Solved How to create system partition for Win 7 custom install?

[WinXPtoWin7]

I discovered this forum while planning my system upgrade from XP to Windows 7. There is so much useful information here, thanks to the many contributors.

I am in the planning stages before my Wndows 7 install which is based on Kari's old school geeks method. I have been browsing through the tutorials related to partitioning and dual booting. I have downloaded EasyBCD and Partition Wizard, including the bootable CD to use if needed during the install.

I currently have an XP system, and am upgrading the motherboard/CPU/RAM but keeping the same HDD. My user profile system specs are the existing XP hardware.

I have some additional requirements - I wanted to keep some XP data on the HDD before my installs (also backed up to my USB drive) to load into the 'user/library' partitions. I prefer to keep the extra copy of my data on my HDD rather than relying on my USB drive in case something goes wrong during installs. I also plan to put a fresh XP SP3 install on the same HDD to occasionally run some old programs. I want to have a 100MB system boot partition created to keep Win XP and Win 7 more independent to allow me to easily remove the XP partition some time in the future.

I have free space on my HDD, I was planning to copy data from my XP install to a temp logical partition at the end of the drive, and also run the Windows Easy transfer and save the output there. I would then delete the XP partitions on the drive, then allocate new partitions for Windows 7 and XP during Windows 7 install, then install Windows 7 with a system partition for the boot manager and BCD. I would install XP last, fixing the MBR and BCD with EasyBCD as described in the dual boot tutorial.

I was wondering if the Windows 7 install would create a system partition if there was unallocated space at the beginning of the drive, but there were no active or primary partitions on the drive, just a logical partition? The examples I have seen only show it being created on a completely empty drive. If not, then I might have to forego pre-loading user data onto the HDD before deleting my XP partitions.

Another alternative could be to manually allocate a 100MB system partition with partition wizard boot CD and mark it active before the Windows 7 install. Would a clean Windows 7 install add a boot manager and BCD to an ***empty*** active partition on the same HDD? I did a test install of Windows 7 to a new partition after XP, and it added boot manager and BCD to my active XP partition.

I would like to know what will work before deleting my existing OS.

Thanks for the wonderful Windows 7 resource.

 

[AddRAM]

You should create a partition for Windows 7 with the PW boot cd, that way you won`t get a system reserved partition.

If you have unallocated then yes, windows will make the SR partition, a waste in my opinion.

Older OSs ( XP ) should be installed 1st, but it can be done either way.

 

[WinXPtoWin7]

I don't think you followed what I was asking, I will try again -

I am wanting to get a system partition when installing on an hdd with a non-empty partition.

I want to have a 100MB system partition with the boot mgr and BCD but no OS, and a second partition for Windows 7, a third for Win XP, and an extended partition with additional data partitions.

If I create all of these with PW boot CD before windows 7 install and mark the 100MB partition as active, then install Windows 7 to the second partition, will the Windows 7 install put the boot mgr code and BCD in the empty first partition marked as active?

Thanks for your help.

 

[AddRAM]

Yes, it should make the SR partition, but at the same time, you are pre partitioning so it may not. But since you`re making that 100 MB partition Active it should work out the way you want it.

But another approach would be to leave the entire hard drive as un allocated space, But keeping your 1 logical partition, and do your partitioning afterwards, then you should definitely have the SR partition.

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[mjf]

If I create all of these with PW boot CD before windows 7 install and mark the 100MB partition as active, then install Windows 7 to the second partition, will the Windows 7 install put the boot mgr code and BCD in the empty first partition marked as active?

Thanks for your help.

Yes.
I'd make the system reserved partition 200MB to avoid possible problems if using Windows inbuilt system imaging.
This tutorial may also be useful
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

 

[gregrocker]

Please post back a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image
so we can better advise you.

Generally when you boot the Win7 installer, you'd want to delete the SysReserved and WIn7 partition, possibly any Recovery or OEM partition if they exist which we can discuss if so. Then in that space you'd create and format a new partition which will still issue the 100mb System REserved partition. This is done during the booted Custom Clean Install Windows 7 using the Drive Options in Steps 7 and 8.

As long as you don't touch the XP and Logical data partitions they will not be affected, and XP should be added to a Dual Boot by the WIn7 installer. If not install EasyBCD to add XP. EasyBCD (click Download - no Name or Email required)

Please also take the time to look over these steps for a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which are the same for retail and compile everything that's worked best in tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here. You will get and keep a perfect install if you stick with the steps given there.

 

[Kari]

One small thing I would do differently: Copy the XP user data and WET file to an external drive instead of the HDD, and wipe the whole HDD when beginning the installation of whichever OS you decide to install first.

