Where to install windows

[matt_c]

So my PC recently crashed on me, giving me Hal_initialization_error every time I turn it on. I've tried everything to recover it, but I think I'm going to have to completely reinstall windows. I used my Windows install flash drive and its asking me where to install, but the problem is I already have windows on the SSD, so there's already four drive partitions. Where should I install it so that it overrides the previous windows install? Do I need to delete all those other partitions? I can't actually access windows to do anything with the drive so everything has to be done from the install menu.  My four drive partitions are Recovery, System, MSR (Reserved), and Primary. I have an option to either delete or format as well. So basically, my question is which of those four partitions to I do the new install to OR do I have to delete/format them.

Thank you!

[paddy-stone]

Delete all the partitions so you have a complete disk again with no separate partitions, then choose that as the installation disk and let it do it's thing.

[matt_c]

If I delete all the partitions of the SSD, it will only show the partitions of my storage hard drive that I also have in my system. How do I tell it to choose the SSD as the install drive if all the partitions from it are deleted? Thanks @paddy-stone

 

[paddy-stone]

12 hours ago, matt_c said:

If I delete all the partitions of the SSD, it will only show the partitions of my storage hard drive that I also have in my system. How do I tell it to choose the SSD as the install drive if all the partitions from it are deleted? Thanks @paddy-stone

 

Because the drive shows up that you can choose, they don't ahve to be partitioned, the OS does that for you when it installs. Are the SSD and the HDD the same size? if not take note of the size of the drive you want to install to.

If you want to make extra sure that you're choosing the SSD and want the UEFI/MBR partition on the boot drive, unplug the HDD before attempting install (while it's off of course).

[matt_c]

On 2/6/2017 at 5:10 AM, paddy-stone said:

Because the drive shows up that you can choose, they don't ahve to be partitioned, the OS does that for you when it installs. Are the SSD and the HDD the same size? if not take note of the size of the drive you want to install to.

If you want to make extra sure that you're choosing the SSD and want the UEFI/MBR partition on the boot drive, unplug the HDD before attempting install (while it's off of course).

So I deleted all the partitions except "primary" which it wouldn't let me delete. The only option was "new" when I selected that partition so I went ahead and clicked that and installed windows onto there. Windows is now up and running again (minus all my files and programs... RIP) except every time I restart it asks me which windows I want to boot to and I have to manually select "volume 2". So the old one is still on here somewhere? How do I get rid of it? I can't format the drive because the OS is on it so it won't let me.

[paddy-stone]

2 minutes ago, matt_c said:

So I deleted all the partitions except "primary" which it wouldn't let me delete. The only option was "new" when I selected that partition so I went ahead and clicked that and installed windows onto there. Windows is now up and running again (minus all my files and programs... RIP) except every time I restart it asks me which windows I want to boot to and I have to manually select "volume 2". So the old one is still on here somewhere? How do I get rid of it? I can't format the drive because the OS is on it so it won't let me.

OK, well you needed to delete everything, so leaving that partition and creating a new one, left the old windows version on there...  you only needed to select that as the install drive, not create another partition.