How to Clean Install Windows Directly from the Hard Disk Drive

You want to install Windows OS but you can’t use a DVD or an USB for whatever reason?

This tutorial will show you a method that will allow you to boot and install Windows directly from the hard disk drive (HDD).

This guide applies to:

• Windows Vista
  
  
• Windows 7
  
  
• Windows 8
  
  
• Windows 8.1
  
  
• Windows 10
  

Part 1: Preparing the HDD
• If there is no Windows OS currently installed on the HDD then connect the HDD to a another working computer (with Windows installed)
• Create a 4GB primary partition.
• Format the 4GB partition with FAT32 file system.
• Assign a drive letter to that new partition.
• Copy the content of the Windows 7 Setup DVD to the 4GB partition.

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Part 2: Making the HD bootable
Open the Command Prompt as a Administrator, type cmd.exe into the Start Menu search box, right click the cmd.exe, then select “Run as administrator”.

Enter the commands below, while replacing X drive letter with the drive letter assigned to the partition you have created earlier on your HDD.





_{See picture for example}



Within the Command Prompt type the commands below:





Replace the X: drive letter with the drive letter of the optical CD/DVD-ROM where the Windows Setup DVD is inserted.

Replace the Y: drive letter with the drive letter of the 4GB partition you have created.






Part 3: Booting and installing Windows

Make sure that the BIOS is configured to boot from the hard disk drive (HDD).

If you did everything correctly, you should see “Windows is loading files ...” and a progress bar.

You can now install Windows as usual.




Part 4: Delete the 4GB partition
You have to quickly edit the boot menu once Windows is installed.

1. In Windows, press the + R keys.
   
   
   
2. Type msconfig and click on OK button.
   
   
   
3. Click on the Boot tab at the top.
   
   
   
4. Click 'Windows Setup (\windows)', and then click on the Delete button.
   
   
   
5. Click OK button.
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Click on 'Exit without restart' button.
   

If the 4GB partition is designated as a System partition then in this situation you cannot delete that 4GB partition have created.

Follow the guide below to delete the 4GB partition if you were to find yourself in a such situation.

Only follow the guide below if the 4GB partition is designated as a System partition.

1. Mark the C: partition as an active partition from the Disk Management Utility;
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Open the Command Prompt as a Administrator and type:
   
   
   

   Code:

   Bcdboot  C:\windows
   
   
   
   
3. Restart your computer.
   

And lastly, delete the 4GB partition this will free up 4GB which you can extend to the C: partition with the MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition software.

1. Within MiniTool Partition Wizard select the 4GB partition.
   
   
   
2. From the left pane click on “Delete Partition”.
   
   
   
3. Click on the OK button and click on Apply in the toolbar.
   
   
   
4. Within MiniTool Partition Wizard select the C: partition and click on "Move/Resize" to enter the next interface.
   
   
   
5. Increase the C: partition by dragging the right arrow of the scrollbar to the right or directly entering accurate values in the text boxes below.
   
   
   
   After
   
   
   
   
   
6. After you're done with the settings, click on the "OK" button.
   
   
   
7. Click on Apply in the toolbar.
   
   
   
8. Click on the “Restart Now” button on the Notice dialog box.