Reformatting a Windows 7 installation

How do you reformat a hard drive with Windows 7 Pro, if it already has Windows 7 Pro on it, every time you try and reformat it, it mentions about administration rights. Any help much appreciated.
Chris

 

What exactly are you trying to do?

Reformat a partition that the OS is NOT on? Or the one that OS is currently running on?

For a drive that the OS is NOT on, you can go to 'My Computer' right click on the drive and select format.
or to the run (Windows key + R), type diskmgmt.msc and hit enter. From there, you can right click on the partition you want and select format.


For a partition that the OS IS on, I find it simpler to boot to a disc and use tools from there;
Windows Install disc - may be your go to since if you have windows, you are likely to have an install disc. Go through the install procedure, up until it asks you to select partition for install, go to advanced; you can delete existing partitions and start from scratch or format any that you like.

GParted disc/USB - my personal go to - http://gparted.sourceforge.net/index.php
Full control over all discs and partitions to do whatever you like in a simple to use and understand interface.

Windows PE disc - Boot to a windows environment and have full control even over partitions with the OS installed to do whatever.

Linux Live disk/USB - another way to use and run GParted. GParted doesn't usually come on the disc, but with internet access, it can be installed and run.

 

Thank you for your help on this - it's appreciated. I need to format the drive that contains the os windows 7 - but, every time I put the windows 7 installation disc in, there's no prompt coming up to format or reinstall?

 

You need to make sure the Bios is set to boot on CD/DVD rom first.

 

Thanks, but when pressing delete on startup, it gives 2 options, either to start on windows 7, or the memory diagnostic tool??

 

Read carefully what Blujay said under Windows Install Disk. It doesn't sound like you followed his advice.

 

Tried the relevant suggested tool, but I got the message that I didn't have the administration rights. What next?

 

Is this the set of System Restore discs that you created, or a Rescue disc?

Post a picture of the disc, and what the screen is showing as you boot up.

 

Yes, just to expand on what brownizs has said, it has to be a Microsoft retail installation disk - they have holograms on the label side. A recovery disk is no good for this operation.

 

Only way they would have the Retail or OEM install is if they went out and purchased it, or got it as a backup for a online ISO purchase.

Otherwise for all we know is that they have the wrong DVD or ISO did not burn properly, if they downloaded from Digital River's ISO site, or their set of Restore discs are bad.

I am going with a Rescue disc on this one, that the OP is trying to use.

 

There are other, possibly much easier ways to resolve this. Download and burn to disk the Partition Wizard Bootable CD. Boot to it and remove the win 7 partition and then use your installation disk to reinstall - providing you do have an installation disk of course and not something else.

The bootable cd is at the bottom of the page

 

Again, you are assuming they have an actual install disc, or Restore discs. Until the OP reports back with screen shots of the disc booting up, and a picture of the disc if they purchased it through a store, we are assuming that they do, which I am lead to believe that they do not, because of the output they are getting when booting it up.

 

Cameras not working, but how do I get into the bios, when it keeps saying I need administration rights?

 

Bios is what tells the computer CPU, SATA or IDE interface, USB ports what to do during boot up. Also runs a self-check on all hardware, including power supply voltages. Depending on the manufacturer, it can be F2, F10, Del, Ins.

Most of them are F2. It will tell you when you turn on the unit, what key to press, to enter the Bios. If it is a UEFI bios, you may have to hold Shift then press the Function key.

 

Usually when booting up, the PC will tell you which button to press to get to the BIOS. It is usually Delete or F1 or F2 or ESC. You need to keep pressing the button until it says something like loading bios or it boots into the bios.

Chris, If you are getting problems with your windows disc, that is just one of methods given to you. You can use GParted as I suggested, Partition Wizard suggested above.

Chris, as mentioned above, I do not recommend formatting your drive/partition, if you are unsure that the disc you will re-install from will work.

 

Okay, got into the bios with F2, (I'd always used del before), set it to boot from CD and it said it could find no bootable device. I then tried to open the gpart, but the system said I didn't have the correct administration rights? Will next try the partition wizard from the link below.

 

Trying to put the files from http://www.partitionwizard.com/partition-wizard-bootable-cd.html onto a cd, via imgburn, which way do I do it please? Burn image to disc?

 

Yes, that's it

 

(it says write image file to disc, so I'll go for that one). It gets complicated - which file do I burn to disc? It won't do a folder?

 

You download the iso file to somewhere you can find it and just point imgburn to it and burn to disk.

You don't seem to have much experience of this sort of thing and could easily wreck your system. Are you quite sure you want to go on?

 

Update - using the disk partition wizard and almost 50% done with deleting partitions. I hope to install windows 7 as usual when it's finished.

 

Deleting partitions with Partition Wizard takes just a second or two so what is it you are having to wait for, are you formatting rather than deleting? If so it's better to let the Win 7 installer format the partition.

 

It's wiping sectors - it's now on 56% - should I stop it?

 

I think you selected Wipe Partition rather than Delete. All you have to do is click the partition and the Delete icon at the top. Then click the Apply icon. Job done.

 

Okay, all formatted, now when trying to install windows 7 fresh from the cd, it's coming up as can't find any bootable devices - what next please?

 

We have asked you about this CD but you haven't provided any information about it at all. Whatever it is it sounds as if it may not be bootable. Have you used it previously to install Win 7?

Anyway, getting late here so will have to leave you to it.

 

As mentioned, the CD isn't bootable. Also, have never used it before.

 

Double disastrous! If you had simply deleted the partition Partition Wizard would have been able to undelete it, but once you use Wipe it's gone, gone, gone. You do presumably have a valid Win 7 product key so you now need somehow or other to get your hands on an installation disk for the same version and reinstall from that. Other than using a Linux distro instead there isn't any other solution unfortunately.

 

It's no biggie, I have a main desktop for all business and a laptop for personal stuff, this is just for another spare laptop for some games - I'll get this sorted.

 

OK, that's a relief anyway. Thnx for letting us know.