Need help with an idea for my current situation (Windows 7 Install).

[Anesthetize]

Okay, long story short, my SSD crapped out on me and it happened to have Windows 7 installed on it. I still have a HDD installed which I used mostly to store games on (it's a gaming PC), and I had an idea.

So what I was wondering was, because OCZ are being pretty slow with the RMA process, is there some way I would be able to install Windows 7 onto a new partition on the HDD with affecting anything that's already on it? My HDD as is doesn't currently have any partitions as I mostly install games on it, so I just separate things via folders. So prior to installing Windows 7, I'd need to somehow make a new partition big enough to then install Windows 7 to.

And then, when I get my replacement SSD, install that and then Windows 7 onto that, and have that as the main boot option leaving the Windows 7 installation on my HDD unused, but as a backup incase the SSD dies again.

Is this possible, and can someone please carefully talk me through the process if so. Simple explanations preferable!

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[karlsnooks]

If you would like to be able to restore your win 7, for whatever reason, then use Win 7 Backup and Restore.

System Image Backup - Create
How to Create a System Image Backup in Windows 7

System Image Recovery
How to Do a System Image Recovery in Windows 7

For advice on partitioning your disks, we need a snapshot of your present setup.

Please read very carefully the following. Drag the field separators so that we get the info we need. Make the image using this method:

HOW TO POST A SNAPSHOT OF DISK MANAGEMENT DISPLAY
Run disk management:
WIN | type DISKMGMT.MSC | ENTER
WIN is the key with the wavy flag.

Maximize the output of Disk Management:
ALT-Spacebar key combo (this pops up a menu) followed by X key (selects Maximize) |
Drag the field separators (such as between Status and Capacity) to show entire field. This is very important, otherwise, needed info is not visible.

Make a snapshot:
WIN | type SNIPPING | ENTER | New
Drag the cursor around the area you want to snip.
File | Save as | select save location and name | Save

Post the snapshot:
Upload a File or Screenshot in Seven Forums

 

[Bill2]

Hello, you should be able to install win7 on the hdd temporarily and activate it. You havent specified but from your system specs, this would probably be a retail or system builder oem copy of windows. These versions are hardware sensitive so in case you have trouble activating windows after the install, you may need to go through the phone activation process and explain that you just swapped the hdd. In any case win7 can be used in trial mode for as long as 120 days.

You'll need to create a separate primary partition on the hard disk for windows only. Your game and other data files should be on a separate logical partition. As long as they are on a separate partition, they wont be affected by changes to the primary partition. I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping data backed up before changing partitions. Use PW boot CD to repartition. Alternatively, after moving your data off, just delete all the partitions on the hard disk (you can do it from the install dvd via format drive options) and let windows use the space to install. A logical partition for data can be carved out later.

As for your question about keeping windows installed on BOTH drives, that would be a breach of the EULA- one license can only be installed once.

Here are some helpful tuts.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2672-partition-volume-shrink.html?ltr=P

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2674-partition-volume-create-new.html?ltr=P

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

 

[Anesthetize]

Ehh, I thought I made this clear, but let me just point out that currently, the PC is out of use. I have taken the SSD out, and all I have in there is the HDD with no Windows installation on it. So I have no means of making a 'Partition Wizard Bootable CD.' I'm posting on a netbook right now, so no CD drive.

I recall being able to choose a partition to install Windows 7 to during installation, but is there an option while installing that'll let me create a partition? And yeah, it's the OEM version.

And if I manage to do the above, when I get my replacement SSD, could I then simply delete the partition with Windows 7 on prior to installing it fresh on the SSD? that would allow me to avoid the breach of EULA right?

 

[Bill2]

We're talking about resizing the hard disk partition here, the drive format options in the install dvd are pretty basic. You need to find a way to hook up that hard disk to a working computer and either partition it there or move off the data. If the data is already backed up, theres no problem because then you can just format during the install and later create additional partitions per choice.

