Format A Hard Drive

[drahkon]

I'll be getting Windows 7 OEM in a few days. As far as I know I can't upgrade from XP to Windows 7, meaning I need to have a completely clean hard drive so I can install it.

 

How do I format my hard drive so absolutely nothing's on it? Do I need to do this via bios? Does XP have an option to do this?

I have two partitions. Can I delete them? How?

 

So many questions. :p

[Mr_Odwin]

You can get Linux bootable discs that would format your HDD, but I would think the windows install should just install right over the top of your existing data (overwriting it I mean, not preserving it). I.e. Nothing to worry about.

[Shorty]

When you install Windows 7, it will give you the option to format the drive first.

[Ten10]

Shorty's answer is correct. You can delete both partitions and then leave it as one drive or create a new smaller / larger one.

[heroicjanitor]

Ten10's reply is correct.

[Shorty]

Odwin was totally wrong though.

[Ten10]

Well he was 50% right, but that's totally way too much work. As for the other 50% all that would give you is a windows.old folder.

[drahkon]

I read somewhere that it wouldn't be possible with the OEM version to just format then install. The information I got was that I first need to format the hard drive without the Windows 7 CD and only then I can install it.

 

Can't find the link to the website anymore (it was a German one, wouldn't help you anyway :p).

[Ike]

I think you can't upgrade from XP to Win7 if I'm remembering right. You should be to format your HDD though.

[Shorty]

I read somewhere that it wouldn't be possible with the OEM version to just format then install. The information I got was that I first need to format the hard drive without the Windows 7 CD and only then I can install it.

 

Can't find the link to the website anymore (it was a German one, wouldn't help you anyway :p).

Well, you could do it with the beta, RC and OEM that I used, so I'm sure you can. Maybe you misunderstood and it's the other way round? No upgrading with OEM? You shouldn't be able to anyway, since OEM is for putting on a brand new system.

[Rummy]

For what it's worth, I think Odwin was kinda right! I can't imagine an OS install CD wouldn't format a drive though, the XP ones I used always did it.

[drahkon]

Well, you could do it with the beta, RC and OEM that I used, so I'm sure you can. Maybe you misunderstood and it's the other way round?

 

I probably misunderstood. Gonna install Windows 7 later this evening. Gotta put my music and other stuff to the external HD first.

 

I'm a noob when it comes to PC details. Here's proof:

 

I bought this. It doesn't fit into my motherboard. Luckily it fits into my laptop, so I didn't completely waste the money.

 

I already have 2 GB ram (2 x 1 GB) and they are longer than the one I bought. So I guess this is what I need?

[Sméagol]

Post your motherboard.

 

That said, yes, you bought a Laptop memory module, they only fit in laptops. The other one is likely to fit, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's compatible. It likely is, but..

 

Are you going to replace your old memory, or are you going to keep it? As a rule of thumb, you should try to keep every module the same (brand / type / speed). But it's not too bad if they're not, but you should look for the specs of your board to see if which memory is compatible. But as the ones you posted isn't anything outrageous, it's a fair bet it is.

 

I also suggest shopping at computer shops, where all the necessary specs are detailed, Amazon if good if you know what you're looking for.

 

Although I forgot.. Are DDR3 and DDR2 compatible? I think you may need DDR3.

[drahkon]

I used Belarc Advisor to find out which motherboard I have (found the programm via google).

 

motherboard:

 

Board: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. P35C-DS3R

Bus Clock: 333 megahertz

 

ram:

 

2048 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Slot 'A0' has 1024 MB

Slot 'A1' is Empty

Slot 'A2' has 1024 MB

Slot 'A3' is Empty

 

I'd like to keep the memory I have installed now.

 

What can you tell me now? :p

[Sméagol]

Well again, the best thing to do is take one of your modules, check the brand and type / productnumber, then search a matching set. Although it's possible they're no longer sold anymore, it's still the safest bet to keep as close to the same specs as the others as possible.

 

[here are the specs of your motherboard]

 

There you can see that it supports DDR2 or DDR3, and at which speeds (800 is ok).

 

[here you can see the compatibility list of your motherboard]

 

But these lists are never extensive. It doesn't list the one you linked, but it does list similar, and it's likely to work.

 

Still, I'd personally look for a 2 x 1 GB set (like [this one], except from a UK site (or wherever you want to order from) ( and I assume you want to go from 2 to 4 GB), and again, if you can find out what you currently have and find that.. Then you can safely buy that.

[drahkon]

Still, I'd personally look for a 2 x 1 GB set (like [this one]

 

I think I'm gonna go with those. And if they are incompatible with the ones I have now, I'll get two more and sell the others to a mate.

 

Why would you choose 2 x 1 GB instead of 1 x 2 GB? Are there advantages and disadvantages?

 

Another question: How do I know where DDR2 and DDR3 fit? Is there any indication on the motherboard, like the slots' colour?

 

And would there be any problem if I had two DDR2 ones and two DDR3 ones?

 

Just to summarize what I'm going to do:

 

Take a look at the memory currently installed. Find out if it's DDR2 or DDR3 (because I only have 2 DDR3 slots). Then I'll buy memory that still has a place in the motherboard.

I might get back here to let you double check on my dicision because you seem to know a lot about this

 

By the way: Thanks

[Shorty]

For what it's worth, I think Odwin was kinda right! I can't imagine an OS install CD wouldn't format a drive though, the XP ones I used always did it.

Yeah I was just kidding, Odwin basically said the same thing as me.

[Sméagol]

[..]

Why would you choose 2 x 1 GB instead of 1 x 2 GB? Are there advantages and disadvantages?

Actually, sort of a good question, but irrelevant. I'd prefer 2 x 2 GB (since you then have 2 available slots left for potential upgrading, because I actually prefer 4 x 2. Or well, I actually prefer 6 x 2GB DDR3, but hey, that's what I have! :p), but since you're keeping the 2 x 1 modules, I chose those for keeping in line with the existing ones. Your motherboard uses a dual channel architecture, don't expect me (to be able) to technically explain it you, but with 4 x 1GB you CPU is accessing 2 modules in the one channel and 2 in the other. Otherwise it would acces 2 in one channel and 1 in the other. It's not going to cause problems, but it's not optimal. I don't know if you'd be able to tell the difference though. Speedwise, I actually think now it may be better to have 4 x 1 as opposed to 2 x 2, but I'm just guessing now. Going to read up on RAM .

Another question: How do I know where DDR2 and DDR3 fit? Is there any indication on the motherboard, like the slots' colour?

I forgot what the situation was, but after taking a look at what your motherboard looks like, I remember. DDR2 and 3 are not compatible. Your motherboard supports both because it actually has 6 memory slots, 2 DDR 3 and 4 DDR2. You can't use them both at the same time. Your memory modules will only fit in one of the slots, you can tell by the little hole on the underside of the module, it matches only a specific slot. (My motherboard only has DDR3 slots, so I never had this problem).

Also, about the colour: in your case, the yellow and red slots are DDR2, and the green ones DDR3. Looking at your quote from the report you got again, I'm pretty sure you're using you're DDR2 slots, so DDR2 is what you're looking for (at 800 MHz).

 

Edit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual-channel_architecture

First section should be clarifying.

Edited May 12, 2011 by Sméagol

[drahkon]

Yeah, I just found out which ram modules I have, called my trusted local store. They don't have it and aren't able to get it anywhere else.

 

So I just bought 2 x 2GB ram. If they are compatible with my current memory...awesome, 6GB. If not. Still great, 4GB.