Two versions of Windows 7

Diamonddec

Hi,
I am a complete computer novice and I have a problem that I hope that someone can help me with...

Over the weekend, my computer stopped me getting access to the internet for some reason. Beside the wireless icon at the bottom of the screen there is now a little yellow triangle alerting me to the fact that I can't get online (BT Homehub ... No internet). The same happens when I connect via an ethernet cable. So, after 24 hours of tested everything ... BT Homehub working perfectly, Computer says wireless card and ethernet connections working perfectly etc, I call BT's IT service, who take me through a whole range of tests and processes, but cannot get the issue resolved either. Finally, they tell me that I will have to reinstall windows 7. Anyhow, I do this, but I fear that when it prompted me to where I wanted to install it, instead of (OS) :C, I selected something else and it tried to install in :E ... which was not large enough to hold the complete install and has left a lot of stuff out, so that whe it starts up from that version, there is hardly any functionality on my desktop, with hardly any buttons working. Additionally, when the computer is booting up, there is a page that gives me two windows 7 options and asks me to select which one I want to run, or after 30 seconds, it automatically chooses one itself and proceeds with the boot-up.
I'm sorry for the long-winded post, but is there any way that I can identify and uninstall the failed/incomplete W7 installation of a couple of days ago?

Any help will be really gratefully received.



EDIT: After reading a bit, I think I have essentially created another partition, and now have dual booting????

who the fug

Get somebody in the know to do a format and clean install.

Captain Commie

who the fug wrote: »

Get somebody in the know to do a format and clean install.

Second this, you need to do a full re-install of your machine

fricatus

who the fug wrote: »

Get somebody in the know to do a format and clean install.

Not just a format. They should use something like FDisk or Diskpart to remove both partitions, then create one primary partition out of the free space. Once this partition is formatted, then put the new install of W7 on this.

Definitely go with a new install anyway - much simpler in the long run.

Before you do any of this though, back up all your files to an exernal hard drive (and also to another media such as DVD if you're really paranoid!).

Diamonddec

Ouch!

Thanks Guys!

I don't know anyone unfortunately. Can I not just stick my windows disc in and reinstall? ... Or more preferably, delete that 2nd failed installation? If I did put it on a new partition, can I not just delete it?

who the fug

Diamonddec wrote: »

Ouch!

Thanks Guys!

I don't know anyone unfortunately. Can I not just stick my windows disc in and reinstall? ... Or more preferably, delete that 2nd failed installation? If I did put it on a new partition, can I not just delete it?

First off get a back up done

What sounds straight forward, never is with Windows that is why we are suggesting the clean install

Diamonddec

Hi guys ... I am looking in computer management> disk management and I see that there are 3 things there ...
OS (C)
RECOVERY (E)
AND one that isn't named, but is an OEM partition???? Is that the partition that I made two days ago ... and can it be deleted?

Diamonddec

who the fug wrote: »

First off get a back up done

Sorry, but what do you mean by a back-up? The computer is only a couple of months old and the only thing of value on it are pictures, which I have saved to a memory stick.

practice

The best thing to do is boot to the windows 7 dvd (change the boot sequence in the bios to the D drive by pressing "usually F2 at startup"). Delete all the partions and do a fresh install from here.
Of course this will delete everything on your computer.
Back up everything. Check you have drivers for all hardware you may have installed since.
You may have to reactiveate windows (not sure about this)

inforfun

ISP helpdesk telling you to reinstall Win7....?

Besides getting somebody in the know who actually could do a fresh clean install of Win7 i would first have somebody over who knows his way around with (wireless) network set ups.
I really cant see why you should reinstall an OS just because you can not connect to the internet.

Can you or could you still get on the router when internet access stopped?

jhud

Fist things first you might have a virus on your computer which is stopping you access the internet.

Second the reinstall that failed is not too bad as you said you have a dual boot of windows 7. Using the up and down arrows on the keyboard you can choose which one you want to load. One should be the old computer setup and the other the new partly installed one.

Ok now the first thing i would do is get the computer to load the old full install version the one with all your data on it.

The next thing to check is open internet explorer if this is what you are using then check the following go to tools internet options then select connections then lan settings. Make sure the only one selected is Automatically Detect settings.

Let me know what you find.

user1842

jhud wrote: »

Fist things first you might have a virus on your computer which is stopping you access the internet.

Second the reinstall that failed is not too bad as you said you have a dual boot of windows 7. Using the up and down arrows on the keyboard you can choose which one you want to load. One should be the old computer setup and the other the new partly installed one.

