Solved discrepancy in the tuts ?

[Muffin Top]

Now that I can install Win 7 on an Opti 7050 by conforming to the GitHub guide :


I'm now considering all options for dual-booting 7/10. Thinking about formatting a system MBR partition of 4GB to support dual-booting.


My question about this is: I see MicroSoft sources saying to format the System partition in FAT32, but the tuts say to format everything in NTFS ?


Which is correct? FAT32 or NTFS?

 

[samuria]

I think you mean the ufei partition fat32 which MS does by default. If you have 10 on and then install 7 it will mess up win10 boot you always install the oldest system first as it wont understand new boot option. Its a lot simpler running 10 then 7 as a virtual pc for free

 

[Muffin Top]

Its a lot simpler running 10 then 7 as a virtual pc for free

Thanks, but I think I'd rather do the opposite, though. Use Win 7 to start the hardware, and then launch 10 in a virtual machine. Currently, I don't need 10, but it would be good to play around with it, to keep my knowledge of Windows evolution marginally current.


Frankly, I've found the Win 10 version of system restore to be unreliable, and this seems to be confirmed via internet chatter.


System restore is the only guarantee of security when browsing the internet. Example, I hit a lightly traffic'd website that says "MicroSoft wants a credit card to remove the ransomware." I run system restore, and I have no further symptoms.


I actually run system restore after every internet session as an Op Sec protocol. That's why I'm clinging to the only version of Windows that can system restore reliably, which is 7.


My Win 7 installation has gotten hung up by the Win 7 installer not being able to see a generic HDD that Dell has been using in a lot of its machines. Win 10 identifies its drivers as: [FONT=&quot]C:\Windows\System32\drivers\[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] disk.sys[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] EhStorClass.sys[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] hpdskflt.sys[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] partmgr.sys

Are these post-installation drivers? Or should I also include them in the bootable UEFI USB?

Does it work to copy these files into a bootable UEFI? No.

Should they be slipstreamed into the ISO?[/FONT]

 

[Volume Z]

Which is correct? FAT32 or NTFS?

You just never format anything FAT32 in Setup, be it 7 or 10, MBR or GPT. And what do you mean 4 GB?

 

[Muffin Top]

Thanks, that's what I needed to know.

(1) So I format the drive in NTFS. I don't worry about the MicroSoft guidance saying the system partition has to be FAT32.
(2) I create a System partition (either 2GB or 4GB).
(3) I create a MSR partion (128MB).
(4) I create a Primary partition (sized to 80% of the SSD).


My theory about a massive System partition was to support dual-booting.

I saw a credible site suggest you would never need a system partition greater than 4GB for dual-booting (although they say realistically a dual-booter is never likely to exceed 2GB on the System partition).

So I'm trying to ensure my System partition will be large enough, so I never have to worry about it again.

My plan is to set up Win 7 and Win 10 on separate 1TB SSDs. Therefore, will have to use EasyBCD to dual-boot.

 

[Volume Z]

You are worrying too much about Dual vs. Single, FAT vs. NTFS and MBR vs. GPT.

When your disk is MBR, you cannot create a Microsoft Reserved Partition.

When your disk is GPT, the EFI System Partition actually requires FAT32, but you don't have to create that parition. Let Setup do it. The required size is nowhere near 2 GB, not even with dual boot. That difference is one boot entry vs. two.

 

[Muffin Top]

Sometimes, Windows 7 set-up can chuck a fit when it discovers a drive without a valid MBR/EFI and won't install to it.


I'm about to format that HDD to see if that will allow the Win 7 installer to see it. Win 10's diskpart can see the unformatted HDD, and recognizes it's GPT, but the Win 7 installer's diskpart can not see that disk.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's the article, because no one believes me. Early on, in the section with the header "System Partition," it says must be formatted FAT32.


This is puzzling, because I see the tutorials in here formatting everything in NTFS.



UEFI/GPT-based hard drive partitions | Microsoft Learn

- - - Updated - - -

This guy says FAT32 is only required for a UEFI system partition. His exacting phraseology almost makes him sound authoritative, and he agrees with the MicroSoft article I linked immediately above.



FAT32 vs NTFS: Which Format is Best for System Reserved Partition?

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Now I get it :

NTFS is used for an MBR set-up's system partition. FAT32 for UEFI. The distinction is buried deep within the tuts, and doesn't really jump off the page.

One of the challenges in writing technical tutorials is a person who knows all the ins and outs trying to explain bewildering details to newbies.

Take it easy on the newbies. Even a technically inclined person will have a learning curve.