Windows 7 installer sets its own path as C:\ - cannot install to C:\

[Toshiko]

Okay, look. When you reboot during the repair process, you reboot into the Windows 7 installer. It is mounted as C. It will continue that repair and potentially ruin my installation because it will apparently be writing data with paths that are not C:\ to the registry. It will be writing paths pertaining to D:\ which is NOT WHERE MY OPERATING SYSTEM IS INSTALLED!

I apologize if I sound rude when I'm accused of not reading when it feels as though nobody is reading what I'm saying. I've linked this thread in 3 IRC channels for a sanity check as to how I'm articulating my problem, and everybody gets what I'm saying - they just don't have an answer because the problem itself is absurd. Please re-read all of my posts thoroughly.

Anyway, I'll take pictures of the Windows 7 installer in the morning as promised. Thanks for staying with the topic thus far.

 

[derekimo]

I told you we are reading it, but it is not fitting the process you say you want to do. You are correct the problem is absurd which is why we are asking you what may seem obvious to you but we can't see.

And calm down with the caps, we're just trying to understand. Again, we are reading so lose that too.

 

[Layback Bear]

Please read the tutorial I suggested.

In a Repair Install you DO NOT boot into your installer.

You boot into Windows 7 as normal. Then you use (in my case) the Microsoft DVD (media) and use it to do a Repair install while the system is booted in Windows 7.

You cannot do a Repair Install if you are not booted into Windows 7 first.

The reason I mention you reading something is clear.
If you follow the tutorial I posted exactly it will work if the media you using is not corrupt. If you follow the other step I post it will work if the hardware is good and the installation media is proper.

When you get rested, read the tutorial again. Take your time.
If you do as instructed you will not be offered a partition D.
You can't add steps or delete step. You follow steps. This tutorial has guided thousands and thousands of people.
I know it works because I personally use it several times.

Repair Install

 

[Toshiko]

Repairing an installation reboots the computer multiple times. In that time, it looks for the Windows 7 installer. You should know this.

 

[derekimo]

Correct. Which is also why he said you should have all other drives disconnected.

In the process it moves files to a Windows.old but that is in the root of C: so if you are getting a D: somewhere we must start at disconnecting other drives.

If that does not change anything then further explanation and the promised pictures would enlighten us.

 

[Layback Bear]

Okay. Where is it looking for that installer?
Where should that installer be located?

If you do as I suggested their would only be two places to look. Your USB connected media and the Drive/partition Windows 7 is already on.

 

[Toshiko]

Before I pass out, with drive path changed to I: rather than D: because cables are all switched around:

Edit: with all cables unplugged, drive path is D: rather than I:.

 

[Layback Bear]

With only the one drive hooked up that has Windows 7 install why are you choosing any path. A proper install media takes care of all that.

 

[derekimo]

Now it's getting clearer, that's a recovery from an image backup.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/675-system-image-recovery.html

 

[Toshiko]

No. No it is not.

I'm not choosing a path, that is what the installer shows. If I plug the same exact USB key into my netbook, I see C: for Windows.

I do not have an image back up. I have never made a back up. My C drive is a meager 74 GB, which is hardly enough for Windows 7 x64 with a modest number of programs in C:\Program Files (which is what my G and R drives are for; most of my programs, games, utilities, etc are installed to those two drives), and I have not made a back up since the XP days.

 

[Layback Bear]

Show us a picture of Disk Management with only disc 2 with the Reserve and C partitions.

 

[derekimo]

You can call it what you want but this,

Is a step from a recovery operation, not an install.

 

[Layback Bear]

You are correct Derek.
If one follows the instruction that have been given I don't know how one get to using the Recovery option.

 

[Toshiko]

I've said already that I'm trying to repair Windows, not do a clean install.

I do not have a restore point or a back up or any such thing. I am picking the option to attempt to repair Windows from the installer.

It is finding my Windows installation at an erroneous location because the installer itself is screwing up the drive paths by insisting that the installer is drive C.

Also, you've seen my disk management screenshot with every disk there is, the rest are daemon drives and my physical yet not functional DVD drive.

I'm guessing I'm asking in the wrong place and should take it up with support from my motherboard manufacturer.

---

Edit: For giggles, I decided to see if the in-Windows repair method would actually behave properly despite the wonky behavior of USB mounting, and I hit a much more significant wall:

"There is not enough free space on partition (C. A total of 16480 megabytes (MB) of free disk space is required. Try Disk Cleanup, or moving files to an external location such as a CD, DVD, or external hard drive, and then restart the installation."

Done all the cleanup I'm going to do on the drive, and am nowhere close to 16 GB free, so whatever. I'll either deal with this another time or just live with the installation being borked.