Windows 7 PLEASE HELP! Trying to reinstall windows 7.

[Bob Johns]

So i want to re install windows 7 because i have ALOT of junk on my computer and i just really want a fresh slate, so i got my computer with windows 7 already installed and i heard that i can restart my computer and press F8 and go to some re install thingy or something?, i have also heard that you can re install windows with the disk but i dont think i got the right disc with my computer, the only disc i got is labeled "Windows 7 Reinstall" but whenever i have rebooted my computer with it it dosent work. :/ sorry if i sound like a total noob, im not much a computer expert so yeah........i just really want to re install. i pretty much have no idea how tho :/ so please tell me what you need to know to help me !

Thanks for reading this~!

 

[patcooke]

You probably have two options:

1. Boot from the dvd to reinstall - you will need to set your bios to boot from the optical drive to use this option.

2. You may be able to boot directly from a "recovery partition" on the hard drive. The mechanism for doing this can vary from one computer manufacturer to another so it would help if you told us the make and model of your pc.

 

[Bob Johns]

How do i set my bios to boot from optical drive?.

EDIT: Will this do the job?: http://www.resetwindowspassword.com/how-to-set-bios.html


Thanks for your reply

 

[patcooke]

Yes, you can get variation on how to enter bios but F2 during startup is most common. You then need to find the boot options and set the optical drive to be the first in the list - the link you have shown is quite good but it is for a specific bios - in this case a phoenix - and they do vary a bit.

It is probably rather easier to boot from the recovery partition on your hard drive if your pc has one - let us know make and model and we can help you to try that option if you wish.

 

[ruggb]

OK ........ FIRST realize that a System RECOVERY is going to delete EVERYTHING on ur HDD except a recovery partition. So if u have anything u want to keep on the HDD move it to an external location. ALSO note that u must reinstall any software that u installed so u must have the installation disks or files.

second......u can do it with the DVD u have or the recovery partition.

third......u do not need to mess with ur BIOS to do it - but u can if u wish. When u boot there is an F key that will take u to boot options - on my desktop it is F12 on my HP laptops it is F9.
Usually, hitting ESC at the beginning of booting will take u to a boot menu and u can figure it out from there.

If u do a RECOVERY, ur system will look like it did when u got it.
NOTE: RESTORE is not the same as RECOVERY - RESTORE only turns back the clock to some point in the past. RECOVERY rebirths ur computer.

If u install from a single recovery disk it may just install the OS without the bloatware that came with it.

 

[Bob Johns]

so i got to the boot menu by using the F12 key, now i assume i just click on "CD ROM" and then just follow the steps to re install or is there more i have to do?

EDIT: turns out when i press "CD ROM" it just loads into windows so what am i supposed to click on at the boot menu then?

 

[Bob Johns]

Yes, you can get variation on how to enter bios but F2 during startup is most common. You then need to find the boot options and set the optical drive to be the first in the list - the link you have shown is quite good but it is for a specific bios - in this case a phoenix - and they do vary a bit.

It is probably rather easier to boot from the recovery partition on your hard drive if your pc has one - let us know make and model and we can help you to try that option if you wish.

im guessing this is what you want to know?.

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name Bob Johns
System Manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model GA-870A-USB3
System Type x64-based PC
Processor AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 955 Processor, 3200 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Award Software International, Inc. F4, 3/9/2011
SMBIOS Version 2.4

Let me know if thats what you need or if you need something else.

 

[ruggb]

if u select CD_ROM and it does not boot from the disc then there is another issue.

verify that the CD drive is working when it is booted up normally.
If u insert the windows recovery disc when it is running do u get a response?
It should autorun he disc.

Is the disc home made or factory made? If home made, it may not be bootable. If it isn't the system would go to the HDD and boot to windowz.

If u have any old factory made windows disc (XP, 98, whatever) see if it will boot to that.

U could also search for a Hiren's boot disc image (ISO file) and burn that to CD and boot from that just to verify operation.

 

[Bob Johns]

if u select CD_ROM and it does not boot from the disc then there is another issue.

verify that the CD drive is working when it is booted up normally.
If u insert the windows recovery disc when it is running do u get a response?
It should autorun he disc.

Is the disc home made or factory made? If home made, it may not be bootable. If it isn't the system would go to the HDD and boot to windowz.

If u have any old factory made windows disc (XP, 98, whatever) see if it will boot to that.

U could also search for a Hiren's boot disc image (ISO file) and burn that to CD and boot from that just to verify operation.

So all i had to do was change the BIOS so i booted with CD ROM and now it works when i reboot! , so now i just follow these steps and im all good? Boot From the Windows 7 DVD or USB Device (Step 2 of 34)

 

[ruggb]

That should work - however..... this is the way I do it and recommend - the reasons r explained. Initially slightly more thought but long term advantages r big.

Set up 2 partitions C: & D: - Mine is set up as 80GB for C: and 387GB for D: but I have programs installed on D: and I also have a lot of them so 80GB will probably work for u to.
(that is what is left on a 500GB drive so I can transfer this system easily to a 1TB or 1.5TB or 2TB etc. with an image.) I even transferred it to a 256GB SSD drive by copying key folders to D: (Program Files, Users (without all the docs of course.)
I would recommend 120GB for C: and u can install all ur programs on C:

install the OS and sign in with acct named "Admin". Set a p/w. If u don't need to keep ppl out use a single character around the enter key. see reason below.


run the following by copy/paste to a .REG file

==
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList]
"ProfilesDirectory"=hex(2):44,00,3a,00,5c,00,55,00,73,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,00,\
00
"Public"=hex(2):44,00,3a,00,5c,00,55,00,73,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,5c,00,50,00,75,\
00,62,00,6c,00,69,00,63,00,00,00
==

This will set the profile directory = D:\Users and the public profile = D:\Users\Public
The purpose of this is to make doing a clean reinstall a lot less painful and making disk imaging a lot quicker.

