Need to reinstall Win7

[EST_FatBoy]

So I need to reinstall Win7 but my Ext HDD died and I dont have another one so I cant make a backup. Could I make a 600Gb partion on my HDD and just throw my Steam folder and music/pictures/other stuff there and just reinstall Windows7 and later copy stuff to the main partion and delete the 600Gb partion? I know you can delete the partion (dont know the program) but I cant remember if you had to format the entire HDD for a reinstall or just a partion.

[I'm Batman]

you have to format it it has to be a clear HDD to install windows (i might be wrong but im 90%sure im not)

[M-ursu]

[Helly]

You could do this with programs like partition magic. You'd have to shrink the partition you have on there now to free up the 600gb. Then you can create a new partition of 600gb and copy your stuff.

This would be the "if everything goes right" scenario. I have tried to do this in the past (although it was years and years ago) and this went wrong far more then it went right. If it does go wrong you lose your stuff... So its a bit of a risk. If it were me i would just buy a new drive first.

[LogicalDrm]

I believe you can't add partition space later to main space without formatting both. I can be wrong about this. Why not just buy extra hdd? Steam games you can backup using built-in backup utility and burn them to dvds. Or just let cloud handle it.

[EST_FatBoy]

I believe you can't add partition space later to main space without formatting both. I can be wrong about this. Why not just buy extra hdd? Steam games you can backup using built-in backup utility and burn them to dvds. Or just let cloud handle it.

Eh... Not enough money. I will ask a friend if he still has an ext HDD.

[grayperview]

how big is the HDD?

 

if you have 600GB free on the HDD,  You can shrink the Windows partition and create a new 600GB partition for your back up...

 

Then wipe your windows partition and re-install windows, I would recommend you keep your hdd partitioned though and run steam, and all your backed up stuff from that partition though. 

 

for example if you have a 1tb drive.. I would create a windows partition of 80-90GB, then use the rest for data.

 

That way you can wipe windows as many times as you want and not lose any data.

[EST_FatBoy]

...For example if you have a 1tb drive.. I would create a windows partition of 80-90GB, then use the rest for data.

 

That way you can wipe windows as many times as you want and not lose any data.

Thats a brilliant idea! Why didnt I think of that.

I still need to use my friends ext HDD for the stuff and format the drive but then I can use this trick.

 

Wait when you make a partion you can still change the size of it, cant remember. I know you cant make it smaller but could you make it bigger?