Ok now the first thing i would do is get the computer to load the old full install version the one with all your data on it.

The next thing to check is open internet explorer if this is what you are using then check the following go to tools internet options then select connections then lan settings. Make sure the only one selected is Automatically Detect settings.

Let me know what you find.

Also check to make sure you are not connecting via a proxy?

Goto Internet Explorer -> Tools -> Internet Options -> Connections -> LAN Settings

Make sure "Automatically detect settings" is ticked and everything else is unticked

Try that

shinobi

For some reason the recovery partition is unhidden as the e:\. Were you or somebody else fidigiting with the disk manager previously? As usually this is the only way to expose the recovery partition.

What make of PC is it? Depending on the make of PC theres a hidden menu you can access on boot up which will reinstall your operation system to factory defaults. On some machines by repeatly pressing the Shift + F10/F11 key straight after powering on the machine activates the recovery partition and thus installs OS - Win7 to factory defaults.

Diamonddec

Hi guys ... just back in from work ... sorry for the delay.

So here it is ... I have 2 versions of Windows 7 on the computer... fairly crippled version, that when I boot up from it, won't let me access ant programmes, because it displays a ---.dll message saying something is missing. The other version seems to be a fresh install and is working perfectly as far as I can see, although I have lost a couple of programmes, namely a touchscreen one, in particular. However, it had no problem at all recognising the internet connection and it now works normally.

The system is a Dell Inspiron One 2310 (all in one jobby with 23" touchscreen) ... I tried to revert the system back to a point a month ago, but the system says that I now have no points saved to revert to.

Then I got into F8 before the boot-up to try to revert back to shipping condition ... and it says that something is missing, and won't let me. I think that I am gonna have to do a complete install again in C: and then delete whatever has been downloaded to E: (recovery) in the last few days.

Diamonddec

OK... It won't let me do an install. When I put in the W7 reinstall disk and choose my language and choose install type, and select Disk 0 Partition 3 OS (C: ) it says "Setup was unable to use the existing system partition because it does not contain the required free space." :mad:

However, it says TOTAL SIZE= 451.1GB
FREE SPACE=405.8GB

I am completely screwed.

Nabber

Hey OP

Windows wouldn't have allowed you to install to a partition that was too small in the first place. Makes no sense.
I think the issue may be with the fact that you did a fresh install, instead of cloning your original OS. Symptoms all sound like driver conflicts, or some sort of driver error.

Delete all your partitions and format the drive. Then choose if you want to keep one large partition of have a few. If you are a novice just keep it to one, will make no difference for you anyways.

Windows 7 should walk you through the steps. If it makes you feel better, there isn't anything that could go any worse than what it is now.


Good luck anyways.

Nabber

Diamonddec

Re the space issue. I just tried to transfer about 100 photos from my memory stick into a picture file that I had created, and I get the message that "there is not enough space available ... I need 825mb's!

Diamonddec

Nabber wrote: »

Hey OP

Windows wouldn't have allowed you to install to a partition that was too small in the first place. Makes no sense.
I think the issue may be with the fact that you did a fresh install, instead of cloning your original OS. Symptoms all sound like driver conflicts, or some sort of driver error.

Delete all your partitions and format the drive. Then choose if you want to keep one large partition of have a few. If you are a novice just keep it to one, will make no difference for you anyways.

Windows 7 should walk you through the steps. If it makes you feel better, there isn't anything that could go any worse than what it is now.


Good luck anyways.

Nabber

Hi Nabber,

Could you please explain in baby terms the steps to delete my partitions and then format the drive?

Cheers

Diamonddec

The RECOVERY (E:) has only 4.03MB free of 14.6GB ... and contains:
PerfLogs
Program Files
Users
Windows

Surely all this stuff should only be in OS (C:) ?

Diamonddec

OK I just had a look in MSCONFIG and under the BOOT tab, I have:

Windows 7 (E:\Windows) : Current OS

Windows 7 (C:\Windows) : Default OS

Is this where my problem lies?

quaidox

windows 7 cannot install on either of your partitions because you do not have enough free space on either of them to do an install. you have to format the partition in order to install a fresh copy on the partition. you do this during the set up options when installing windows 7, in the section where you select where you want to install windows 7 to. I think you have to click on advanced options in this screen in order to be able to delete and format partitions. If i was you i would delete the E partition and then the C partition, then windows will create a new C drive using all the space on the hard disk. you should google installing windows 7 for better install step by step instructions.

