How to install Windows on a clean hard drive

[cca62792]

I have a HP Pavillion P6653W and I just installed a clean hard drive.  I downloaded a boot media file and started to boot from that drive.  I am trying to go throught he Windows 7 install that I have the product key for but when I get to the custome install options and it pulls up my available locations I choose Drive 0 Partition 1 but it tells me that it can not be installed there because it has to be a partition formatted as a NTFS, the partition is of an unrecognized type.

[sathya11]

Hello,

To install Windows 7 on a computer without an operating system

To do this, you'll need to start, or boot, your computer using the Windows 7 installation disc or USB flash drive.

1. Turn on your computer, insert the Windows 7 installation disc or USB flash drive, and then shut down your computer.

2. Restart your computer.

3. Press any key when prompted, and then follow the instructions that appear.

4. On the Install Windows page, enter your language and other preferences, and then click Next .

   If the Install Windows page doesn't appear, and you're not asked to press any key, you might need to change some system settings. To learn how to do this, see Start your computer from a Windows 7 installation disc or USB flash drive .

5. On the Please read the license terms page, if you accept the license terms, click I accept the license terms , and then click Next .

6. On the Which type of installation do you want? page, click Custom .

7. On the Where do you want to install Windows ? page, choose the partition that you want to install Windows 7 on, or click Unallocated Space if no partitions are listed, and then click Next .

   If a dialog box appears saying that Windows might create additional partitions for system files, or that the partition you chose might contain recovery files or other types of files from your computer manufacturer, click OK .

8. Follow the instructions to finish installing Windows 7 , which include naming your computer and setting up an initial user account.

Notes

• If you're using the upgrade version of Windows 7 on a computer without an operating system installed, you need to leave the product key box empty during setup. The upgrade version requires Windows XP or Windows Vista to be installed on the computer to activate Windows 7 . To activate Windows 7 , go to the Microsoft Support website. For more information, see Windows 7 activation error: invalid product key and Windows 7 activation error: 0xC004F061 .

• You might need to update drivers after Windows 7 installation is complete. To do so, click the Start button, click All Programs , and then click Windows Update . If Windows Update doesn't have the driver you need, see Update a driver for hardware that isn't working properly , or go to the 7 Compatibility Center"" href="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=160679" title="Go to www.microsoft.com and search for "Windows 7 Compatibility Center""> Windows 7 Compatibility Center

webpage. 

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Have Questions About Installing Windows 7?
FAQ - Common Windows 7 Installation Questions & Answers

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[cca62792]

I created a boot media flash drive and I am booting from that.  I get thru step 6 fine, then when I try to install windows it gives me the error message I listed in my original post & I can not go any further.  That is where I need help.  My computer came with Windows 7 Pro installed on it.  I had upgraded to Windows 10 but read that it would be better to install the original version then upgrade later.

[wb2001]

@cca62792,

What is the origin of this hard drive?  Is it the same size as the original, or larger?

What are you defining as a boot media file?   Where is the DVD set your were allowed to create (WIN 7).  What is the source of this WIn 7 install media?

[cca62792]

I bought the new drive from newegg, It is a 1TB so it's a little bigger.  I went microsoft & downloaded a media boot to a flash drive.  I did not get a dvd when I purchased my computer, it was already installed.

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

Be sure that the new hard drive is not an advanced format (AF) model and it is not greater than 2TB. If it is, then return it to Newegg and get a non-AF SATA III hard drive that is less than 2TB. This issue has already been documented by HP when Windows 7 is being used during an installation with AF SATA III hard drives.  W7 sp1 will install on AF hard drives so that is the media to use.

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I have seen a recent occurrence of this above situation and I am very suspicious of these posts.  I might have to contact a HP moderator and perhaps HP internal look into the matter.

[cca62792]

This is what I bought  :

Seagate BarraCuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive

[Big_Dave · Accepted solution]

A 1TB hard drive was standard in your PC so the new HD is "not a little bit bigger".

When you get to the W7 custom install process you need to delete out all partitions and format the HD and let W7 build the correct partitions.

[cca62792]

I did not have my old hard drive in front of me when I was speaking of the size but I did think it was less that 1 TB, but that's beside the point.  This fixed my computer and I thank you very much.