Solved How to boot the setup of Windows 7 from another drive/partition?

[emtr]

I want to reinstall Windows 7 Home Prem x64 on my C drive by wiping it out and formatting/deleting the partition. My D drive has files on it and I do not want to touch it. Can I somehow make the setup run from the D drive?

Install Windows 7 Directly From Hard Drive

I have ISO, I have my key, I do NOT have USB or DVD (and by saying so don't have time to buy or look for USB flash dirves), heh all google results point to these two ways that even my granny can do...

Tried the above link, Daemon Tools mount, copied the files, I do not even have Boot folder in C:\ but anyway copied files from ISO, Windows started normally - it's like only 1/2 the instructions, nothing sugggests it would boot anyway. When I had USB stick in the past it started Win 7 setup ofc, but now?

 

[gregrocker]

You are asking us if it can be done, and it can. But it isn't correct. You always need a bootable installer to do the job right, and if necessary for repairs. DVD's are 5 for $2 on the rack at Walgreens, flash sticks are $5 with free shipping on buy.com

You should also have your files backed up externally at all times, if necessary even to the cloud using a free solution like Sync, Backup and Store your Files to the Cloud with Skydrive - Windows 7 Forums .

The steps are the same as here to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Daemon Tools has never been compatible with Win7.

To do what you want, use 7Zip or Power ISO to extract the ISO files to D, then run Setup to overwrite C. If you're able to choose C as the target location during install, it should work. If not you risk your files on D so do it correctly with a disk.

 

[AddRAM]

Then, after a successful install, make a backup image so you don`t have to keep reinstalling.

Yes, it can be done. But as Greg states, it`s not the right way.

 

[emtr]

You are asking us if it can be done, and it can. But it isn't correct. You always need a bootable installer to do the job right, and if necessary for repairs. DVD's are 5 for $2 on the rack at Walgreens, flash sticks are $5 with free shipping on buy.com

You should also have your files backed up externally at all times, if necessary even to the cloud using a free solution like Sync, Backup and Store your Files to the Cloud with Skydrive - Windows 7 Forums .

The steps are the same as here to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Daemon Tools has never been compatible with Win7.

To do what you want, use 7Zip or Power ISO to extract the ISO files to D, then run Setup to overwrite C. If you're able to choose C as the target location during install, it should work. If not you risk your files on D so do it correctly with a disk.

I asked about that and specially noted, I didn't have the time to go to any stores to do that... it's not about the money, I needed to do that ASAP, on the minute.

Daemon Toos LITE, I use it since years ago to mount images, all these procedures only require copying the setup files from the ISO, so it works just fine with Win 7...

Anyway, since one guy was willing to let me borrow his USB stick, I did it with that... but it is good to know in general if I can use another partition of the HDD for that.

Especially since I was asking if I can boot from a partition containing other files and applications - would they be damaged in the process of turning the partition into a bootable installation partition.

 

[gregrocker]

It isn't a bootable installation partition so much as you are actually installing from Win7 on C over itself. It remains live until the files are copied and expanded from D and reboots into the new C install to complete itself. For this reason it may prompt you for more space to be made on C to do all the unzipping.

Everything pre-existing on C is also stuffed into a Windows.old folder where it can remain until you're sure you have everything out of it you need, then delete it. Drivers can be browsed from Windows>System32 from Device Manager.

 

[emtr]

??

I am talking about CLEAN installation, meaning similar to how you do it from USB - you have the setup files there on the USB stick, boot from USB, enter setup, format your C: drive or delete the partition and install Win 7 on the fresh newly made C: drive. And how to do that from D: say if I wanted to do the same but instead of booting from USB to boot from D: and whether booting from D: will cause damage to other files and applications that are there... (since my D: is not an empty drive made only for installation but a functioning drive with applications and files)

 

[AddRAM]

We consider a clean install, an install done from a dvd or usb stick.

 

[emtr]

Ok forget how it's called Clean or Not Clean can it be done from another drive (partition) of the same hard disk or not?

 

[AddRAM]

I`m sure it can, I would try it from a partition or hard drive that doesn`t contain your important data. Or at least back it up b4 you start.

