Windows.old

[Dave]

You are, of course, correct RC. I must have had a little brain-freeze there
so thanks for your input my friend )

Dave

R. C. White wrote:
> Hi, Dave.
>
>> When you go to the shop to buy a brand-new hard drive,...
>> ... It has to be prepared first and that is done by formatting (and
>> if you so wish, partitioning) it.
>
> Mostly correct, but...
>
> Both partitioning and formatting are required before a "drive" can be
> used by Windows. Partitioning is not optional, and must be done
> before formatting.
>
> We never format a physical HDD. We must first create at least one
> partition on the disk, even if that one partition includes the entire
> disk surface. Then we format the partition. When we say "drive", as
> in "Drive C:", we are usually referring to a partition, not the
> entire physical disk drive.
> (Yes, the physical disk must be "low-level formatted", but that is
> done at the factory and seldom - if ever these days - done in the
> field. What we do now - using Disk Management or a 3rd-party utility
> - is a high-level format.)
>
> RC
>
> "Dave" <dont@bother.com> wrote in message
> news:RtCdnfg2mOOmlDjWnZ2dnUVZ8ridnZ2d@bt.com...
>> Trev wrote:
>>> "relic" <relic211@cjb.net> wrote in message
>>> newsjtrjk.3i8.17.1@news.alt.net...
>>>>
>>>> "LSMFT" <boleyn7@aol.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:mrUon.27362$ao7.11589@newsfe21.iad...
>>>>> On 03/19/2010 079 PM, LD55ZRA wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> LSMFT wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> How long do I need to keep this directory which was made after
>>>>>>> upgrading
>>>>>>> Vista to Windows 7.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> As long as you want to keep it. There is no specific requirement
>>>>>> for it. It is there to enable you to revert back to Vista if you
>>>>>> decide Win7 isn't your type! I did a clean install so don't
>>>>>> have this folder on my system.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> hth
>>>>>
>>>>> I did a clean install also changing from 32 bit Vista to 64 bit
>>>>> WIndows 7 and it made Windows.old.
>>>>
>>>> What do you (and Trev) think a "Clean" install is?
>>>>
>>>> Had you, there's no way you'd have the Windows.Old folder.
>>>
>>> I let winds disc format my C drive and install Win 7 on it Part of
>>> that process is to create a Windows old folder if it find a
>>> Previous OS on the drive.
>>
>> But that's the point - if it was a clean install it would not find a
>> previous OS and so would not create a windows.old folder.
>>
>> When you go to the shop to buy a brand-new hard drive, you can't put
>> it in the computer and expect to start using it straight away
>> because it won't work. It has to be prepared first and that is done
>> by formatting (and if you so wish, partitioning) it. In effect what
>> you're doing is laying out a structure to it, telling it that this
>> area here can be used for this, that area over there can be used for
>> that, etc., etc. In order to keep track of what's going where, a table is
>> created.
>> Think of it like the table of contents of a book - the list tells
>> you something like: Chapter 6, The songs of Led Zeppelin, Page 58,
>> so you know that if you turn to page 58 you'll find the songs of Led
>> Zeppelin. If a previously used hard drive (or partition) is
>> formatted, what you're effectively doing is removing the table of
>> contents - the data (the songs of Led Zeppelin) is still there but
>> you don't know where it is and you don't know where to look for it
>> so you can't find it. Or to put it in the context of this topic,
>> your new OS would not see the old OS and therefore would not create
>> a windows.old folder. Personally, I would delete the partition, create a
>> new partition in
>> the now unpartitioned space, and format that - that is a clean
>> install.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Dave.

You're welcome, of course. Now, stand by; you may need to do the same for
me now and then. ;<)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64

