Solved Want clean install on new HDD

[Bare Foot Kid]

Just do as has been suggested and create a single 100GB partition during the installation process and don't be concerned if it says additional partitions will be automatically created.

Then when Windows 7 is installed and booting good you can create additional partitions if you choose using Windows disk management.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

During the installation you will make a new partition of 100 gb and you will tell Window to install to it, rather than to any other partition.

That partition will become your C partition. Any programs you install later will install to C by default, which is what you would want.

When you buy or download an mp3, you can choose to save it on the big partition (probably D) rather than C. You can also re-direct your user folder to point to D rather than C if you want to.

Personally, I don't use Windows user folders at all. I just make all my folders on D directly. I made my own folders on D called mp3, pictures, video, etc. You can do that too, or you can use the re-directed Windows folders. It's easy and very commonly done.

The point is to NOT put any data on C. Only the OS and installed programs go on C.

 

[Miskonduct]

Just do as has been suggested and create a single 100GB partition during the installation process and don't be concerned if it says additional partitions will be automatically created.

Then when Windows 7 is installed and booting good you can create additional partitions if you choose using Windows disk management.

Okay. Got it. So don't be concerned with any additional partitions that are automatically created. Just leave those alone when it happens?

 

[Miskonduct]

During the installation you will make a new partition of 100 gb and you will tell Window to install to it, rather than to any other partition.

That partition will become your C partition. Any programs you install later will install to C by default, which is what you would want.

When you buy or download an mp3, you can choose to save it on the big partition (probably D) rather than C. You can also re-direct your user folder to point to D rather than C if you want to.

Personally, I don't use Windows user folders at all. I just make all my folders on D directly. I made my own folders on D called mp3, pictures, video, etc. You can do that too, or you can use the re-directed Windows folders. It's easy and very commonly done.

The point is to NOT put any data on C. Only the OS and installed programs go on C.

Awesome. I think I've got it! haha I appreciate you guys' patience with me. I know it's not easy. But it really has helped me understand all of this. I may have questions later about either redirecting the user folder or creating folders directly. I believe there is a tutorial that shows how to redirect the user folders? But anyway, I'll be sure to let you know how it all turns out.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Just do as has been suggested and create a single 100GB partition during the installation process and don't be concerned if it says additional partitions will be automatically created.

Then when Windows 7 is installed and booting good you can create additional partitions if you choose using Windows disk management.

Okay. Got it. So don't be concerned with any additional partitions that are automatically created. Just leave those alone when it happens?

Yes, do as ignatzatsonic says and be sure the 100GB partition is highlighted blue for the install and not the little 100MB "System" partition the installer will create.

 

[Miskonduct]

Just do as has been suggested and create a single 100GB partition during the installation process and don't be concerned if it says additional partitions will be automatically created.

Then when Windows 7 is installed and booting good you can create additional partitions if you choose using Windows disk management.

Okay. Got it. So don't be concerned with any additional partitions that are automatically created. Just leave those alone when it happens?

Yes, do as ignatzatsonic says and be sure the 100GB partition is highlighted blue for the install and not the little 100MB "System" partition the installer will create.

Cool. I'll be sure to do that. Thanks!

 

[gregrocker]

What I'm curious about is when I install the OS, programs, and music, etc. How do I put the OS and programs on the 100GB drive and the music and everything else on the 400GB drive?

Read this tutorial over carefully:

Ask back if you have any questions. User Folders - Change Default Location

Then after install you can follow its steps if you still want to put your User folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, Favorites, etc) on a second data partition.

 

[Miskonduct]

So when I installed my 500GB hard drive and booted up the windows isntallation. It showed it as 465GB is that correct?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Yes.

You can subtract about 7% from the advertised figure, which gives you 465.

 

[Miskonduct]

Okay, so I partitioned 100GB for my OS and programs. But I don't see the unallocated 365GB under my computer?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Go to disk management and you should see it. You can make a partition out of it in disk management and assign the drive letter D to it. Right click that unallocated space in disk management.

 

[Miskonduct]

Go to disk management and you should see it. You can make a partition out of it in disk management and assign the drive letter D to it. Right click that unallocated space in disk management.

Once I right click how do I make it into drive letter D?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You must make a partition and format it first. You can't assign a drive letter to unallocated space.

 

[Miskonduct]

You must make a partition and format it first. You can't assign a drive letter to unallocated space.

Gotcha. How do I make it a partition and format it first then?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

As I said:

Go to disk management and right click the unallocated space.

 

[Miskonduct]

As I said:

Go to disk management and right click the unallocated space.

All I'm seeing his the option for "New Simple Volume" is that what you are referring to?

 

[gregrocker]

I'll post this again so you can see how to Create a Partition: Partition or Volume - Create New

I thought you were going to make your partition during install using the Custom>Drive Options.

 

[Miskonduct]

I'll post this again so you can see how to Create a Partition: Partition or Volume - Create New

I thought you were going to make your partition during install using the Custom>Drive Options.

I must have been confused. I made the partition for the 100GB and figured the remaining memory would be partitioned. My mistake.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Yeah, I thnk that is it. Make sure you are right clicking the unallocated space rather than C.

After you create the volume, you should be able to format it.

 

[Miskonduct]

Done deal. So now, what is the best way to ensure that only programs I install are on my 100GB partition and my data on the 365GB partition?