Yes, deleting the windows partition on the hd, then installing on ssd would be fine.

 

[karlsnooks]

​

GO TO A COMMAND PROMPT USING YOUR WIN 7 DVD

■Boot up from a Windows 7 DVD.
■At the first dialog window, press SHIFT + F10
■You will have a X:> command prompt
X: is a ram drive created by Windows 7.

​

Now once there you can use the DiskPart command to partition the hard disk as you desire.

Of course, you can just let Win 7 be the controlling factor on preparing your disk as part of the Win 7 installation.

Here is an example of using the diskpart command

​

PREPARE A DISK FOR USE
Enter following commands, each followed by hitting ENTER:
· DiskPart
· List disk (lists disks in your system)
· Select disk <numeral> (without the < and the >)
· Detail disk (info should let you know if you selected correctly)
· Clean ALL (your entire disk is being overwritten with zeros.
This can take a considerable amount of time. Leave off the ALL for a much shorter clean which only cleans the boot sectors)
· CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY (create a primary partition)
· FORMAT FS=NTFS (format the partition)
· ACTIVE (the partition can contain operating system startup files)
· ASSIGN (the next available letter is assigned to disk)
or
ASSIGN Letter=X (Assign X as drive letter. Use the letter of your choice)
· EXIT (only type after Clean is finished. Exits from DiskPart)
· EXIT (this exits from the command shell)

 

[Anesthetize]

The DiskPart command, thats the one I was thinking of. But I'm a little on edge about doing it now, as mentioned, I don't have anything from the HDD backed up so I'm a little worried about messing that data up.

Hmm. So if I use the DiskPart command, create a new partition (how big? 30GB?), then I need to format that partition correct? then assign a letter to that partition? (all in that order?) and then during Windows 7 installation, it asks which partition to install to doesn't it?

Also, if I manage to install it, having activated Windows 7 on the SSD already, it'll ask me to activate it again correct? But as stated, there's a trial period, and I only expect to be out of an SSD for a week or two (easily within the trial period) so I shouldn't need to activate it. And when I'm not in need of the HDD Win 7 installation anymore, how do I delete the partition? and deleting the partition should essentially set my HDD to the state it's in now, right? (one big partition, folders containing installed games and other software).

Thanks for the help so far.

 

[Bill2]

Do you have an external hard drive? See if you can plug it in, boot from your install dvd and then use this method to copy off the data to the external.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93347-copy-paste-windows-recovery-console.html

Actually you can even copy off all the data with the copy command at the cmd prompt if the external is detected, be careful about drive letters.

 

[Anesthetize]

No external HDD.

I only used PCs casually until a couple of months ago when I built my first proper PC. So I've only just started focusing on important things like backing up data and such, only I still havn't got around to picking up an external HDD. I do have a backup of my SSD's Win7 installation on the HDD, but that's just a restore point.

All I need is to make a partition on the HDD, install Windows so I'm at least able to use the computer for a couple of weeks, then delete the partition to completely get rid of the Windows 7 installation (restoring my HDD back to the state it's currently in) so I can install to the replacement SSD.

I understand I can use the DiskPart function to create a partition on the HDD. I then use the Windows disc to install Windows to that partition. But I need to know how to then delete the partition containing Windows so I can install it to the SSD. I have no other PC to use other than this netbook at the moment. I have no external HDD, and I've only got a 2GB flash drive for additional storage at the moment.

That's all I have to work with right now.

 

[Bill2]

Well you can use Diskpart to shrink that partition but I didnt advise it because for one you have data there and the risk of data loss is always there and second, people tend to make horrendous mistakes in selecting the correct volumes in a command line setup. So dont blame me if you lose data.

Basically you need to select the correct volume and then use "shrink desired=" command. Prior to shrinking, you can use the querymax switch to figure out how much space is actually available for shrinking. How much space you actually shrink depends on what all you install but as a temp thing, 30 gb should be fine. Follow Point 4 in the TOC in this article.

