Old HDD in New PC Build

[TheToast71]

Hello, I recently built a new computer system that contains my old HDD, which I transferred from my previous PC. The old copy of Windows 7 that was already installed didn't work in the new PC, as expected. Instead, I have a new copy of Windows 7 available that I need to get on the HDD. But I also need to deal with the old Windows copy.

I've already transferred all of my personal files from the old copy onto a portable HDD for safe keeping. I also went ahead and created a bootable Linux CD so I can utilize some sort of OS on the new PC while I'm figuring this out. What I plan on doing is reinstalling the new copy of Windows 7 onto the PC's HDD to be used in the new computer. I was able to acquire the new Windows 7 version for a really cheap price from my college.

So now I either have to format my HDD so that the new Windows 7 can work properly while keeping the old/useless version out of the way, or wipe the old Windows 7 from the HDD completely. Should I keep the old Windows 7 on the HDD and just never use it, or would that conflict too much with the partition used by the new version? If they do conflict, how should I go about removing the old Windows 7 partition?

P.S. - dealing with the HDD and OS seems to be one of the most annoying parts of a PC.

 

[Aeten]

Yeah I agree it's a total pain. I'm not the best tech here certainly but I would say go ahead and get rid of it. I tried just ignoring Vista when i was upgrading to Windows 7 finally and it did not work out for me. Doesn't just installing Windows 7 by inserting the CD offer you to do a clean install? That's what I did I think, but of course I had functional Vista to do it from I don't know how it will work for your jumbled system.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hiyya Toast and welcome - several ways of doing this mate you can use diskpart through the command prompt - wipe the disk with the Partition Wizard - http://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html I usually do the write zeros to the drive takes some time but good and have a look in the tutorials as well.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/172617-secure-erase-wipe-definition-methods.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command-2.html

You will find a heap of stuff in there anyway

 

[essenbe]

As was said above, you can just install windows on the new hard drive, then wipe the old one clean. Just be sure that the old Windows 7 drive is not connected to the computer while installing the new Windows. You should always only have the hard drive you are installing to connected. Then, after Windows is installed, connect the other drives.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

As was said above, you can just install windows on the new hard drive, then wipe the old one clean. Just be sure that the old Windows 7 drive is not connected to the computer while installing the new Windows. You should always only have the hard drive you are installing to connected. Then, after Windows is installed, connect the other drives.

Oops missed that one essenbe should have included what you said!

Think your sig says it all for me too LOL!!