"Dave" <dont@bother.com> wrote in message
newsYudnaQCQI6pdTjWnZ2dnUVZ8rudnZ2d@bt.com...
> You are, of course, correct RC. I must have had a little brain-freeze
> there so thanks for your input my friend )
>
> Dave
>
> R. C. White wrote:
>> Hi, Dave.
>>
>>> When you go to the shop to buy a brand-new hard drive,...
>>> ... It has to be prepared first and that is done by formatting (and
>>> if you so wish, partitioning) it.
>>
>> Mostly correct, but...
>>
>> Both partitioning and formatting are required before a "drive" can be
>> used by Windows. Partitioning is not optional, and must be done
>> before formatting.
>>
>> We never format a physical HDD. We must first create at least one
>> partition on the disk, even if that one partition includes the entire
>> disk surface. Then we format the partition. When we say "drive", as
>> in "Drive C:", we are usually referring to a partition, not the
>> entire physical disk drive.
>> (Yes, the physical disk must be "low-level formatted", but that is
>> done at the factory and seldom - if ever these days - done in the
>> field. What we do now - using Disk Management or a 3rd-party utility
>> - is a high-level format.)
>>
>> RC
>>
>> "Dave" <dont@bother.com> wrote in message
>> news:RtCdnfg2mOOmlDjWnZ2dnUVZ8ridnZ2d@bt.com...
>>> Trev wrote:
>>>> "relic" <relic211@cjb.net> wrote in message
>>>> newsjtrjk.3i8.17.1@news.alt.net...
>>>>>
>>>>> "LSMFT" <boleyn7@aol.com> wrote in message
>>>>> news:mrUon.27362$ao7.11589@newsfe21.iad...
>>>>>> On 03/19/2010 079 PM, LD55ZRA wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> LSMFT wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> How long do I need to keep this directory which was made after
>>>>>>>> upgrading
>>>>>>>> Vista to Windows 7.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> As long as you want to keep it. There is no specific requirement
>>>>>>> for it. It is there to enable you to revert back to Vista if you
>>>>>>> decide Win7 isn't your type! I did a clean install so don't
>>>>>>> have this folder on my system.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> hth
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I did a clean install also changing from 32 bit Vista to 64 bit
>>>>>> WIndows 7 and it made Windows.old.
>>>>>
>>>>> What do you (and Trev) think a "Clean" install is?
>>>>>
>>>>> Had you, there's no way you'd have the Windows.Old folder.
>>>>
>>>> I let winds disc format my C drive and install Win 7 on it Part of
>>>> that process is to create a Windows old folder if it find a
>>>> Previous OS on the drive.
>>>
>>> But that's the point - if it was a clean install it would not find a
>>> previous OS and so would not create a windows.old folder.
>>>
>>> When you go to the shop to buy a brand-new hard drive, you can't put
>>> it in the computer and expect to start using it straight away
>>> because it won't work. It has to be prepared first and that is done
>>> by formatting (and if you so wish, partitioning) it. In effect what
>>> you're doing is laying out a structure to it, telling it that this
>>> area here can be used for this, that area over there can be used for
>>> that, etc., etc. In order to keep track of what's going where, a table
>>> is created.
>>> Think of it like the table of contents of a book - the list tells
>>> you something like: Chapter 6, The songs of Led Zeppelin, Page 58,
>>> so you know that if you turn to page 58 you'll find the songs of Led
>>> Zeppelin. If a previously used hard drive (or partition) is
>>> formatted, what you're effectively doing is removing the table of
>>> contents - the data (the songs of Led Zeppelin) is still there but
>>> you don't know where it is and you don't know where to look for it
>>> so you can't find it. Or to put it in the context of this topic,
>>> your new OS would not see the old OS and therefore would not create
>>> a windows.old folder. Personally, I would delete the partition, create a
>>> new partition in
>>> the now unpartitioned space, and format that - that is a clean
>>> install.

 

[TOM]

relic wrote:
>
> "LSMFT" <boleyn7@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:mrUon.27362$ao7.11589@newsfe21.iad...
>> On 03/19/2010 079 PM, LD55ZRA wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> LSMFT wrote:
>>>>
>>>> How long do I need to keep this directory which was made after
>>>> upgrading
>>>> Vista to Windows 7.
>>>>
>>>
>>> As long as you want to keep it. There is no specific requirement for
>>> it. It is there to enable you to revert back to Vista if you decide
>>> Win7 isn't your type! I did a clean install so don't have this folder
>>> on my system.
>>>
>>> hth
>>
>> I did a clean install also changing from 32 bit Vista to 64 bit WIndows
>> 7 and it made Windows.old.
>
> What do you (and Trev) think a "Clean" install is?
>
> Had you, there's no way you'd have the Windows.Old folder.

I formatted my hard drive after copying files to another HD. I then
installed Win 7 Home Premium 64 Bit OEM. I have Windows.old as well as a
Windows.old.000 on C: drive.

Windows.old and Windows.old.000 have the following folders:

Perflogs
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
ProgramData
Users
Windows

The date and time modified is identical for both folders

Identical folders also reside om the Win7 folder but dates differ from
the dates of the above files. The dates of the .old folders reflect the
date I installed Windows 7.

