

Hi all I've been having a few issues for a while with my onboard GFX. If you are interested see the link.

http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/182387-board-graphics-crashing.html

Anyway I have been asked to reinstall the operating system by asus to see if it rectifies the problem.
While I’m doing this I ideally want to perform a clean install and delete the partition that was left on there by Mesh computers who I bought I from. Vista was initially pre installed on the PC but I bought it with the windows 7 Upgrade option.

What I would like to know is will the windows 7 upgrade disc have the same options as a normal windows 7 operating system disc?

If so how do I delete the partition and perform a clean wipe/install? Have we got an idiot guide.


Cheers for the help

Jacka

 

[theog]

If so how do I delete the partition and perform a clean wipe/install? Have we got an idiot guide.

Take a look here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52291-partition-hard-drive-windows-7-install.html

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

 

[Jacka]

I've read through the tutorials and have some questions:

If I wipe the drive with "clean all" and "dskpart", do I need to create another partition or can I just leave it and install W7 as it's the partition that I would like to get rid of?

Once it's all deleted can I install from the disc (Will it boot from the disc)?

 

[theog]

1) I would not make more than 3 partitions.
2) Make the first partition for Windows no less than 100gb, next two partitions 50/50.
3) When all deleted & repartitioned, you can install from Windows DVD.

 

[Jacka]

Sorry if I'm being thick...

I don't actually want to have any partitions so I:

1. "Clean all" under the "diskpart" and wait for it to clean (will that remove the partition)?
2. Load the DVD and go through instructions and delete the partition
3. Follow installation instructions and uncheck activate windows online

Or would it be easier for me to:

1. Stick DVD in
2. Custom setup
3. Delete partition
4. Install windows 7

 

[theog]

Or easier way

1. Load the DVD and go through instructions and delete the partition
2. Follow installation instructions and uncheck activate windows online

 

[Jacka]

OK Ideal

Will that completely delete my hard drive? or will I have to remove old windows stuff with diskcleanup?

Cheers for the help

 

[theog]

If you delete the partition, all old windows stuff will be gone.

 

[Jacka]

Sorry I should have explained this better. Windows is not actually in the partition.

I currently have about 30 GB partitioned off with stuff from Mesh PCs which I wanted to do away with. I've no idea what it is, which is why I thought I would get shot of it whilst I'm reinstalling the operating system.

 

[theog]

If you delete all the partitions, all old DATA will be gone.

 

[Jacka]

Ideal Cheers for that

 

[gregrocker]

Adapt these steps for Reinstalling Windows 7 to get a perfect install.

If there is any Windows on the HD then when you boot the DVD Win7 installer will see it and allow use of upgrade key upfront - even if you go on to delete all partitions, create and format new ones. If not then after install do the quick registry edit given in the tutorial Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version.

Or you can just delete all partitions and start the install and it will format partitions for you.

If you have a data partition you cannot back up externally first and need to protect, then just make sure you identify it by size and don't touch it during install.

 

[Jacka]

Adapt these steps for Reinstalling Windows 7 to get a perfect install.

If there is any Windows on the HD then when you boot the DVD Win7 installer will see it and allow use of upgrade key upfront - even if you go on to delete all partitions, create and format new ones. If not then after install do the quick registry edit given in the tutorial Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version.

Or you can just delete all partitions and start the install and it will format partitions for you.

If you have a data partition you cannot back up externally first and need to protect, then just make sure you identify it by size and don't touch it during install.

With the clean install link I'm assuming I just need to follow option 2?

 

[gregrocker]

Or you can boot the DVD if you need to repartition at all.

Can you back up your files externally or do you need to protect them in a separate partition on the same HD during install as this is a risky option for files you cannot afford to lose. And you can NEVER count on windows.old folder as a backup method.

 

[Jacka]

I back it up externally

Basically I bought the PC with Vista and the W7 upgrade option. The Partition must have been what the manufacturer had put on with Vista. However now I have upgraded to W7 I don't really need the partition and want the space back

I started the install earlier but backed out because I couldn't delete the partition. I ended up going to "diskpart" "list drives" "List partition" then deleted it that way.

I tried to go through the installation again but for all the partition has gone that space isn't showing. Before I go any further I want to find out how I reclaim that space. Will the clean install of W7 reclaim it or will I have to format the whole drive first?

Cheers

Jacka

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Assuming you want just one partition for the entire drive, I'd probably start the install with the Windows disk and go back to diskpart with the Shift F10 keys and use the clean command to delete all partitions.

Then create a single new partition using the create command in diskpart. The command would be "create partition primary". That command should create 1 partition covering the entire drive, including any space you may have reclaimed previously.

If you wanted more than one partition, a command such as "create partition primary size=80000" would create an 80 gig partition. You could continue in diskpart to create other individual partitions or you could wait until you have Windows running and then shrink C and create additional partitions from the reclaimed space using Disk Management.

 

[Jacka]

Yes that's exactly what I want to do. Just one nice a clean drive, then I'll make a image backup DVD.

So if I start the installation of W7 at what point do I press f10 to go back and wipe the drive? Will I need to wipe it too?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

So if I start the installation of W7 at what point do I press f10 to go back and wipe the drive? Will I need to wipe it too?

Correction: the command is shift F10, not F10.


Early in the install---when you are asked to choose a language. Shift F10 at that point will drop you into diskpart.

You will need to use the "clean" command to wipe ALL partitions.

There is also a "clean all" command, which writes zeroes to the drive, but I would not think you need to do that in your situation. "Clean" should suffice.

Here is a sequence of commands that should work--it will format the single partition also. Note that you omit the portion about 80000 if you just want one partition for the entire drive. When you exit out of diskpart, you are dropped back into the Windows install.

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 (this does not write zeroes to drive; use clean all to write zeroes)

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

 

[Jacka]

That's great stuff. Thanks for that! I definitely just want to get rid of all partitions.

One thing I'm confused about is the size (80000). At the moment I have deleted the partition that was 36gb so that's floating around somewhere. The other 892gb is my main drive that shows in the custom setup of W7. Does this mean when you talk about portion I need to input 928000?

Thanks again

Jacka

 

[ignatzatsonic]

That's great stuff. Thanks for that! I definitely just want to get rid of all partitions.

One thing I'm confused about is the size (80000). At the moment I have deleted the partition that was 36gb so that's floating around somewhere. The other 892gb is my main drive that shows in the custom setup of W7. Does this mean when you talk about portion I need to input 928000?

Thanks again

Jacka

I assume you want 1 partition covering the ENTIRE drive, not an 80 gig partition covering only part of the drive.

You MUST have at least one partition.

If that is correct, the command is "create partition primary".

If, on the other hand, you DO want an 80 gig C drive, the command would be "create partition primary size=80000".

DON"T input ANY numbers if you want 1 single partition covering the ENTIRE drive.