Deleting Windows from HDD ?

[AddRAM]

Sounds like you are doing everything right, not sure why you`re getting a black screen after all the dots, you should see a GUI

What program or how did you burn it ?

What OS are you installing ?

Just use your installer to delete the entire drive to unallocated space, then click next, you can make partitions when your done installing the OS.

Step #6 and #7

Clean Install Windows 7

 

[Mike99]

I used ImgBurn to burn the CD-R.

I'm not installing any OS. I'm trying to get rid of the Windows 7 OS that is on the drive. I need to wipe out the Windows partitions (C, D, Recovery) & make it one big partition just it was when I took the HDD out of the box. I want to use it as a data drive.

 

[AddRAM]

OK then, is it hooked up to the system now, are you using that system to post messages here now ?

If so you can just use Disk Management to delete the drive to unallocated space, but you will have to mark it inactive 1st. (because it had an Operating System on it)

If it won`t let, that`s when you can install Partition Wizard or use the Boot CD, but you are having issues with that, so just install Partition Wizard.

Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free

Right click on the hard drive and choose set inactive, then you can do whatever you want to it.

I`m using Windows 10 right now, so I can`t post the pictures I want to.

ImageBurn is OK but now it has too much garbage to go through, just use Free Iso Burner under my Signature or just use Windows.

 

[Mike99]

It is not connected at the moment. I connected it as the only drive when I tried Partition Wizard. That way I couldn't mess up the good HDD.

If I connect both HDDs, each with Windows 7 OS, how will the PC know which one to boot from?

FWIW, I looked at the CD-R that I burned & it has 3 folders:
boot
casper
EFI

Does that make sense?

 

[AddRAM]

If the windows system that you`re using now is connected to sata port #1 on the motherboard then it should boot into that, even if the other drive is hooked up.

The other drive will be listed under your current OS drive when you open Disk Management. And you should know which is which by their size.


This is what`s on my PW 9.1 Boot CD

I always choose the 64 Bit version, not sure why that would make a difference but ...

 

[AddRAM]

Hook it up, then boot up and post a shot of Disk Management.

 

[Mike99]

Thanks for the reply & help. It's late & will have to play with this later.

 

[Mike99]

I found this on the Partition Wizard website regarding "No Signal".
Perfect Solutions to Black Screen Error When Booting Windows

It discusses the Black Screen of Death & says "Actually, if there is nothing shown on the black display or it just shows No Signal, the BKSOD error might be caused by hardware issues." This makes me think the video card make be the culprit.

Anyway, I connected only the HDD that I want to restore to new condition & tried using the Windows Disk Management. I deleted the "D" partition & extended the "C" partition. But I could not delete the 100MB recovery partition. I could shrink it by 16MB which still leaves 84MB. I searched & found that Disk Management will not delete the recovery partition. But I could use DiskPart via commands. Depending where I looked it said you cannot extend partitions to the left, which is where the recovery partition is shown.

If I remove the video card & get the MiniTool Partition Wizard to work, will it let me wipe out the recovery partition by extending the "C" partition to the left?

 

[AddRAM]

Yes.

You can also use Diskpart, but then definitely unplug the drive that you DO NOT want to mess up.

Diskpart is dangerous if you don`t know what you`re doing.

If that Recovery Partition is marked Active, that`s why windows won`t let you delete it, but PW will

I still have no answer for you on why PW is not getting to the Graphical Interface which should look like this.

 

[AddRAM]

Not sure why you`re calling it a Recovery partition, the 100 MB partition is called a System Reserved partition. Unless it actually says Recovery Partition

And this talk of extending C, it`s not C it`s just a partition, you should be deleting the entire drive down to unallocated space by deleting all the partitions on it.

Then you create 1 Primary partition out of the entire drive if that`s what you want to do.

 

[AddRAM]

You want to Delete, Create a Primary Partition, then Format, and Align the drive.

I do each operation one at a time by clicking Apply up in the left hand corner, you will get a confirmation when each step is done.

So it`s Delete, Apply, Create Primary Partition, Apply, Format NTFS, Apply, Align, Apply

And that`s it.

But let`s say you had 2 Primary Partitions on 1 drive, and 1 partition had all your pictures, you simply don`t do anything at all to that partition.

And PW will even let explore a drive or partition, all done by right clicking on that particular drive or partition.

 

[Mike99]

Thank you AddRAM for all your help.

I did install the free Partition Wizard on the old HDD earlier, before I read your last posting, but I got interrupted. Finally got back to finishing the job. I connected both HDDs & deleted, created, & formatted the new HDD. And applying after each step. I went to align it but got a message it was already aligned.

I had to assign a drive letter in order for the drive to show in Windows Explorer. However when a new drive is installed, Windows automatically assigns it a letterr. Why didn't Windows do this after I got done formatting it?

Thanks again.

 

[RolandJS]

Guys, Gals, where in my Windows 7 Pro is: Computer Management snap in? I'm not seeing, probably overlooking it...

 

[Layback Bear]

Just go to the Start Orb and type in (Computer Management). Mind shows up at the very top.

Or you can Start/right tick on Computer and select Manage.

You should get this.

 

[AddRAM]

Mike, post a new snip of Disk Management.

Windows does not always assign a letter, who told you it did ??

And let`s not refer to any drives as new or old, let`s say the Windows drive and the data drive, calling them new or old just confuses everyone

 

[Mike99]

Here's a new snip of Disk Management.

I mentioned that Windows automatically assigns a letter to a disk because when I connected a new HDD I don't recall ever using Disk Management to assign a letter myself. Perhaps I did via some process or screen that popped up but I just don't recall it.

 

[AddRAM]

I don`t think the HP Recovery partition should have a letter. Things can get mistakenly written there if it has a letter. But if it came from the factory that way, then I guess leave it alone.

Assign another drive letter than original (D to Recovery partition?

What`s using up the letters E, F, G, H, I, and J ?

Flash card reader ?

If you want to keep all your drive letters in order ( I know I do ) then you could change those letters and any cd or dvd drive letters to the end of the alphabet.

Just personal choice

If you removed the D letter from the Recovery partition, you could use it on Disk 1

 

[Mike99]

The HP Recovery partition did come from the factory as D.
E is the optical drive.
F is the External HD.
G, H, I, & J do go with the Flash card reader.
K is the HDD which I was playing with & temporarily put an OS image on, and then just now deleted it.

I just picked up a SSD which will be the new C drive for the OS and programs.
K will become the data drive and I'll give it a different letter.
The original HP HDD will be kept as-is and put aside. While it won't be a clone of anything it could be used in an emergency.

Thanks again for all your help.