How to format windows Vista without CD

[recycledsole]

Hello folks
I am upgrading and keeping my hard drive that has vista installed. i want to erase it and install windows 7. i am having difficulty learning how to format vista without having a CD. can someone please explain how to me?
thank you

 

[Bubbaleone]

If Vista is getting erased anyway, your Windows 7 installation DVD will automatically erase, format, and install to the old Vista partition. As an alternative: Vista is upgradeable to Windows 7. If you chose to custom upgrade, you'd retain your Vista files and settings. Read these Microsoft articles for a better understanding of what's involved:

Installing, Reinstalling, and Uninstalling Windows

Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7

 

[bigi]

gparted will help.
I'd do it first in non-windows environment especially after Vista and then re-partition it again during Win 7 install.

 

[recycledsole]

should i install the new hardware on the old OS, then update OS,
or update OS first, then install new hardware?

 

[Bubbaleone]

should i install the new hardware on the old OS, then update OS,
or update OS first, then install new hardware?

Just to be sure I'm on the same page with you...you plan to "upgrade" your mobo, CPU, etc.? And you plan to wipe Vista off your old hard drive and then install Windows 7?

If that's the case, don't worry about Vista at all. Build your box with whatever hardware you have planned to "upgrade", install the old hard drive, boot into BIOS to be sure everything is detected and working properly, and set the CD/DVD drive as the first device in the boot order. Then install Windows 7. :thumbsup:

 

[Bubbaleone]

Upgrade and Update are two words that are often interchangeably used, frequently causing confusion.

• Software Update: An update is a patch for a specific piece of software you already have installed on your system. The purpose of an update is to fix bugs or make minor improvements to a software package. Generally, an update is very unlikely to cause problems or result in data corruption.

• Software Upgrade: An upgrade is the complete replacement of an older version of a software package. Typically it involves a name change to the software. For example: Windows 2000 upgrade to Windows XP, or Windows Vista upgrade to Windows 7. In these instances the previous software is uninstalled, the new version installed, and (generally) any databases or information associated with the old software is migrated to the new version. Due to the nature of a software upgrade, and the migration of data that occurs, it is more likely to see problems with data corruption or failed upgrades than when doing a software update. It is due to these reasons that a successful software upgrade typically requires more planning and time to complete.

• Hardware Update: BIOS updates, firmware updates for hard drives, optical drives, routers, NIC cards, etc.

• Hardware Upgrade for OEM built machine: Replacing existing hardware devices with similar devices that offer improved performance, capability, capacity, efficiency, etc......versus buying a new OEM computer.

Hardware Upgrade for Custom built machine: Because that's what we do! :thumbsup: