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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 2611 times

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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Yes. You boot from your W7 DVD. You need to set the CD drive as the first boot device in the BIOS.
What is the Make, and model of your computer ?

Posted 2 years ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

You can always reinstall from the recovery partition. What is the make of your PC - I may have the recovery procedure (they are different depending on make).

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

I have a Dell inspiron 545. 64bit operating system.
I don't think I am qualified enough to go into the bios and or use the nuke tool...I'm just a graphic designer with client side knowledge of web site design...I'm a geek but a graphics geek. :D

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

whs: I don't know if I can reinstall from the recovery partition since that is where I copied the extra windows 7 to.

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

With a Dell, insert the DVD, and as the computer starts up, keep tapping the F12 key. Select boot from CD, then watch closely for the "tap any key" bit.

whs. Please read the whole thread.

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

Can I put DBAN on CD-RW or DVD-RW? I have disks for those but I'd have to buy more for write-only.

It looks like it's saying that should be used on writable only...."DBAN 2.2.6 Beta for CD-R and DVD-R media."

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

Should I forget about using the MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition for this particular problem?

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Use a CD for DBAN (DVD would be a waste). Or even this,
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/i.....g-windows/

Accepted Answer · Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

I went through my stuff and I do have 3 CD-R (non-rewritables). So I can put the zip onto the CD-R...but then what? Will the computer still start up after I've used DBAN on it? I take out the DBAN CD-R and then put in the Dell installation disk?

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Yes. DBAN will take a long time to run. Make sure the computer stays plugged in, and do not touch it once DBAN has started.

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

Why do I need to 'watch closely for the "tap any key" bit'?

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

I've burned DBAN to disk...wish me luck!

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

The tap any key bit, only stays up for a few seconds. If you don't tap a key, it will try and boot from the hard drive. Then you have to shut down, and start over.

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

I tried restarting with the DBAN zip file on CD-R in the CD drive but it didn't start up, even when I pressed F12 and told it to boot from the CD drive.

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

You have to unzip the DBAN file and install it to the CD.

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

I thought it said that it had to stay zipped...
It says: (Burn this file to a blank disc and boot the computer with it. Do not unzip this file.)

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Have a look at this,
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto.....-easy-way/

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

I downloaded the free disk burning thing but I don't know how to download a copy of the ISO image. ISO image for what? Are they talking about the zip file that I got from DBAN?

Posted 2 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

From the link I posted above (on the DBAN site) it says,
"DBAN 2.2.6 Beta for CD-R and DVD-R media.
(Burn this file to a blank disc and boot the computer with it. Do not unzip this file.)"

That downloads an .iso file. Not a .zip file.

Posted 2 years ago #
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selena
Posts: 25

oh...well I tried the UBS drive method and followed all the instructions to the letter and all I got was that black screen with white letters that asks me which Windows 7 I want to use, as well as an option about advanced options like starting in safe mode...

I'm not sure the CD-R will work even if I did do it perfectly.

Posted 2 years ago #
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