Partition and full format before Windows 7 install

[slipstream55]

Hello forum.

I am getting ready to install Windows 7 Pro on my laptop. I understand that at I can use diskpart during the install to partition and format the hdd to avoid the reserved partition but it will not do a full format.

Can I use the Western Digital data lifeguard utility to verify disk integrity and check/flag any bad sectors, start the Windows 7 install, use diskpart to setup the partition and format, then exit and continue the Windows 7 install? I assume what I am trying to accomplish by doing this is have the disk checked, bad sectors marked if there are any and have Windows installed w/o the reserved partition.

Thanks for your responses in advance.

 

[Pauly]

Yes you can, you need to download western digitals disk software create bootable media from it then you can boot machine from disc (cd or usb) and run what you need to
WD Support / Downloads / WD 2go + Other Products / Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows
Then you can boot your windows installation media (dvd or usb)
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164
at the first installer screen press shift + F10 to take you to command prompt where you can run diskpart commands
diskpart>enter (to enter diskpart)
list disk>enter (list all connected HDDs)
select disk 0>enter (assuming disk 0 is the desired disk)
clean all>enter (which will erase entire disk including partitions)
create partition primary>enter (which will make one new primary partition the size of the disk or you can specify size ie size=xxx)
format fs=ntfs>enter (which will format the partition with ntfs structure)
active>enter (to mark partition active so boot files can be placed on it)
exit>enter (exit diskpart)
exit>enter (exit command prompt)

 

[theog]

To clean install:
1) Clean the HD Drive, using Step one in this tutorial:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html
than
2a) clean install with the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disk.
2b) http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html?ltr=C
2c) http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[slipstream55]

Thanks all.

Pauly,

If I ran DBAN and nuked the drive prior to the Windows install, do I have to run the "clean" command in diskpart? DBAN wiped out all partitions and wrote "0"s to the entire drive (a few times actually). I'm concerned that executing the "clean" command from diskpart may wipe out anything the Western Digital utility may have put on the HDD regarding bad clusters.

 

[gregrocker]

No need to do any more than Diskpart Clean Command from the booted installer. The 100mb System Reserved partition is negligible and makes no difference whatsoever. But if you dont' want it then do Pauly's commands for partitioning after Clean.

"Clean All" is overkill, only needed for making data unrecoverable by any means. It does nothing to help the install in any way, since the installer and Windows don't care whether there are 1"s or 0"s being overwritten.

"Clean" wipes the boot sector of code which might conflict so it has troubleshooting value for install problems.

Most important is to get a perfect install as compiled in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 using only the tools and methods which work best with Win7 based on tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here.

 

[Drumming Pete]

I got a 120gb ssd and use Diskpart to create a 20gb partition for installing windows. And the remaining space will be a separate partition.

Will Setup create the ESP/UEFI partition (not talking about the 100mb MSR) since I not created it manually within diskpart?

 

[AddRAM]

20 GB is way too small, I would use the entire SSD for windows.

You should install to unallocated space, then make your separate partition later.