Formatting HDD on new computer

[Rex A. Butcher]

What ho one and all,

Being something of a Luddite, I have acquired a refurbished computer with W7 installed.
the plan is to more or less, use it purely for media stuff, mainly watching TV / videos,
etc.

Being a refurbished Dell, it come with the HDD partitioned (Rescue; C; and E: - Unallocated) and some c**p installed that I
don't want. But I don't have a rescue disk or a copy of W7 myself.

The aim is to have a HDD with three partitions, C: (OS); D: for media files and E: for an
image (I know keeping a copy of the OS on the same drive is not a good idea.)

My plan is to install the programs I want, ensure it connects to the internet and is
fully working, defrag, etc. then make an image of C: to an external HDD.

Probably using my XP disk, reformat the onboard HDD to make one partition. Then restore
the image of the OS from the external HDD. Finally, using a partitioning program, create
the additional two partitions after C: Is this the way to go?

The only flaw I can see, is that although I am competent restoring an image using Acronis,
usually from one of the on-board HDD on may main computer, I have never done so from an
external source and am unsure of it working correctly.

Grateful for any advice,

[jdc2000]

If that was a Dell refurbished machine, you might want to use their process to create a Dell rescue disk first.

http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/4/SLN128947

After that, your plan should work. However, If I were doing this, I would use Acronis to create 2 backup image sets, 1 with the Rescue and C: partitions, and one with just the C: partition. I would also make sure that the .tib files were no larger than 2 GB in size so I could burn them to DVDs also. It is up to you on that though.
Make sure to check the "Verify" box when creating the backup images. I usually create them by booting from the Acronis disc.

Bottom line: Since you don't have a Windows 7 installation disc, make sure you have verified backups in hand that can restore your system in case something goes wrong.

[Rex A. Butcher]

Excellent advice, thanks. Don't think it will be possible to get the file below 2gb since the installed OS is already 22 gb before I have installed anything. Unfortunately, I will probably not be able to use Acronis since I only have a pre-W7 version that does what I want on 32 bit XP but is unlikely to run under W7. But I guess I can give it a try. It will either install or not.

I will assume that W7 64 is more stable under the hood than XP, but at the moment, it is a pain trying to find my way around it. Creating a Restore point is so straightforward.

But I notice there are two Program Files folders, although one is Program Files x86. Why are there two?

[Midknyte]

The aim is to have a HDD with three partitions, C: (OS); D: for media files and E: for an
image

I don't see the point in creating a separate partition for recovery files. Just make a folder on the D: partition.

Unfortunately, I will probably not be able to use Acronis since I only have a pre-W7 version that does what I want on 32 bit XP but is unlikely to run under W7.

There are free versions of Acronis TI for WD and Seagate drives.
http://www.seagate.com/support/downl...00dd04090aRCRD
http://support.wdc.com/downloads.aspx?p=119

But I notice there are two Program Files folders, although one is Program Files x86. Why are there two?

That is standard for 64-bit Windows. The x86 folder is for 32-bit apps.
http://www.howtogeek.com/129178/why-...es-x86-folder/

[Train]

Programs is for the 64 bit
Program Files x86 if for 32 bit programs.

So, 32 bit will run on the 64 bit OS.

[jdc2000]

Don't think it will be possible to get the file below 2gb since the installed OS is already 22 gb before I have installed anything.

The total backup size will be above 2 GB, but you use the Acronis function to split the .tib file into a series of 2 GB .tib files so you can transfer them without running into problems.

Note: I do NOT install Acronis, I just boot from the Acronis CD/DVD and run it from there.

There are other free imaging software programs that you could use, but I have not tried them out.

[Rex A. Butcher]

I understand; I have never made a DVD backup. The ATI I use on my XP computer is installed so that I can make the image but I have to use the rescue disk to restore.

And the only reason I have a partition for the image is to keep it separate from all the HDD activity in the Documents folder. I have an image of the OS on a distant partition of Disk 0 but also one a second HDD.

But the 'new' computer only has one HDD, so I guess I will save the image on an external HDD. Presumably, with any 'factory' computer that has these recovery partitions, the actual OS (in this case, W7) does not need these unwanted partitions? If I make and image, reformat the HDD and restore the W7 fully, to one active partition, it should work just fine?

The problem I have with factory installed recovery partition is that they will restore to 'as bought.' What about all the programs and setting that I have worked on? Hence the reason I prefer my own image.

[Midknyte]

If I make and image, reformat the HDD and restore the W7 fully, to one active partition, it should work just fine?

If you do a clean install, there will always be at least 2 partitions. 1 small 100MB System Reserved Partition, and the rest as your C:. You need to include both the System Reserved Partition and your C: when making TI images.
http://www.howtogeek.com/192772/what...you-delete-it/

[jdc2000]

I always like to have a recover image of the factory partitions, just in case. Once I have that, I adjust the partitions to whatever I want, set up Windows, remove junkware, install my software, test things out, and then I make another system image of the partition(s) so I can restore the computer to my setup if needed. Then, any time I add some new software, or have added numerous Microsoft or other updates, I make another full system image.

I make the images capable of being put onto DVDs for archiving purposes. You don't want to have just one image backup. You one day discover some malware or other system corruption, and need to restore the system, but if that corruption or malware existed on your last backup image also and you did know that at the time, a restore won't help.

[jdc2000]

You can install Windows 7 without the System Reserved Partition, but it may not be worth the effort.

http://superuser.com/questions/46265...rved-partition

https://www.sevenforums.com/installa...new-drive.html


Of course, you need installation media to do this.

[Midknyte]

I don't think it's worth it. The point in having a separate partition is for the boot files and Windows Recovery Environment. Having WinRE on the same partition as Windows doesn't make sense. You'd also need the SR partition if you plan to use Bitlocker. I can't think of any actual benefit.

[Train]

Why not add a 2nd hdd.?

[Rex A. Butcher]

Thanks for the advice. Looks as if it is not worth attempting to get rid of the Recovery Partition, particularly since I don't have a W7 disk.

So will just make an image before I start getting rid of unwanted c**p.

And talking of that, I installed AVG last night. Part of that install suggests that I download an AVG program to 'fix' my computer. I have not downloaded, but it apparently found, amongst other things, 5gb of unnecessary software. I would not be surprised as out of the box, the OS is listed as around 22 gb. Can that be correct?

Any thoughts on the AVG fixing program? Good, bad, indifferent?

And unfortunately, it only has a single Hitachi HDD so the WD version of ATI is a no-go.

[Train]

Do clean up of the Temp files first.
TFC by oldtimer
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/files...r-by-oldtimer/
It does NOT install but runs from where it is.
7.6 GB has been the most I have cleaned off of one computer so far. Patience is needed. A cup of coffee in my case.
See how close you come to or exceed 7.6 GB.

[Train]

Once that is done, if Midknyte will post his uninstaller programs, use them to get rid of unwanted programs so nothing is left behind.
Then defrag just before you backup.