 

[gregrocker]

I just told you that you can run the extracted ISO Setup file as Admin from D partition, to reinstall over C. I also told you exactly how it works.

If you want a booted install so you can delete and/or format the C or other partitions, you'll need to boot from a DVD or Flash stick. Making another partition bootable to do a Clean Reinstall is too much trouble.

 

[emtr]

^ No, I didn't get it from your posts how to install from D other than copying the setup files from the disk there (since I didnt even see to boot from drive D when restarting laptop to enter Boot Menu) and I didn't get an answer whether the procedure may damage applications and files that I have on D drive but since I already did it with a USB, you can close the thread. Solved. (thanks anyway..)

 

[gregrocker]

Was this not clear enough?

.....
To do what you want, use 7Zip or Power ISO to extract the ISO files to D, then run Setup to overwrite C. If you're able to choose C as the target location during install, it should work. If not you risk your files on D so do it correctly with a disk.

 

[theog]

How did you install Windows 7 the first time?

 

[emtr]

^ From USB, I didn't have at that time, so I needed to know how to do from the drive.

@gregrocker
I didn't want to overwrite C and create an old folder from Windows... I wanted to format C and do a clean installation on it (installation to formated C drive while using the setup files from D), not overwrite. That is, start Windows setup from D: drive from the Boot Menu F10 as if I am starting it from a USB stick.

And when pressing F10 menu to boot to bring up the boot menu I didn't see D: . That's why it's good I found someone's USB, I had to do it asap and if I had to wait for a proper response how to do it from D: (imagine drive D of the same Hard Drive instead of USB stick or DVD), sheehs we would be still talking here.

 

[Layback Bear]

emtr I would recommend using a little politeness when posting to and about other members. You were given the proper way to do the given task and you decided to choose another one. I'm glad it worked out for you. Sometimes the way a question is asked is not understood to it's fullness and their for a little patients would of been wise by the person asking for the help.

 

[VistaKing]

Emtr

If the issue has been solved can you mark this thread as solved please ?

 

[emtr]

emtr I would recommend using a little politeness when posting to and about other members. You were given the proper way to do the given task and you decided to choose another one. I'm glad it worked out for you. Sometimes the way a question is asked is not understood to it's fullness and their for a little patients would of been wise by the person asking for the help.

What am I posting about other members? I got rather indirect and guessing answers, not some absolute yes or not. And I still didn't get an answer about what should I see on Booting Menu as just placing the Setup files on drive D: does nothing and in the boot menu where I can select Boot from USB I do not see what would make me select D: drive.

Also did I get an answer if this may damage the other files and apps I have on such drive? Again didn't get an answer. Yes I've done it, placing files on D:, so what?

if you check the link I posted the guy there explains making D to be recognized as bootable with some command prompt command but it didn't work for me. So did I get some concrete answer? No, just paste the setup files and that's it?

My remarks are more that meaningful... I guess I will seek some more concrete answer somehwere else but sure I will use whatever I can get from the answers here... thanks.

 

[gregrocker]

Excuse me, no one was guessing. We told you what you wanted to do is not possible, or only possible using extremely involved and complicated workarounds we don't support here so others are not confused.

I specifically told you how to do what you want simply and easily. It wouldn't have been a formatted Clean Install but it would have worked and performed fine. This is the top site on the web for reinstalls so we know how to judge.

If you want a Clean Reinstall then you need bootable media. When someone is too lazy to go down to the corner store to buy $2 DVD's or order a $5 flash stick with free shipping from buy.com, we don't consider that a reason to work around the proper way to install from boot.

 

[theog]

How did you install Windows 7 the first time?

^ From USB, I didn't have at that time, so I needed to know how to do from the drive.

NEXT

Do you have two PC's or two HDD, we can work with?

 

[emtr]

Ok so in other words, clean installation from another drive of the same HDD (no 2 HDDs to answer the above) cannot be performed, the only way would be installation over the old OS, which would put it in some Windows-old folder. And an installation with wiping drive C can only be done from USB or DVD/BD whatever. That's what I wanted to know, though it wasn't very clear for two pages and could have got this saving all the posts. Thanks.. you can close the thread.