Need help with disk partition (OEM Windows 7 Home Premium)

[TigerPunk]

Hi,

I recently purchased HP pavilion DV6 3124TX notebook with OEM windows 7 home premium installed . At the time of purchase there was a single partition of over 500GB and another recovery partition of 20GB. Upon my request the store staff (not HP staff but some random store which shelves numerous brands) made two more partitions of 136GB and 147GB respectively leaving the primary partion of 244 GB. However, in doing so the HP recovery tool was deleted and I realised upon reaching home that I cannot create recovery disk any more.
Now, I have two questions regarding which I need help:
1) I want the C drive partition to be 120 GB only. I was told by the HP support team that OEM software would always make a primary partition of 300GB. I found it ridiculous. Is there any way I can do this myself? I read in another thread that this can be done by calling the Microsoft support guys since I have the product key. If yes, should I wait for the recovery disk to arrive or should I go ahead and delete everything and follow the instructions from support team to do a custom install?
2) Is there a proper step by step guide to prepare your system for a fresh installation?

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[theog]

1) Microsoft support will not send you any disks.For OEM manufacturer's

2) The Notebook was partition by HP, not the Retailer.

3) HP setup the HD with 4 partitions.

5) How to make HP Recovery DVD disks:
Recover Windows Vista Operating System Using HP Recovery - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

How to make HP Recovery USB disk:
Creating a Recovery Disk on a USB Flash Disk HP Pavilion dv6700z CTO Entertainment Notebook PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

or
You can Order HP Recovery Disks from here:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...ortFAQ&prodSeriesId=4247485&prodTypeId=321957

6) If you have a Retail copy of Windodws 7 Home Premium
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

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

 

[whs]

In order to give you good advice I suggest you post a picture of your Disk Management. That will tell us what your partition structure is and what we can recommend as the best course of action.

Also tell us what you want to do with the free space after you reduced the size of the C partition. In the meantime do not experiment with a fresh installation. I do not think that this is required.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

In order to give you good advice I suggest you post a picture of your Disk Management. That will tell us what your partition structure is and what we can recommend as the best course of action.

Also tell us what you want to do with the free space after you reduced the size of the C partition. In the meantime do not experiment with a fresh installation. I do not think that this is required.

Hello TigerPunk, welcome to Seven Forums!


Unfortunately MS will not help with a factory built PC without compensation, even though you have a Windows activation key.

I'm sure the ones that 'added' the partitions removed the HP Tools for you and it is their fault that you are in this situation, perhaps you should speak to them about reparations.


Please do post a pic of Windows disk management for us to see, here is a link to a tutorial that helps explain the procedure.


How to Upload and Post a Screenshot and File in Seven Forums

 

[gregrocker]

Please post back the screenshot of your maximized Disk Mgmt drive map with listings, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu.

Make it clear exactly what you want to do. We will give you the steps.

 

[mjf]

Factory restores are generally good enough in my opinion. Except for HP when they leave the user with 1 primary partition and use the other 3 (only 4 primaries available). In this case I'd do a clean install if you can borrow a set of install DVDs.

Bouncing with thread changes - yes a disk management screenshot probably helps.

 

[karlsnooks]

Another vote for a snapshot of your disk management output.



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) |
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
Click the New button.
Drag the cursor around the area you want to snip.
File | Save as | select save location and name | Save button

Post the snapshot:
· Click on the paperclip icon in that row of icons at the top of the message box.
· Click on a BROWSE button. There are 5 of them.
· Navigate to the folder containing the snapshot.
· Click on the snapshot.
· Click on the OPEN button.
· Click on the UPLOAD button adjacent to the 5th BROWSE button.
· Close the MANAGE ATTACHMENTS window.
· Position the cursor at the spot in the message where you want the
snapshot to appear.
· Click on the PaperClip again.
· Click on the file which you want to insert
· Attach code will be inserted into your message.

 

[TigerPunk]

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply. First of all thanks for the valuable advise.
I went to the store and spoke with their manager about repairs. Although, they admit to the mistake but when I asked for immediate repairs the guys directed me to the HP guys who told me to do run the recovery disk to re-instate the factory settings. Since the disk would take atleast two weeks to arrive I find myself in a fix.
I have started using the notebook since I cannot afford to wait for two weeks.

Kindly advise me what should I do?
Currently, the structure is:
C-236GB
D- 136GB
E - 148 GB
I need C drive to be 120GB. Another two partitions of ~220GB.
As per your directions, I have attached a snapshot of disk management.

Thanks again for the prompt response.
Regards

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Start by seeing how much you can shrink the right side of the C: partition.