Nabber

quaidox pretty much sums it up there.

When you get the option to choose format type, choose NTFS

jhud

I would like to help you with this if you would like to pm me

jhud

pm sent

Diamonddec

Hi all, I've decided that the computer's problems are too far gone for me to deal with, so I'm gonna take it to a specialist IT firm, who said that they will wipe it, and do a clean install for £40, which I think is reasonable and will take it in on monday.

The cd drive won't install now, but I want to try one more thing before monday. ... I have a "factory image recovery" on memory stick that I made when I first got the computer ... can I use this to restore the computer... and if so, exactly what do I need to do, please?

bette

Diamonddec wrote: »

Hi all, I've decided that the computer's problems are too far gone for me to deal with, so I'm gonna take it to a specialist IT firm, who said that they will wipe it, and do a clean install for £40, which I think is reasonable and will take it in on monday.

The cd drive won't install now, but I want to try one more thing before monday. ... I have a copy of the "image" on memory stick that I made when I first got the computer ... can I use this to restore the computer... and if so, exactly what do I need to do, please?

Do you have important files on your machine? The €40 wipe/reinstall will wipe everything from your computer!

How big is your hard disk anyway? If you're out of space now you will get the same problem later.

You could get a bigger disk for around €50. Is it a desktop or laptop?

Diamonddec

bette wrote: »

Do you have important files on your machine? The €40 wipe/reinstall will wipe everything from your computer!

How big is your hard disk anyway? If you're out of space now you will get the same problem later.

You could get a bigger disk for around €50. Is it a desktop or laptop?

Hi, nothing important on computer, only photo's but I've backed these up to 2 memory sticks just in case.

I have plenty of space on my disc ... 402GB free on (C:) , but my problem is that after my botched install, the computer seems to have partitioned and set up an (E:) drive, which is only 15GB and windows is running from that. It is of course full and whenever I try to do anything, it just says that I can't because there isn't enough space. I suppose it would solve my problem if I could make the (C:) drive my default, but I'm not sure how to do that, or indeed if it would help.

Thanks

bette

Diamonddec wrote: »

Hi, nothing important on computer, only photo's but I've backed these up to 2 memory sticks just in case.

I have plenty of space on my disc ... 402GB free on (C:) , but my problem is that after my botched install, the computer seems to have partitioned and set up an (E:) drive, which is only 15GB and windows is running from that. It is of course full and whenever I try to do anything, it just says that I can't because there isn't enough space. I suppose it would solve my problem if I could make the (C:) drive my default, but I'm not sure how to do that, or indeed if it would help.

Thanks

Have a good read of THIS first. Then download that (assuming that you are working from another PC) and follow the instructions to burn the thing to a CD. Then take this CD and boot your dodgy machine with this. You then have an operating system (Linux) working from the CD. You can then go about deleting to our hearts content. When you reinstall Windows and all the partitioning can be dealt with when you install!

You may have to set the boot order to boot with CD first. Any problems there and anyone here should guide you through that.

Diamonddec

bette wrote: »

Have a good read of THIS first. Then download that (assuming that you are working from another PC) and follow the instructions to burn the thing to a CD. Then take this CD and boot your dodgy machine with this. You then have an operating system (Linux) working from the CD. You can then go about deleting to our hearts content. When you reinstall Windows and all the partitioning can be dealt with when you install!

You may have to set the boot order to boot with CD first. Any problems there and anyone here should guide you through that.

CD drive won't work bette! ... I've tries lods of times and it gives me the message that "autorun wont work, so the programme can't be started."

shinobi

Follow these instructions to boot from linux using Bootable USB key

Diamonddec

The computer won't start windows from either USB or Disc.

I have got instructions of how to recover the factory image from my memory stick, courtesy of jhud. However it's not working because when I follow the instructions and hit the button to restart the computer, it shuts down, starts up again and immediately goes into Windows Boot Manager and says "Windows failed to start" ... A recent hardware or software change might be the cause ... To fix the problem, insert Windows installation disc and restart the computer. Of course, my cd drive is missing something as well, so won't start. As I said earlier, I have 2 windows 7 installations on the computer. So when I start up the computer, it goes to a page that asks me which one I want to use to start. The top one is what I am using now and the bottom one is useless and just shuts down if I select it. So, I highlight the top WINDOW 7 choice and hit select. It then takes me to my passwork screen then on to my desktop. THIS VERSION is the one that runs on E: (RECOVERY PARTITION) rather than C: (OS). E: is limited at 15GB, and is full with the W7 install on it, and so I can't get anything done with it, as it only has 65KB of space left!

