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(Solved) - Accidently installed Windows 7 on two drives

(45 posts)
  • Started 2 years ago by selena
  • Latest reply from LH
  • Topic Viewed 2637 times

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selena
Posts: 25

Ok, so I'm not much of a geek yet. :)
I think I have something on my system that got past Norton but it didn't show up in Norton's scan or the Superantispyware scan.
Anyways, I used to have XP and I had a CD or DVD disk that I used to do a full restore with during those rare occasions that I got a bug that I didn't think had been fully restore because a backdoor kept reappearing.

Anyways, I put in the Windows 7 reinstall disk and selected the option to do a custom install because the other option meant that I would have to be connected to the internet and I didn't to be connected to the internet if the disk restored my drive and I no longer had Norton on it. It doesn't look like the installation disk does do a full restore even if I put it on the proper drive....so I had selected the option that was colored and looked like default. I basically installed another copy of Windows 7 on a drive I didn't know I had, the recovery drive E. Now when I start my computer it gives me two options of windows 7, one goes to the old OS on drive C and the other goes to the new OS on drive E.

Can I go into the new windows 7 and just reformat the drive? Will this remove the option message I receive at startup? Is this dangerous because it was called the Recovery drive? Should I just take in my computer and get someone else to fix it?

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Firstly, please could you please post a screenshot of your Disk Management window.
And don't panic, we can sort this out. Just like to have a look first.

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

Thanks for your help. I'm too embarrassed to panic. :) I included a link to the screen shot but it's not showing up. Drive E isn't listed for some reason. Maybe recovery drives don't get listed.

Screen shot of my drive

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

That is not Disk Management.
In a Run box, enter,
diskmgmt.msc
press OK

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

Sorry. Here is a new link:
Disk Management Screenshot

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

OK. So you do have a full, legal, W7 installation disk. If so, I would start from scratch. Can guide you through that, but you will lose the Recovery drive (which is now useless anyway).

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

I have the installation disk that came with my Dell computer, I bought it, it's legal. Will reinstalling Windows 7 on the main drive create a new recovery drive? Should I have been given a recovery disk for Windows 7 and not just an installation disk?

Posted 2 years ago #
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marks100
marks100
Posts: 4507

you wont need a recovery partition if you have a installation disk, you can after the clean install of win 7 load all updates(install sp1 on its own) reboot after updates, and software as required. get it all
as you like then the clean your system.then go into 'control panel' > 'back up and restore' then in the left pane at the top select 'create a system image' say 2/3 dvd-r's at the end approx (45min). it will ask you if you would like a 'repair disk' for this use a cd-r , the partition which LH, is referring was your recover disk ( well your factory reset )

mark.

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

OK. If you can tell me what you use your computer for, and what software you use, then I can give you a good plan for a new installation.

Posted 2 years ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

It is actually pretty easy to repair. You have to make D inactive and C active - use the bootable CD of this program ( http://www.partitionwizard.com.....nager.html ) - this program CD is anyhow good to have. Then you repair the bootmgr on C with your installation disk ( http://www.sevenforums.com/tut.....g-fix.html ). You are done in 15 minutes and do not have to go thru a reinstalltion trauma. - Then you can e.g. reformat D.

Posted 2 years ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

just thought of an even easier way.

1. Type MSCONFIG into the Start/search field and hit Enter
2. Go to the BOOT tab
3. there you will see 2 entries. One says "default OS". Tell me whether that is C or D - then we'll go from there.

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

To whs: I'm worried that a virus may have gotten past Norton, so that's why I'm considering a total reinstallation. The screen froze after I clicked yes when it asked me to delete several high risk trojans that I got after I was looking at images and one of them went to a bad site. Now the program conhost.exe keeps trying to make unauthorized access to part of Norton's engine.

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

When in doubt, a clean re-installation of the OS is what we advise.
I would suggest you DBAN the drive first (but save all your personal data to an external drive before you do this)
http://www.dban.org/

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

I downloaded the free tool out of curiosity. I selected the option to delete the recovery partition (since marks100 says I don't need it if I have an installation disk) but got a warning that my system may become unbootable and I take it that that would mean I couldn't the installation disk.

Partition screen shot

Posted 2 years ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

Well, that is a different story. If you suspect a virus, even if it was deleted by some scanner, a reinstall is in order. To be prepared for those cases, I would recommend frequent imaging in the furure.

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

I could try DBAN...I have saved all personal files as well as files from software I used, such as Adobe CS5 and Norton...but I'm not sure what happens to this since it got updated when I renewed subscription but I'd end up installing the older copy that I downloaded over a year ago.

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

You did say that you have a W7 installation disk. If that is correct, nuke the drive, and re-install W7.

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

whs: I hardly get viruses, but the thing is I use a Wacom tablet and it is sensitive—I've clicked on stuff I shouldn't have.

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

If the computer becomes unbootable can I still re-install W7? Do I use the "wipe disk" button for button partitions?

Posted 2 years ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

The programs you have to reinstall anyhow. Saving their files makes little sense - only the installation .exes would work anyhow. Get the latest version from the net. For NIS2011 go to http://www.norton.com/nis11 - that is the direct download. Your key is good for that.

Posted 2 years ago #
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