Reinstalling Windows on Partitioned System

[JackNaylorPE]

Kinda surprised me that I wasn't offered a choice on original Win7 install regarding volume size (maybe I missed it) or advised about that little 100MB hidden partition thing. But anyway I have my son's system partitioned in a manner that's comfy but have been having some annoying system issues. See link below:

http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/42892-windows-explorer-gets-tired-cant-logout.html

If these can't be resolved, wanted to reinstall Win7-64 fresh....Not really relevant but here's the partition scheme:

** - System reserved (100MB)
C:\ Boot Drive (64 GB)
D:\ Swap & Temp Files (16 GB)
E:\ Games (480 GB)
F:\ Programs (64 GB)
G:\ Data (256 GB)
H:\ Backups (remainder)

So I imagine that things haven't changed too much ... The install DvD will identify where Windows is and ask me what I wanna do but how does the presence of this 100 MB hidden partition fall into the mix ? Will it, like previous versions just write over what it needs and leave D thru H alone, or are special instructions necessary ?

 

[gregrocker]

Jack, you need to boot from the DVD to get Custom>Advanced drive tools to delete, create New, and Format partitions as you desire.

Please post back a screenshot of your full Disk Management map by using Snipping Tool in Start>Programs, attaching file in reply box with paper clip.

I think we will find some other drives are marked Active and interfering.

As for the 100mb, it contains the boot and the same Repair console on the installer/repair disk but made available at F8 on bootup so it is a convenience. However it can be removed and that space recovered into C: using a 3rd party partition manager like Partition Wizard, then the boot recovered by running Startup Repair 3 times from the installer.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Why all the headaches ? In previous versions of Windows, this was cake.....the install process would just ignore the D:\ and up.

Jack, you need to boot from the DVD to get Custom>Advanced drive tools to delete, create New, and Format partitions as you desire.

So it won't it just detect the windows partition and ask whether I want to repair / format

Can't post pics as system at home and I'm at work.

 

[gregrocker]

Yes you can just select C: drive either booting from the Win7 DVD or running a Custom install from your old OS. If you boot from the DVD you can format it first.

The repair install since Vista is done by running the installer from the desktop to Upgrade over itself.

If you can't boot you need to run Startup Repair from the install/repair DVD, several times if necessary, to get in.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I think I'm not going to bother until I thro an SSD in. Prolly one of those new PCI-E based Seagates, I been reading about ...assuming of course that they wind up in the "Five Franklin's" price area.