I assume I can now officially be confused... :>))
--
TOM - Vista, CA - USA

 

[Jack]

"TOM" <tom@catz.org> wrote in message
newsHwpn.52622$2r7.27729@newsfe05.iad...
> relic wrote:
>>
>> "LSMFT" <boleyn7@aol.com> wrote in message
>> news:mrUon.27362$ao7.11589@newsfe21.iad...
>>> On 03/19/2010 079 PM, LD55ZRA wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> LSMFT wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> How long do I need to keep this directory which was made after
>>>>> upgrading
>>>>> Vista to Windows 7.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> As long as you want to keep it. There is no specific requirement for
>>>> it. It is there to enable you to revert back to Vista if you decide
>>>> Win7 isn't your type! I did a clean install so don't have this
>>>> folder
>>>> on my system.
>>>>
>>>> hth
>>>
>>> I did a clean install also changing from 32 bit Vista to 64 bit WIndows
>>> 7 and it made Windows.old.
>>
>> What do you (and Trev) think a "Clean" install is?
>>
>> Had you, there's no way you'd have the Windows.Old folder.
>
> I formatted my hard drive after copying files to another HD. I then
> installed Win 7 Home Premium 64 Bit OEM. I have Windows.old as well as a
> Windows.old.000 on C: drive.
>
> Windows.old and Windows.old.000 have the following folders:
>
> Perflogs
> Program Files
> Program Files (x86)
> ProgramData
> Users
> Windows
>
> The date and time modified is identical for both folders
>
> Identical folders also reside om the Win7 folder but dates differ from the
> dates of the above files. The dates of the .old folders reflect the date I
> installed Windows 7.
>
> I assume I can now officially be confused... :>))

The <tongue-in-cheek> 'Format' in Windows 7, isn't.

 

[nooneyouknow]

"Jack" <nospam@invalid.not> wrote in message
news:Xuypn.102533$1n5.63000@newsfe04.iad...
>
> "TOM" <tom@catz.org> wrote in message
> newsHwpn.52622$2r7.27729@newsfe05.iad...
>> relic wrote:
>>>
>>> "LSMFT" <boleyn7@aol.com> wrote in message
>>> news:mrUon.27362$ao7.11589@newsfe21.iad...
>>>> On 03/19/2010 079 PM, LD55ZRA wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> LSMFT wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> How long do I need to keep this directory which was made after
>>>>>> upgrading
>>>>>> Vista to Windows 7.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> As long as you want to keep it. There is no specific requirement for
>>>>> it. It is there to enable you to revert back to Vista if you decide
>>>>> Win7 isn't your type! I did a clean install so don't have this
>>>>> folder
>>>>> on my system.
>>>>>
>>>>> hth
>>>>
>>>> I did a clean install also changing from 32 bit Vista to 64 bit WIndows
>>>> 7 and it made Windows.old.
>>>
>>> What do you (and Trev) think a "Clean" install is?
>>>
>>> Had you, there's no way you'd have the Windows.Old folder.
>>
>> I formatted my hard drive after copying files to another HD. I then
>> installed Win 7 Home Premium 64 Bit OEM. I have Windows.old as well as a
>> Windows.old.000 on C: drive.
>>
>> Windows.old and Windows.old.000 have the following folders:
>>
>> Perflogs
>> Program Files
>> Program Files (x86)
>> ProgramData
>> Users
>> Windows
>>
>> The date and time modified is identical for both folders
>>
>> Identical folders also reside om the Win7 folder but dates differ from
>> the dates of the above files. The dates of the .old folders reflect the
>> date I installed Windows 7.
>>
>> I assume I can now officially be confused... :>))
>
> The <tongue-in-cheek> 'Format' in Windows 7, isn't.

Delete the Partition and make a new one.

 

[Spanky de Monkey, ESQ]

"LD55ZRA" <LD55ZRA@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:ho3dja$u19$1@speranza.aioe.org...
>
> "nooneyouknow" <nooneyouknow@spam.invalid> wrote in message
> news:4ba4f0bd$0$9190$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
>
>> One only needs to look at your posting history.
>
>
> Not as good idea because through history mankind haven't learnt anything
> otherwise we would all stop fighting and instead work cooperatively to
> improve our lifestyles.
>
> The amount of money spent bombing Iraq and Afghanistan would have been
> more than sufficient to feed the needy -- this assumes everybody is
> serious about this issue and genuinely wants to help the poor people on
> this planet!.
>
> hth
>
>

Instead of bombing they should drop Ubuntu CD's. People will be so busy
trying to figure out that piece of shit OS, they won't have time to kill
others.

 

[Spanky de Monkey, ESQ]

