so here is my problem. My hard drive on my hp dv6000 was too small, so i went and bought a Western Digital WD Scorpio Blue 500gb internal hard drive. I am currently running windows 7 32bit which i purchased a digital copy of and never received a windows disk. I need to reinstall windows onto my new hard drive but i don't have a disk. Is there any way i can eaither A. re-download and make my own disk or B. do it without a disk? any help would be greatly appreciated. also - I bought windows 7 from Digital River, the student version and my download has expired according to their site.
1, the file you downloaded from Digital river IS the disc. if you still have that folder, or the executable, you can copy it's contents to a cd, and set it to be a bootable disc. ( you will need the 3 executables, or you will need the folder those executable made) . 2, if you have a friend with a Win7 disc on the same type (X64 or X32 and Pro/Home) you can use it. ( the X64 or X32 is set in stone, but the Pro/home part can be gotten around if you need to) 3.well, do you have to do a fresh install? if not, you can use imaging software. You may be able to use Windows backup, but i can't vouch for that. I know you can use software such as PING and Clonezilla though. both have Live CD's you can download, and will allow you to make a 1-1 image of your drive to another source. Unfortunately, that drive will need to be the same size as the drive you are replacing, which means another Harddrive (external or internal). Option 1 is best, and 2 is good if you can get a win7 disc. if not, it looks like number 3.
For #1 do you have any idea how i could find the files? if not, option #3 will probably work best. I have a friend who obtained windows 7 the same way i did and doubt he has the files if i do not. #3 would probably be my best bet under my current circumstances, i have used Drive Image XML to copy my C Drive. I have a 100gb external hard drive, would this work to store the files temporarily while i install and then transfer to my new hard drive? If so, how would i go about doing this, I have a slight idea but i would hate to mess up a perfectly good hard drive.
option 1. unless you still have not deleted them, then you won't find them easily. how big is the current Harddrive? also, i don't know how you will restore the image with Drive image XML. (unless you can plug in both harddrives at once, since Drive image XML runs in windows). now, you have a large enough drive get the software (if yours wont work, try to borrow one)(if you have a 160GB drive, and only 80GB is used, your drive should work (you will want to use compression to be safe). if your drive isn't big enough, Clonezilla will tell you. ). I recommend Clonezilla. you can download the ISO file for free and burn it to a disk. (Infrarecorder is a free ISO burner) follow the prompt until you get to the mode selection. if you can connect them both at once, do so, and use mode 2 (disk/partition to disk/partition). if not make sure the External drive is connected and use mode 1. if mode one: choose local_dev (meaning an attached device). choose the removable drive (use disk size to tell them apart). continue until you the next mode prompt. choose saveparts. leave options as default untill compression. use the last setting (the fast one, since you have enough room). name it (something short and simple) then select the source (should be only drive left to select, agiain use size to check. then hit enter, and accept all prompts. time will vary based on size of image. Mode 2: disk/partition to disk/partition should be similar, but with no compression and filename. you'll just set source destination. REMEMBER. Read all prompts, and if in doubt leave default. PING is an alternative, but less user friendly, and Drive Image XML only works if you can connect both harddrives, and if you can, then clonezilla will do disk/partition to disk/partition, which is faster and easier. it may look like a lot, but just take it slow, and it will be ok. also, format your external drive to NTFS. (you may want to print this out, plus [http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/free_imaging_software.html]. the first part is a very good tut on CLonezilla (if you have a color printer, it may also be off use, since it has pictures.
Luckily i can delete a good portion of the files because its mostly music that i can backup on my ipod, therefore i feel that my drive should work fine. There are two things im still hazy on however. from what i read, im assuming i can copy my files onto my external, then install my new hard drive and then transfer the files back onto my new hard drive, correct? and the other one is what do i select when using InfraRecorder data disk, audio disk, or video disk?
well, the file should be an iso, so use write image and select the file. yes you can. if you image the whole drive, then all files/folders, settings, and temporary files will be put into a file. that file will then be wrote to the 2nd disc, making an identical "image" of the drive. also, a program called CCleaner may help you. it gets rid of all internet browser (opera, Firefox, Internet Explorer and more) temporary files, all Recycle bin files (cleaning the recycle bin doesn't remove the files, they stay for several days) and get rid of any temporary program files. it's safe and free, and can possibly free up a lot of room.
i just went ahead and ordered windows 7 professional upgrade for 60 dollars, and their sending me a disk for that. Ill just use this disk to format the drive once it comes, until then i guess ill just use my smaller one and delete some things. Thanks for the help