How to Shrink and Extend NTFS Volumes in Windows Vista

 

[karlsnooks]

The DiskPart command, thats the one I was thinking of. But I'm a little on edge about doing it now, as mentioned, I don't have anything from the HDD backed up so I'm a little worried about messing that data up.

Hmm. So if I use the DiskPart command, create a new partition (how big? 30GB?), then I need to format that partition correct? then assign a letter to that partition? (all in that order?) and then during Windows 7 installation, it asks which partition to install to doesn't it?

Also, if I manage to install it, having activated Windows 7 on the SSD already, it'll ask me to activate it again correct? But as stated, there's a trial period, and I only expect to be out of an SSD for a week or two (easily within the trial period) so I shouldn't need to activate it. And when I'm not in need of the HDD Win 7 installation anymore, how do I delete the partition? and deleting the partition should essentially set my HDD to the state it's in now, right? (one big partition, folders containing installed games and other software).

Thanks for the help so far.

Your best bet is to do as Bill suggested and backup your data.
When you boot to a command prompt using the Win 7 DVd, then you can use the List Disk command of diskpart to make sure you have the correct drive letters to copy from the existing drive to an external.

If you don't have an external usb drive, then the time has come to get one.

 

[Anesthetize]

Oh, actually, I might have a simpler solution, but I'll still require a little help. I found an old 300GB HDD from an older computer. I could simply install Windows 7 on that for now, and have that as the main boot drive.

So, first I need to completely format the drive so it's ready to install Windows on. How do I go about doing that? via the BIOS? or a command promt?

Also, if I take that HDD out of the system with the Windows 7 installation (that hasn't been activated) on it to replace it with the SSD when it gets here, will Windows 7 install just fine onto the SSD without me needing to rid of the installation off the HDD?

Thanks again for the help, sorry to be a pain in the arse

 

[Bill2]

You can plugin the hard disk, boot from the install dvd (change boot order in the bios to CD first or press F12 at boot till you see a boot menu), then in the format drive options just delete whatever volume currently exists on that disk and let windows use the entire unallocated space. It'll create a 100mb partition called "system reserved" and install win7 on the other partition (remaining space), you dont need to do anything special. Best to unplug any hard disk other than the one on which windows is being installed (otherwise boot files can get placed on the other disk creating confusion).

The ssd install will be independent of the hdd install, the install dvd doesnt know how many disks its been used on. Its the activation part that takes care of the licensing aspect.

This should help.

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

 

[Anesthetize]

Excellent, that sounds like a much simpler solution to my problem. Cheers

On a side note, my current SSD did have Windows activated on it. When I install to the new SSD, will I need to contact Microsoft to sort out a new activation?

 

[Bill2]

May or may not, its hard to predict. But even if you have to, its a breeze, you just need to tell them your original disk died.

 

[theog]

+1 Bill2
This thread has be a pleasure to watch, with no crap being posted.

 

[Anesthetize]

Got it. But I do have one more thing to ask, and I'm not really sure how I dealt with this before. When I do a clean install of Windows, my computer doesn't recognize the ethernet cable I have connected, so no internet access. I got this working myself last time, not sure how. But I can't seem to the the computer to recognize it this time. Says something about a network adapter driver? I've tried going directly from the modem to the PC, nothing. I've reset the modem, nothing. I've reset the router, nothing. I always seem to get this right after a clean install of Windows.

Any ideas? Thanks again!

 

[theog]

Do you have the ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Driver CD? If yes.

Pop it in to DVD Drive, & run set up.

 

[Anesthetize]

Do you have the ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Driver CD? If yes.

Pop it in to DVD Drive, & run set up.

OH MY GOD! What an idiot I am. Ofcourse!

Excuse me while I run out in front of a bus! Hopefully it'll knock some sense into me!

Cheers buddy

 

[theog]

icnic: