May 1st, 2009
Windows 7 setup secrets
Secret #2: Start with a clean disk
If you’re planning to upgrade an existing installation of Windows Vista or an earlier build of Windows 7, you must run Setup from your current version of Windows. However, if you’re planning to do a clean install, I recommend that you back up first, then boot from the Windows 7 DVD and wipe out any existing partitions so there’s nothing left but unallocated space. The reason? On a bare hard drive, Setup creates a 100MB boot partition for holding boot files and preparing the system for BitLocker drive encryption. That will save you some time and configuration hassles if you plan to test BitLocker later.
Note that the following steps assume you have backed up any data you need on the drive you’re about to use. All data will be wiped out, so be sure you have saved any important data before you start this. Also, you should not use this technique if your hard disk contains recovery or diagnostic partitions that you might want to use later.
To completely wipe out a disk and prepare it for a clean install, follow these steps:
1. Boot from the Windows DVD and follow the prompts to choose a Custom (advanced) installation, then click Next to get to this screen (the arrangement of disks will be different on your PC, but the principles are the same):
2. Click Drive Options (Advanced) to display all available disk management tools, as shown below.
3. Select a partition from the list, then click Delete. Confirm that you want to delete the selected volume.
4. Repeat for any additional volumes until nothing is left but unallocated space.
You can now complete Setup using all unallocated space on the drive.
Secret #3: Back up your old drivers first.
In my tests so far, Windows 7 has done a remarkably thorough job of finding drivers, even for old and offbeat hardware. But it’s not perfect. Some devices come up blank, and others are replaced with a generic driver that lacks some of the features of a custom driver supplied by your OEM.
If you previously had Windows Vista or an older release of Windows 7 on the system where you’re installing, you don’t need a special program to back up drivers from the old system. Windows Vista and 7 save local copies of all drivers that you install in a folder called FileRepository, which is a subfolder of the logically named DriverStore folder. The full path, shown here, is C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository.
On a clean Windows 7 x86 installation, the FileRepository folder contains more than 900 MB of files. That number can bump up over 1 GB fairly easily if you add a few new devices or update existing drivers over time. At that size, you won’t be able to burn everything onto a CD, but it will certainly fit on a writable DVD or on a 2GB flash drive. After you finish the clean installation of Windows 7, you can install or update any drivers using Device Manager; just point the driver installer to the location where you saved your stash of old drivers.
Clean installs and disk space –>
Ed Bott is an award-winning technology writer with more than two decades' experience writing for mainstream media outlets and online publications. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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| 05/01/09
