Installing win7 without formatting the C: drive

[khoshtipi]

Hello all,

How to install Windows 7 (say, x86, ultimate) to a machine without formatting the C: drive, that is, installing a new copy of that OS and keep the old OS existing on that machine whether it has been win7 or XP? My goal is to reach the files that are in that old OS after installing new OS.

Thank you.

 

[Brink]

Hello Khoshtipi,

Do you have another hard drive available to either save your files to or install Windows 7 on?

If not, do you have enough free space on the drive to create another partition to save your files to? This way you will be able to save them to the new partition, and then reinstall Windows 7 on C.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

 

[khoshtipi]

Hello Khoshtipi,

Do you have another hard drive available to either save your files to or install Windows 7 on?

If not, do you have enough free space on the drive to create another partition to save your files to? This way you will be able to save them to the new partition, and then reinstall Windows 7 on C.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

Don't have another HD. I don't have access to the old OS, it's corrupted completely and I have to install a new OS. But I should save the old files that are in C: drive in old OS. So best way IMO is that to reinstall a new OS (without formatting the C: drive) and then through that, copy old files into another drive or a flash memory. if you think so, so how to do that?

 

[Brink]

You might see if you may be able to use either tutorial below to back up any files you want to keep to another location first. Afterwards, you could do a clean install of Windows 7.

• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93347-copy-paste-windows-recovery-console.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ate-live-cd-dvd-usb-use-emergency-backup.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/287439-emergency-kit-save-your-files-dead-os.html

 

[SIW2]

Don't have another HD. I don't have access to the old OS, it's corrupted completely and I have to install a new OS. But I should save the old files that are in C: drive in old OS. So best way IMO is that to reinstall a new OS (without formatting the C: drive) and then through that, copy old files into another drive or a flash memory. if you think so, so how to do that?

Yes, it is quite easy. I did it this morning.

You need to get at it from outside and delete the os files, leaving all your other files/folders on the drive.

The best way is to boot up something - winpe or a linux live cd, ( you might want to copy your Users\Your-username\appdata folder directly onto the "c" partition., first ) then delete :

Boot
Documents and settings
Program Data
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
Users
Windows

optionally, you can delete:

hiberfil.sys
pagefile.sys

Then you can install win7 onto that same partition without formatting it.

 

[khoshtipi]

Thanks shawn.

 

[khoshtipi]

Thank you SIW2,
What linux like CD do you suggest? Will the mint mate be a good choice for that?

 

[AddRAM]

Or hookup the hard drive to another machine.

 

[gregrocker]

Have you tried Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start?

A step there tells you how to copy out your files, then get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 - steps are same for retail.

The problem is that if you shrink C using a tool like Partition Wizard bootable CD to install a rescue Win7, then it will write the new install's boot files onto the old partition giving you more work to eventually delete it. However we can help you do this if necessary.

 

[khoshtipi]

@nice greg:
Yes, the OS has been crashed fully.
Yes, but I don't want to shrink the C, what's important for me is not the drives, it's the outspread files (on C, D, ...)
I think the first link of dear shawn is very simple & useful.
Thank you very much, for your helps. I appreciate than you for that.

 

[Brink]

Glad we could help so far Khoshtipi. Please let us know how it went, or if you have anymore questions.