Windows 10: Do i need to format a drive partiton to install windows

The partition i have has files and want to perform an dual boot discussion at:https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-32-bit-and-64-bit-dual-booting/6e7c8e64-e511-4b56-b256-bc89d3e536e7. Can i install windows 10 without formatting the partition?

:)

 

How to Partiton a Hard Drive in Vista

This is a way to get Vista to see another hard drive that is not associated with the OS. There is some times when your new hdd doesn't seem to want to work well with Vista. But, there is a solution in it.

Open the Computer Management By doing these steps.

• Click on the Start Button
• Click on Control Panel
• Click Administrative Tools
• Double click on Computer Management

You are now in the Navigation panel of the Computer Management.
When in Computer Management, you then have to allow the new drive to be recognized.

• Double click on Storage
• Double click on Disk Management

Now in the middle of your screen there is the layout of the Disk Drives that you have. The drives that are partitioned will show by the drive lettering. The others will just show up as having nothing at all in them. Below that there will be the Disk drives that are installed into the computer. You'll see that the primary one will all ways read as "Disk 0". Then you will have Disk 1 and so on. Under the Disks there will also see your CD-Rom drives.. If there is more then one, it will be labeled the same as Disk drives..

On to the Partitioning of the drive in question.

• Right Click on the drive
• Click to format the drive or Enable Volume. There will be a series of windows that open up. This is Vista's formatting. Just go threw the windows, and make sure everything is the way you want it to happen.
• Once the formatting is done, will take some time depending on the drive size.
• Right click on the drive
• Click on Mark the Partition as Active

After you have done those steps, The drive will be up and running threw Vista.



:Side Notes:
If you are not the Administer to the Os, then you will have to enable it..
You may also want to redo the drive lettering of it all. But, I really don't see a reason to do so. If you do, you have to redo drive paths and so forth.. A lot of work on something so small...

 

trying to install 7 w/o optical drive or USB drive (do have an external hdd)

This method is going to be trial/error on my part but here's my stab at it:

Use the guide he linked. Substitute in step 4, DO NOT FORMAT. Pre-format the hard drive with another PC/current windows install in NTFS format, then create 2 partitions. 1 to install from and one to install to. So in step 4 I beleive all you would have to do is a "clean" "select partition XX" & "active" command.

In step 5, use virtual CD/DVD software.

EDIT:

The only problem I see with above is how are you going to install while booting? Meaning, for it to boot wouldn't you have to be external but yet must install to an internal drive?

 

Replacing old hard drive, need way to copy Windows installation across

Hey Guys,
What would be the best way of copying/imaging the entire contents of an old system drive over to a replacement hard disk for the same machine? I need to copy the Windows installations and all other data to the new drive, and then format the old drive to use as a backup.

Any suggestions? *Smile