Why? I am not sure . I'm just so old school I feel better when starting from scratch (clean install) that I'd rather do it to a completely empty HDD, which I will partition using Windows installation drive tools or using any partitioning tool prior to installation.

Just my two Euro cents...

Kari

 

[gregrocker]

Totally agree with Kari. Only use a data partition at the end of the HD if you have no other storage method.

Also thought you were replacing XP which is nearly a defunct OS now. I would wipe the drive also if you decide not to keep XP.

I also would not use WET which can lose data and copies way too much junk you should not reimport into a fresh install. Those Appdata settings are a corruption path. Start over with fresh settings. It shows how to reimport your data for vital programs which need it in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. It also shows the easiest way to back up data is to sort it into the User folders and drag them to external.

 

[mjf]

@ WinXPtoW7
In addition to my comment above you should backup any of your data to another (eg. external drive). I agree with you that a system reserved is the way to go for multi booting W7 and XP but make it 200MB not 100MB.

Just noticed Kari also recommends ext HDD backup as well.
I assume that your plan was to partition your HDD before installation and set the first partition, for system reserved, active.

 

[AddRAM]

Yep, that`s what he said in post # 3

 

[theog]

Also no need for any logical partitions.

 

[WinXPtoWin7]

Hi, I have started my system upgrade process. This is a longish interim report for those who are interested in how things are working. I will post again once the installs are complete.

Thanks for the advice and suggestions. Many of you have suggested to start with a clean HDD, but I prefer to have an extra copy of all my existing data. I can always bail on my plan and reformat my HDD if the system becomes completely unbootable. I don't expect that to happen. I will remove the old partitions from the back end of the drive as data is migrated into new installs.

My current XP installation uses many partitions for system, program and data files, and has accumulated GB's of MS updates. I addition to my new Windows 7 install, I want to create a fresh XP SP3 install on a single partition for occasional use. I don't intend to connect to the internet from this XP install (that is after I get all the needed Windows updates after install), just run a few old programs. Yes I know XP support is almost over, but want to keep an working XP system.

I have run the Windows Easy Transfer in my XP system to back up desktop, favorites, and cookies for Windows 7. I have used the custom mode to remove all other data files, as these have been backed up separately.
I have burned all my data files and windows easy transfer files to DVD.

I have used the Partition Wizard Boot CD to copy all my HDD partitions to my USB drive, after shrinking the USB drive partition.
I have used the Partition Wizard Boot CD to move and shrink all my HDD partitions to the end of my HDD. I have over 400GB of unallocated space at the front of my HDD.

I have disconnected my USB backup drive and booted back into XP. Drive letters were all scrambled after the partition moves, but after some reassignments, got things running again.

My plan is to mark my XP C partition as logical, then use the Windows 7 install DVD to see if it creates a system partition. If so, I can allocate new primary partitions for XP and Win 7 installs from the Windows 7 DVD. If not, then I can use PW Boot CD.

I will mark my newly created Win XP partition active, then install XP SP3. This should keep the XP boot artifacts out of the future system partition.

Then I will replace my motherboard, CPU, RAM and network card. I will reboot XP to ensure the hardware is working and update XP drivers.

Next I will mark the system partition active and install Windows 7 into the partition I created earlier. That should keep Windows 7 boot artifacts out of the XP partition. I will also allocate new user and data partitions for Windows 7, and copy data from my old XP partitions.

The Windows 7 install should create boot manager and BCD in the system partition. I will add the XP entry to the BCD using Easy BCD after the Windows 7 install.

I can remove the old XP partitions at the end of the HDD when I have copied data files to new Windows 7 partitons.

Here is how things look right now. The last logical partiton (R) is a Windows 7 test install. It added boot manager and BCD to my C drive. Gave me a chance to get familiar with Easy BCD.

 

[WinXPtoWin7]

I have completed my install. I reinstalled XP, but it would not reboot.I think the problem was that the trial Windows 7 install put a windows 7 program in the MBR. I think i could have fixed it by performing a fixmbr command in XP, but declined to reply to the override message.

I ended up reformatting my hard drive as GPT and setting up my system as UEFI.

 

[gregrocker]

Did you ever delete all partitions as suggested in my first post, which normally would resolve any problems.

If not the next thing to try is to boot into the Win7 installer's Command Line to run Diskpart Clean Command
which wipes all code from the boot sector and solves most installation problems.

I think we were a bit put off by perhaps the longest post ever written here which few of us volunteers have the time to read, or we would have been more helpful. Glad you got it worked out.

If you'd like to study the tips and tricks to get and keep a perfect install they are the same as those compiled in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.