Windows Installation

[waheed]

Can you install Windows on a hard drive that already has data on it but no operating system, or will I be required to do a format.

[jtoolman2000]

I think you have to format and designate it as the boot drive with a boot sector or partition.

[Bjs]

Best to reformat the drive and do a clean install ... or you could end up with problem's ...

Best method is to download the hard drive manufacturer's "new hd install" tool , and use it to prepare the hd for chosen os ... I have seen hd's run cooler this way , than using xp's method .

[ROF]

If there is no OS present on the drive you can just install windows to it. no need to format or waste time moving your data. it will remain intact. Just make sure the drive partition is formatted to windows specifications(Fat or NTFS).

[Faustus]

If there is no OS present on the drive you can just install windows to it. no need to format or waste time moving your data. it will remain intact. Just make sure the drive partition is formatted to windows specifications(Fat or NTFS).

Quoting to reinforce correct info.

[bevills1]

It depends on the existing partition. You can just install Windows on it if it has primary partition, but reformat would be needed to create primary partition if all partititions are extended partitions wihtout a primary partition because Windows requires primary partition. At least that's the case up through Windows 2000, and I'm unfamiliar with XP which could have changed such requirement.

[ROF]

Windows XP also requires a primary partition.

Is there a modern OS that can be installed on extended partitions?

[waheed]

Its an additional Hard Drive in my PC, already primary parition as NTFS. Ive managed to install Windows Vista Beta 2 on it without any problems. Only wanted to test Vista out.

[bevills1]

Actually Windows can be installed on extended partition as long as there's a primary partition on that physical hard drive. Windows requires primary partition for certain system boot files, and I suspect it has something to do possibly with BIOS being accessable only from primary partition although that's simply speculation on my part. I've used Linux Mandrake as well as Suse both of which require primary partition. I currently have multi boot system with Windows 98SE on primary partition of master drive, Windows 2000 Professional on first extended partition of same master drive and Suse Linux 10 on primary partition of slave drive. I always create primary partition on all my drives just in case I ever want to install an OS on it. Waheed, I'm glad you had primary partition on that drive to make make your task easier.