Any user created will now reside on the D: drive. When us do a clean reinstall the u can delete the system reserve and C: partition, reinstall and all ur data (ur whole profile) is still intact on the D: drive.NOTE: U CAN'T REINSTALL FROM THE RECOVERY PARTITION AS THIS WILL DELETE THE D: DRIVE

Create a user for urself and set as standard: NOTE: If u need a password to keep ppl off ur computer then this will not work b/c u will have to set a good p/w for the admin. As a std user u will have to enter that every time u want to do an admin function. In that case make ur user an admin and be more vigilant. I use a single character p/w b/c no one has access that I need to exclude.

I go a step further and install all my programs on the D: partition, because when I reinstall them I can be sure I put them in the same path so no links are broken and my profile works fine, but this takes vigilance to keep it together. Otherwise, always install in the default locations.

Once done get Macrium Reflect Free. I tried a number of image programs and found this one the easiest and fastest to use.

U now have a cleaner system with extra AV protection (std user) and one u can reimage or transfer easily.

good luck.

 

[patcooke]

That should work - however..... this is the way I do it and recommend - the reasons r explained. Initially slightly more thought but long term advantages r big.

Set up 2 partitions C: & D: - Mine is set up as 80GB for C: and 387GB for D: but I have programs installed on D: and I also have a lot of them so 80GB will probably work for u to.
(that is what is left on a 500GB drive so I can transfer this system easily to a 1TB or 1.5TB or 2TB etc. with an image.) I even transferred it to a 256GB SSD drive by copying key folders to D: (Program Files, Users (without all the docs of course.)
I would recommend 120GB for C: and u can install all ur programs on C:

install the OS and sign in with acct named "Admin". Set a p/w. If u don't need to keep ppl out use a single character around the enter key. see reason below.


run the following by copy/paste to a .REG file

==
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList]
"ProfilesDirectory"=hex(2):44,00,3a,00,5c,00,55,00,73,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,00,\
00
"Public"=hex(2):44,00,3a,00,5c,00,55,00,73,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,5c,00,50,00,75,\
00,62,00,6c,00,69,00,63,00,00,00
==

This will set the profile directory = D:\Users and the public profile = D:\Users\Public
The purpose of this is to make doing a clean reinstall a lot less painful and making disk imaging a lot quicker.

Any user created will now reside on the D: drive. When us do a clean reinstall the u can delete the system reserve and C: partition, reinstall and all ur data (ur whole profile) is still intact on the D: drive.NOTE: U CAN'T REINSTALL FROM THE RECOVERY PARTITION AS THIS WILL DELETE THE D: DRIVE

Create a user for urself and set as standard: NOTE: If u need a password to keep ppl off ur computer then this will not work b/c u will have to set a good p/w for the admin. As a std user u will have to enter that every time u want to do an admin function. In that case make ur user an admin and be more vigilant. I use a single character p/w b/c no one has access that I need to exclude.

I go a step further and install all my programs on the D: partition, because when I reinstall them I can be sure I put them in the same path so no links are broken and my profile works fine, but this takes vigilance to keep it together. Otherwise, always install in the default locations.

Once done get Macrium Reflect Free. I tried a number of image programs and found this one the easiest and fastest to use.

U now have a cleaner system with extra AV protection (std user) and one u can reimage or transfer easily.

good luck.

What you have described is good practice but I suspect may leave the original poster a little shell shocked after about the second sentence (with respect to you sir!). Also, it needs to be borne in mind that many recovery installs recover not only the contents of the system but also the original format of the hard drive so if this is done before recovery all the repartitioning etc may well just get overwritten in the recovery process. I would recommend just running a recovery for now - all the restructuring etc could be achieved afterwards if desired.

 

[ruggb]

I agree........
If the OP is up to it - it is a better way. If not, whatever works.
MS should have promoted this method a LONG time ago.

 

[patcooke]

I agree........
If the OP is up to it - it is a better way. If not, whatever works.
MS should have promoted this method a LONG time ago.

Couldn't agree more but it has always been the case in this business that the giants have seen their role as specifying standards rather than agreeing and adopting them - thus we have always suffered and continue to suffer from variations in standards and practices which tend to be standardised by the industry giants only when it is in their own interests. The separate provision for storage of software and data which you describe has been an industry standard for as long as I can remember (and that's a long time!) but MS users are all but required to adopt the crazy system of "my this" and "my that" folders embedded deeply within the system drive. Sorry for the digression but it is a favourite beef of mine.

 

[Saltgrass]

My take on this concerns making images of your system. If you put essential data on a normally non-essential partition, then it will be required to be part of that image.

In a case where you might want to move to a smaller drive, it could present problems.

On my systems, I run an SSD for the OS and can image that quickly and easily. The Data Drive does not have to be present to restore my system to full capability.

 

[ruggb]

Not sure what u r referring to but.....
If it is my complete profile, I use a backup process for that.
When I image the system, I then copy the profile and I am in business.
The system runs initially on the Admin login which is on the system drive.
Since the system drive is relatively small, 80GB, it images easily and within 20 min.
Restore only takes 35 min. If it is just the system I am restoring on the same drive then there is nothing to copy for D: 'cause it is already there. Only have to copy D: for a new drive.
My Program Files folders takes up 26GB - I would need at least 120GB to put that on the C: drive. It isn't for a normal person, but I am a geek. What can I say.