Installing new OS

[mrcheesete0]

I just bought a new OEM Win7 Ultimate, and am going to install it with a clean install. Was wondering where I should install it to? Should I format and install it to my C: drive, or should I Format and install it to "Factory Image" partition?

In case you need it, I am running a Compaq CQ5205Y bought from Best Buy, with a Nvidia Geforce 9500 Graphics Card and PPA Internation 8-channel sound card.

 

[Tews]

Install it to your C drive... read this tutorial for more advice..

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html?ltr=C

 

[Lemur]

This may be helpful as well...

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

 

[mrcheesete0]

Read through it, once I get to step 7, unlike in the picture, I have three partitions, all of the same drive.

one is called System, and takes up like 10 MB, so I won't even worry about it.

The second is my C: drive and takes up 221 GB, which is what I formatted to delete all my old info.

THe third is called Factory Image, and is used for restoring previous settings. since I don't want any of my old info, or my old OS, shouldn't I format and install there?

When I format and install to Partition 2 (my C: drive), And I try to create an account with the username "administrator" It says name is already taken, which I take to mean I basically am turning my computer into a dual-boot, Win7 Home Premium from the Factory Image, and Win7 Ultimate from the C: Drive.

I don't want any traces of the Home Premium though.

 

[Lemur]

Free partition wizard cd.

Free Download Magic Partition Manager Software – Partition Wizard Online

 

[mrcheesete0]

Free partition wizard cd.

Free Download Magic Partition Manager Software – Partition Wizard Online

What is this for?

Sory, I am not good at all the install and setup of computers, more good at internet functions, and programming websites and such than programming the actual Computer.

 

[mrcheesete0]

This may be helpful as well...

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

So if I follow all these instructions, it deletes all the info already on the HDD< and turns it all into one Partition correct?

Then when it gets to the point of creatign a NEW partition in order to install your OS onto, what is the up.down side of installing it to a partition, or installing it directly to the HDD without partitioning the HDD first?

 

[Lemur]

Yes, you can use diskpart in "optimize for windows reinstallation" or use partition wizard to remove partitions. I thought you might like partition wizard because of the graphical user interface. Either one is fine.

 

[mrcheesete0]

So before I re install, either way, I should go through and un-partition, and clear my HDD as instructed by the second tutorial, and then install from the disk?

TBH: The only reason I am bothering to do anything with any of this, is because I am sick of getting errors with programs that were made for XP and them not working/not working correctly in Windows 7, so I am doign this to allow my the dual-boot XP feature of Ultimate, so that I can run my games and such in XP

 

[gregrocker]

You mean the Virtual XP included with Win7 ultimate? You are wasting a Home Premium license on that machine if you use Ultimate instead.

Where did you get Ultimate?

Most problems with non-compatible programs can be resolved with Win7 drivers or installing in compatibility mode: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html

Hopefully you made your Home Premium Recovery Disks so you have a path back to factory condition. If not, I would keep the Recovery partition and format the other two using Partition Wizard bootable CD partition wipe to install Ultimate.

 

[mrcheesete0]

You mean the Virtual XP included with Win7 ultimate? You are wasting a Home Premium license on that machine if you use Ultimate instead.

Where did you get Ultimate?

Most problems with non-compatible programs can be resolved with Win7 drivers or installing in compatibility mode: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html

Hopefully you made your Home Premium Recovery Disks so you have a path back to factory condition. If not, I would keep the Recovery partition and format the other two using Partition Wizard bootable CD partition wipe to install Ultimate.

That is pretty much what I did. I kepy the Backup Partition, jsut to be safe, and I got Ultimate from Newegg. I tried a bunch of recomended fixes for it, and I even went to the Microsoft page for a specific game that was giving me troubels. I followed another user's fix that seemd to work for threep eople, running it in Win98 Compatability mode, and then changing a few in-game settings, and I still kept recieving an error.

So I decided to use the Ultimate I had bought for a future custom-build I was planning, and using that on the old computer. I plan on getting rid of this computer (the CQ5205Y) within a years time anyways, or keeping it as a backup.

I also moved any important files I had to an old spare External 150GB HDD I had laying around. All my school files, my downloaded movies and programs, and a bunch of other stuff that I had.