Installing Windows on single HDD or SSD/HDD combo.First thing you need to do is download all necessary drivers, for motherboard and Vid card(s), Antivirus and Malware software, and save them to a USB Flash Drive or CD. This is so you do NOT have to go on the internet, before your computer is protected !------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Single large HDD]First put your large HDD into another computer and use: Computer management > Disk Management to partition your storage HDD like so:
150GB (for Win 7) // 150GB (backups) // w/e is leftover for everything else. Make all 3 partitions: Primary, NTFS and Default Cluster Size.
Install stuff in this order:Unhook InternetInstall Windows (on Win 7 partition)
Install motherboard drivers (on Win 7 partition)
Install vid card drivers (on Win 7 partition)
Install sound drivers (on Win 7 partition)
Rehook InternetInstall Windows updates (on Win 7 partition)
Install Security programs (on Win 7 partition)
Install utilities like CCleaner, 7Zip, IMGBurn (on Win 7 partition)
Install w/e other games or programs you want. They can be installed on the (Win 7 partition) or the "w/e is leftover partition".
Windows 7 comes with backup software built right in...use it.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[SSD / storage HDD combo]Remove the storage HDD from computer for the moment.Put SSD in another comp, and use: Computer management > Disk Management to create a 100GB partition, and then create a 2nd partition with the remianing space, and format it. (size of 2nd partition does not matter, but NEEDS to use all remaining space on SSD) ...doing this will prevent Win 7 from creating the useless, unmoveable "reserve partition". Make both partitions: Primary, NTFS and Default Cluster Size.
Install stuff in this order:Unhook InternetInstall Windows (on SSD)
Install motherboard drivers (on SSD)
Install vid card drivers (on SSD)
Install sound drivers (on SSD)
Rehook InternetInstall Windows updates (on SSD)
Install Security programs (on SSD)
Install utilities like CCleaner, 7Zip, IMGBurn (on SSD)
Install w/e other games or programs you want. They can be installed on the SSD or the HDD. The ones that need speed (SSD)
Now put the storage HDD back into the computer and use Computer management > Disk Management to partition your storage HDD like so:
150GB (Backups of all installed programs) / 150Gb for OS Image backups, and w/e is left over, for everything else, like media etc.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXProper Backups will save you tons of hassle.First, get these two programs...they will work on any windows version.Easeus Partition Master: http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm ...alt link:
http://tinyurl.com/6g3gs8Macrium Reflect: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp ...alt link:
http://tinyurl.com/3zphz46Second, if installing a new SSD/HDD that you want to use as the "system partition", format and partition it BEFORE using it. This makes everything easier, down the road.For Comps with ONE HDD:1. Install both of these programs.
2. Use Easeus or [diskmgmt.msc] to "resize" (shrink) your system partition, to somewhere between 40-100GB
3. Then with the remaining space, create two more primary partitions. One at 100GB and the other with w/e is left over.
4. Run all your cleaners, scans, reg cleaners...etc, then run disk defragmenter a few times...till it won't defrag any more.
5. Now use Macrium Reflect to create a FULL Image backup of your system partition and save it on the 100GB
partition you created in step #3.
6. When using only one HDD, backing up or restoring from backup...take about 15-20 mins.
7. Lastly, make the Rescue CD with Macrium Reflect, so you can access your backups, even when Windows won't boot.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For Comps with more than one HDD or SSD/HDD combo:1. Install both of these programs.
2. Use Easeus or [diskmgmt.msc] "resize" (shrink) your system partition, to somewhere between 40-100GB
3. Now, since you have TWO HDD's...you have the option to store backups of the system partition on the 2nd HDD.
4. This is a GOOD thing, as it cuts down the backup or restore operation to 3-5 mins, because it's not reading and writing
from the same HDD.
5. Use Easeus again to do your partitioning...generally with 2 HDD's you will want to store your system backups on about a
100GB primary partition on the 2nd HDD.
6. Run all your cleaners, scans, reg cleaners...etc, then run disk defragmenter a few times...till it won't defrag any more.
7. Now use Macrium Reflect to creat a FULL Image backup of your system partition and save it on the 100GB
partition you created on your 2nd HDD, in step #5
8. Lastly, make the Rescue CD with Macrium Reflect, so you can access your backups, even when Windows won't boot.
NOTE: The BEST backup system is done using 2 HDD's, or SSD and HDD combo. By using TWO drives, backups and restores are MUCH faster AND safer, because the likelihood of BOTH drives failing is small.Generally, I make new system partition FULL Image backups after I have done a few program upgrades or installs. This
procedure is the best solution because when restoring your comp from a FULL Image backup (pre-cleaned backup)...it
completely OVERWRITES the system partition with your previously saved CLEAN backup...thus erasing all the cooties you
may have picked up since you made the last backup.