Do you need to format drive before install Window 7 64bit on new computer

[alfo666]

We just finished a successful first boot on a newly built pc. We are about to install Windows 7 but do the hard drives first need for be formatted or will windows do this automatically??:confused::confused::confused::conf used::confused::confused::confused:

[The Wise Monkey]

Windows will do this automatically as part of the setup process. One of the first things it will ask you, after choosing the language settings, is which hard drive you want to install the OS on. As part of this, it will format it and create all the necessary partitions.

[alfo666]

Windows 7 apparently sees only one drive, and I get an error(something about not having or being able to create partition) when I "continue".

I did WD Lifeguard Diagnostics, & both 1 TB disks are fine. But one thing I need to mention is that I needed to make a change in the CMOS settings from the original instructions on this website. I had to change the AHCI settings for certain parameters to IDE. Then the Lifeguard diagnostics utility ran and detected the drives.

Do I need to make some changes in standard CMOS settings?

Al

[The Wise Monkey]

You should be OK with those settings. Can you create the partitions manually? When Windows detects your hard drives, there should be an advanced option you can expand where you can format the drives and create your own partitions. Try doing this and see if it works.

[Deneb]

Technically no you do not need to format the partitions before installing Windows 7 or any other version of Windows for that matter. That said it is a really good idea to do a low-level format on a new drive or a used drive it’s been in use for some time. A low-level format, formats the entire drive and checks every block for bad blocks. If it finds a bad block, it marks the block is bad so it can’t be used again. Depending on how you go about making partitions, you may not know whether or not your implementing a low-level format option. You can tell by time. If it takes less than 20 minutes it’s a quick format. I did a half terabyte drive and it took over three hours.

A way to do it is as follows. Make a Ubuntu 10.10 OS install disk and use the partition manager program that you can run from the disk for free.

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download (http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download)

Insert the disk in the drive and reboot. Select try Ubuntu. System, administration, Gparted.

Use the Gparted partition manager utility to delete all the partitions on the desk. Then use a Windows XP OS install disk. Windows XP will start to load and it will ask how you want to format the disk. Select one large partition and whatever the option is for a full format.

Now use the Gparted partition manager utility to make your partitions. Note that the Gparted utility cannot do a low-level format.

Another way to check for bad blocks say on existing Windows XP system before you install Windows 7 would be to use the Chkdsk command with the /F and /R options. You could run this overnight the day before you plena loading Windows 7.

chkdsk commands

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/chkdsk.mspx?mfr=true

(http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/chkdsk.mspx?mfr=true)Regarding Windows 7 not being able to see the second drive. I would just disconnect the second drive physically until after Windows 7 is installed. Then reconnect the hard drive and all should be fine.;)