cannie

You can't see it directly but all needed tools and drivers from both drives D and E are included into a folder ("swsetup", "cabs" or other name) created during the manufacturer's preinstall process into drive C. But you need both primary partitions in order to use the original function key to rebuild C drive. The only real problem is loosing warranty. BTW the whole process I followed to rebuild everything from scratch trying to find the best solution for everything is described here: "How to optimize your HDD for Windows 7"

I already tested it after obtaining a HDD image, a repair disk and also a repair pendrive (to be used if the DVD drive becomes damaged). The results after reducing the C drive size and creating a new drive into the left space: all units were transformed into dynamic ones! . No more primary partitions or logical units at all. Then I deleted everything and rebuilt the whole HDD freely using the 32 bits mode of the same 64 bits preinstalled Windows version for compatibility reasons. No problems with Microsoft at all when I activated it using the same activation key. Until warranty expires no better solution as having the possibility of rebuilding everything, leaving the computer as it was when it was delivered to you.

I wonder what would you do after shrinking drive C without also changing it from primary partition into logical unit, and AFAIK warranty would be lost. If you instead try to create any new unit into the free space all existing units would be transformed into dynamic, and this is no good at all. Manufacturers don't leave you any way to optimize your HDD without losing your warranty, I'm afraid. No other solution left but building an image into an external drive and a repair disk to restore everything to its first state whenever needed, then optimize freely the whole HDD and reinstall using an install DVD or pendrive.

If you are able to do it the way you say you won't have any problem at all when you reboot, because the wim file is not a part of the Windows OS. BTW the built-in image saving utility of Windows 7 is great and IMO the best for this purpose now (nothing left at all into any partition but system files). Greetings.

Hi bookie32: No solution at all without loosing one of the primary partitions. Taking into account the contents of all four (bootmanager, OS, recovery and manufacturer device drivers) you can't offer this to your customers. Mind that having everything into C drive means an obvious danger for users' files and folders, forcing them to buy external backup devices.... User needs and manufacturer's interests are very different things, and as said "Good for the hound, bad for the hare". Greetings.

Of course, Tripredacus. If you are using a Windows 7 installation done into a previously created partition the boot files are into the same drive. If you have a preinstalled Windows 7 or it was first installed into a unassigned space boot files are into the 100 MB first primary partition instead. Even when it may be done other way, IMHO it is always convenient to have into the image boot files together with Windows 7 and redeploy both simultaneously whenever needed.

Hi bookie32 and Tripredacus! In fact the 100 Mb first primary partition is a Microsoft's grub version. It is really important if you have more than a working unit, as a tool to switch at boot. It only exists on preinstalled Windows 7 or if you install it into a not assigned space, to be used as bootmanager. If you instead install Windows 7 into an existing primary partition everything will be placed into it. Greetings

Hi xpJohnson! Taking into account your suggestions I've modified paragraph 5.5 for a better understanding of its contents, and also included at paragraph 6 the one about 25 GB size, including the needed advice to users to avoid problems coming from the use of Win2 to install the original Windows. Thank you for your contribution. cannie

Empty (error).

Hi xpJohnson: 1.- Windows 7 uses many .lnk files connected to C drive into the drive root folder. If you copied any of them into the unactive unit it will redirect the search towards the current C unit. Delete all .lnk files at the drive root. 2.- Asian language files can of course be deleted using the line I included into the previous version of the tutorial. Nevertheless I deleted it because Windows 7 detects the changes, forcing you to activate again. I thought that even when I used it happily it could mean a problem for some users, so I've tried to avoid it. 3.- The 25 GB dimension is thought in order to make it possible a reinstall into the same drive using a copy of the install DVD kept into the same HDD by simply clicking on "Setup", which leaves the previous Windows 7 into a "Windows.old" folder, to be deleted manually. I have reconsidered the size of primary partition 3 and any logical unit to be used as drive C after detecting that the use of any other partition or logical unit to do the same does not work properly. This way the only possible install partition is the correct one. The 12 GB size is nevertheless considered as a minimum, and if you have space enough it is better to keep the 25 GB for any partition used as drive C because it considerably reduces fragmentation. Gretings.

Hi clivebuckwheat! You do destroy your build, I´m afraid. The 100 MB partition contains the boot manager and your computer wouldn't work . HTH

Hi Hartismere: Have you tried to download updated network drivers from the motherboard manufacturer? If they don't exist you may install the same Windows 7 version using the 32 bits working mode. Compatibility is almost complete with XP device drivers and you will notice no difference at all unless your computer memory is bigger than 4 GB. Good luck!

It is frequently impossible to find updated Windows 7 software for old devices, and IMHO that's the main reason for Microsoft to deliver a 32 bits alternative mode for each and every version of Windows 7. Greetings.

No mistake at all. Many users run the 32 version even into new machines because this mode has a greater compatibility with old apps created for XP than the future-looking 64 mode. Almost all existing software runs perfect under 32 bits. In case of need, you can install the 64 bits mode of the same Windows version into a logical unit of the same HDD using the same activation key. The doubleboot screen appears at the end of the second install process. HTH

No logical reason at all. Maybe the program has been modified by a virus. HTH

Hi jaclaz! You are right. It was a "lapsus calami". Thanks! cannie

As said I never had any problems at all on using the same product key while installing the same Windows 7 version into two primary partitions of the same HDD. AFAIK you have the right to do what you say because you are using the same computer and the only chenge that you introduce is using a different hard disk. Best wishes

Windows 7 always uses a first hidden 100 MB partition as boot drive, no matter how many drives of the same HDD you install. You can find a wider explanation of all this here: HTH

Hi sreilly! I have repeatedly installed Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bits twice into the same HDD. I've also repeatedly installed Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bits into a primary partition and Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bits into another one of same HDD for old programs compatibility reasons. I ialways activated happily each and every installed unit using the same legal key for both drives. HTH

Latest changes: - A considerably improved new version replaces the old one. Enjoy it! Greetings.

Even when I modified the title of the tutorial after reading your post, the whole text has been reviewed and the abbreviation HD has been changed into HDD just whenever it exactly matched the sense of the sentence. Thanks for your suggestion. cannie

The first thing I would do would be cleaning my HD using any good disk cleaner and defragmenting it afterwards. No danger at all, and probably you will find a considerable speed increase. HTH

Hi Dunstan879! Taking into account that every program you run uses the registry one way or another, there's always a risk when you use any registry cleaner because it is totally impossible for the manufacturer to take into account every present and future application needs, and therefore something can always be wrongly deleted. I only clean the registry when I have problems which can come from invalid keys. I mostly use the freeware CCleaner, because it saves as backup a .reg file which allows you to read it carefully afterwards, deleting from it what you consider as correctly deleted and keeping any key which should remain. After saving the modified .reg file you only need to click twice on it to restore all recovered keys. I would never use any registry cleaner, be it freeware or not, if it does not allow you to preview what has been detected first and to restore any wrongly deleted key afterwards. HTH

Latest improvements: - All the tutorial's www links have been reviewed, updated and made active. Happy Christmas to you all! cannie

Hi b-man! Sometimes unexplainable problems come from foolish motives. Not long ago it happened to me something very similar. The damage was just in the BIOS and I fixed it by withdrawing the mainboard battery for ten minutes. Of course I checked out battery load before reinstalling it. HTH