Regarding the issue of windows not starting at bootup and preventing me from going further in my system image recovery. I am wondering if this is due to me having 2 versions of windows on the machine, and as such it won't start automatically until it knows which one to use.

If that is so, then, if I could delete the crippled 2nd version, it might start automatically. However, I don't know how I could do that bearing in mind I can't start the crippled version up.
__________________
.

bette

Diamonddec wrote: »

CD drive won't work bette! ... I've tries lods of times and it gives me the message that "autorun wont work, so the programme can't be started."

You may have to go into the BIOS and set the boot order to CD first. Start the computer and hit the DEL key (usually but some machines it's F2) depends on your machine. What make is it?
Here's a good read

Diamonddec

bette wrote: »

What make is it?

it's a Dell inspiron one 2310 (all in one job)

bette

Diamonddec wrote: »

it's a Dell inspiron one 2310 (all in one job)

You can change the boot order for one go using the following extract from the Manual:

Starting Dell Diagnostics From the
Drivers and Utilities Disc
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities disc may
not ship with your computer.
Insert the
1. Drivers and Utilities disc.
Shut down and restart the computer.
2. When the DELL ™ logo appears, press <F12>
immediately.
NOTE: If you wait too long and the
operating system logo appears, continue to
wait until you see the Microsoft Windows
desktop; then, shut down your computer
and try again.
NOTE: The next steps change the boot
sequence for one time only. On the next
start-up, the computer boots according to
the devices specified in the system setup
program.When the boot device list appears, highlight
3. CD/DVD/CD-RW and press <Enter>.
Select the
4. Boot from CD-ROM option from
the menu that appears and press <Enter>.
.

You simply substitute the Linux disk for the Dell Utilities one and you should be good to go. That will get the Linux OS running from the CD. It will take a while.

Diamonddec

Hi

Sorry I've taken so long to get back, but I've been tinkering!

Right ... I have managed to reinstall Windows 7 from the disc ... don't ask me how EXACTLY? ... but because the CD drive wasn't starting windows, I essentially went into the F12 setup and selected to boot-up using the factory image that I had on my USB stick. Then I restarted the computer with this, and went through the process. When it was finished, it must have replaced/repaired the missing cd bits and then when I put the Windows 7 disc in and it autoran :eek: and I completed the installation from there. However, I cannot get on the internet because it is telling me that I have no drivers! no network adapter found!

shinobi

Network adapter driver here. (The second one down - Real Tek).

bette

Good point re realtek driver! Good man OP for the tinkering. You learned something and that's a great start. Now you know that you can do it.!

Diamonddec

WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO! :eek: I DON'T KNOW HOW ... BUT I'VE (WE'VE) MANAGED TO RESET BACK TO FACTORY!
Copied the drivers folder from the USB factory disk to C: and then went back into the BOOT menu and booted from the USB, which then allowed me to do the new install from "factory image", which was more comprehensive than the install earlier ... and after 45 minutes and several automatic reboots, I had a brand new computer just like it arrived to me back in November!
I have spent the last hour putting my software back on (Elements 9, wireless printer, Lumix Photofun, and my pics that I had backed up to USB stick ... and now I'm good to go!
Thanks to everyone that offered advice and took the time to be patient with me ... bette, shinobi, jhud, nabber and all you other guys... really good job, and much appreciated! we got there in the end! I really wouldn't have persevered if you all hadn't kept me going!

bette

You are no longer a newbie! And €40 better off.

Diamonddec

bette wrote: »

You are no longer a newbie! And €40 better off.

You know, it's not even the £40. I have gotten fantastic satisfaction out of sorting this out despite overwhelming ignorance of how a computer works. With all your encouragement and help I had the confidence to tinker a bit and with such a great result, I am now less daunted by the computer.

MAN 1 ... MACHINE 0

Thanks again

who the fug

Diamonddec wrote: »

You know, it's not even the £40. I have gotten fantastic satisfaction out of sorting this out despite overwhelming ignorance of how a computer works. With all your encouragement and help I had the confidence to tinker a bit and with such a great result, I am now less daunted by the computer.

MAN 1 ... MACHINE 0

Thanks again

Well Done

But that score line should read

Man 1 ... Machine waiting

Nothingbetter2d

you need to delete all the partitions using the windows disk then create a single new partition