Don't try to do anything else, just shrink C: and post back.

 

[karlsnooks]

Tiger,
Excellent.
That clarifies many points.

There are several ways to accomplish your objective.

The quicky way is to use Partition Wizard, but this way can also lead to some possible complications. Win 7 doesn't let you expand a partition to the left and is difficult when it comes to shrinking a partition.

My way would be still more work and would eliminate any traces of HP from the hard disk, in other words, the recovery partition would be gone and their junk ware would be gone.

I'm going to sit back and watch the suggestions from the others since right now you are in a time-crunch if I understand you correctly.

Just as a question, since you will probably get asked this by others:
Do you have a Win 7 DVD? Here I'm not talking about the Recovery dvds. Which if you don't have them, making them would be wise as a fall-back in case disaster strikes.

 

[karlsnooks]

As Bare Foot suggested,
try using the Shrink option in Disk Management and let us know how much you "shrunk".

If you have questions, be sure to ask because safe is better than sorry when changing partitions.

 

[TigerPunk]

@Karlsnooks
I did not get the recovery disk or the Windows 7 dvd with the notebook. The HP support team explained to me that the OEM version restricts the user to lower the C partition below 250 GB.
Although, I am in a hurry but considering the fact that by deleting the HP recovery tools my notebook can't be restored to its initial settings, I don't want to take any further risk.
What I don't understand is why HP doesn't provide Windows 7 dvds to its buyers since they pay for the notebook and the original OS?
I am also thinking of buying a retail copy of Windows 7 in case this issue is not resolved.

@everyone: I don't know if this is of any help but the HP manual says that one can create a recovery disk onto a pen drive. For that one must press f11 while booting. This doesn't happen with my notebook. I was told by the Hp support person that since the recovery tools were accidently deleted the only way is to order a recovery disk.

Regards

 

[mjf]

Partition should let you shrink C: unless you have unmovable files. I think the Master File Table should be towards the start of the partition and not cause a problem.

You or someone else deleted the HP tools partition (unallocated at end) to give you your existing extended partition.
I would still keep the Recovery partition unless you decide to do a total clean install.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Did you try the shrink? Have a look at this information below.


After you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media.

If you can find an exact Windows version installation media that the PC shipped with you can do a clean install using the activation key on the COA sticker attached to the PC though it may require a robo-call to MS to sort the OEM batch-key.

How to Activate Windows 7 by Phone

If you can't find an exact same version, you could use the info in this tutorial to create an "all versions" installer of any version Windows installer, to install using the same method I posted above.

Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc - Create

After you have made backups of everything you care to save, the best method is to do a complete wipe secure erase of the entire Hard Disk Drive first, it over-writes everything, all the old Windows code including all the old drivers/programs, giving you the best possible space to install Windows to.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

 

[gregrocker]

HP's have the worst load of bloatware of any makes. This weighs down and can corrupt the Win7 OS from being the featherlight, instantaneous OS it is natively.

This is deliberate because the bloatware sponsors rake in billions which make up almost all the profit on today's low-margin consumer rigs. Most makers not only won't provide a disk today, but try to enforce the bloatware by refusing to support a clean reinstall even though MS EULA agreement requires maker's to provide a clean installation method and allows consumers to reinstall their OS property any way they want.

In addition the useless factory utilities are unneeded since Win7 has better versions built into it.

The best approach is to work progressively toward a clean reinstall of just the OS, starting with cleaning up the factory bloatware following these tips based on hundreds of reinstalls of factory OEM I've done: http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...p-all-four-primary-partitions.html#post952573

Once you see how much Disk Mgmt will shrink C, you can burn to CD free Partition Wizard to shrink it as much as you want since System Files will not be running.

 

[TigerPunk]

@bare foot

I did a check. It's 139479 MB volume that is shrinkable.
You would advise me to create a new volume by shrinking the space from C but can I split this space between D and E (existing drives)?

 

[gregrocker]

Use Disk Mgmt to safely shrink C - it offered you more than expected.

Then I'd Create a new logical sub-partition in Disk Mgmt, or you can use Partition Wizard CD to Resize D to the left and adjust the size of E.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello mate, I'm finished for the day, I'm sure my mate gregrocker will help you out!

 

[gregrocker]

I didn't see you in the thread so went ahead and answered, Ted.

Do you concur on Disk Mgmt?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

I didn't see you in the thread so went ahead and answered, Ted. Do you concur?

It seems he can shrink what he needs, if he can use a third Logical it would be a whole lot easier than Resizing the existing Extended into the unallocated space.


I just realized ...

Won't he still need to Resize the Extended partition into the unallocated space using PW so he can create another Logical?