"Dave" <dont@bother.com> wrote in message
news:RtCdnfg2mOOmlDjWnZ2dnUVZ8ridnZ2d@bt.com...
> Trev wrote:
>> "relic" <relic211@cjb.net> wrote in message
>> newsjtrjk.3i8.17.1@news.alt.net...
>>>
>>> "LSMFT" <boleyn7@aol.com> wrote in message
>>> news:mrUon.27362$ao7.11589@newsfe21.iad...
>>>> On 03/19/2010 079 PM, LD55ZRA wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> LSMFT wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> How long do I need to keep this directory which was made after
>>>>>> upgrading
>>>>>> Vista to Windows 7.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> As long as you want to keep it. There is no specific requirement
>>>>> for it. It is there to enable you to revert back to Vista if you
>>>>> decide Win7 isn't your type! I did a clean install so don't
>>>>> have this folder on my system.
>>>>>
>>>>> hth
>>>>
>>>> I did a clean install also changing from 32 bit Vista to 64 bit
>>>> WIndows 7 and it made Windows.old.
>>>
>>> What do you (and Trev) think a "Clean" install is?
>>>
>>> Had you, there's no way you'd have the Windows.Old folder.
>>
>> I let winds disc format my C drive and install Win 7 on it Part of
>> that process is to create a Windows old folder if it find a Previous OS
>> on the drive.
>
> But that's the point - if it was a clean install it would not find a
> previous OS and so would not create a windows.old folder.
>
> When you go to the shop to buy a brand-new hard drive, you can't put it in
> the computer and expect to start using it straight away because it won't
> work. It has to be prepared first and that is done by formatting (and if
> you so wish, partitioning) it. In effect what you're doing is laying out a
> structure to it, telling it that this area here can be used for this, that
> area over there can be used for that, etc., etc.
>
> In order to keep track of what's going where, a table is created. Think of
> it like the table of contents of a book - the list tells you something
> like: Chapter 6, The songs of Led Zeppelin, Page 58, so you know that if
> you turn to page 58 you'll find the songs of Led Zeppelin. If a previously
> used hard drive (or partition) is formatted, what you're effectively doing
> is removing the table of contents - the data (the songs of Led Zeppelin)
> is still there but you don't know where it is and you don't know where to
> look for it so you can't find it. Or to put it in the context of this
> topic, your new OS would not see the old OS and therefore would not create
> a windows.old folder.
>
> Personally, I would delete the partition, create a new partition in the
> now unpartitioned space, and format that - that is a clean install.
>
There must be something wrong with your format program. I have Led Zeppelin
in Chapter 4.

 

[john_thomas]

"Spanky de Monkey, ESQ" <spanky@deMonkey.gov> wrote in message
news:4ba78fa1@news.x-privat.org...
>
>
> "LD55ZRA" <LD55ZRA@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:ho3dja$u19$1@speranza.aioe.org...
>>
>> "nooneyouknow" <nooneyouknow@spam.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:4ba4f0bd$0$9190$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
>>
>>> One only needs to look at your posting history.
>>
>>
>> Not as good idea because through history mankind haven't learnt anything
>> otherwise we would all stop fighting and instead work cooperatively to
>> improve our lifestyles.
>>
>> The amount of money spent bombing Iraq and Afghanistan would have been
>> more than sufficient to feed the needy -- this assumes everybody is
>> serious about this issue and genuinely wants to help the poor people on
>> this planet!.
>>
>> hth
>>
>>
>
> Instead of bombing they should drop Ubuntu CD's. People will be so busy
> trying to figure out that piece of shit OS, they won't have time to kill
> others.
>
>
>

PLONK

 

[Walter Goldschmidt]

I installed a new hard drive and I don't remember having to partitioning it
and I always thought formatting it was a clean install. I know when I
occasionally pick up a virus when I format and re-install OS it gets rid of
the virus.

Walt

"Conor" <conor@gmx.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ho2hr0$sem$3@news.eternal-september.org...
> On 19/03/2010 23:21, LSMFT wrote:
>> How long do I need to keep this directory which was made after upgrading
>> Vista to Windows 7.
>>
>
> As long or as little as you want to.
>
> --
> Conor
> I'm not prejudiced. I hate everyone equally.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Walt.

> I installed a new hard drive and I don't remember having to partitioning
> it

Then someone must have pre-partitioned it - or your memory is about as bad
as mine. As I said, we never format "a drive", if we are defining a drive
as the physical disk. We create and format a partition on the physical
drive, even if there is only a single partition covering the entire disk.
And Windows can't really use the hard drive at all until it has been
partitioned and formatted - either by us or by someone else before we got
the disk.

> and I always thought formatting it was a clean install.

No. A "clean install" typically follows a format or reformat of the
partition, but not necessarily. Formatting is not always followed by
installation of an operating system on that partition. Many of us use one
or more partitions as "data drives", with no OS installed there. But, even
if there is no OS on them, these partitions must be formatted before we can
store data there.

> I know when I occasionally pick up a virus when I format and re-install OS
> it gets rid of the virus.

How do you "occasionally pick up a virus"?! I've been computing over 30
years and never have "picked up a virus". You must not be "practicing safe
hex". :^{ But, yes, a reformat will wipe out most viruses; even without a
re-format, a re-installation of Windows will eliminate some of them. Since
I've never had experience with a virus, I'll let others handle any details
you might need on this subject.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64

"Walter Goldschmidt" <wgold@woh.rr.com> wrote in message
news:hoj5fu$32o$1@news.eternal-september.org...
> I installed a new hard drive and I don't remember having to partitioning
> it and I always thought formatting it was a clean install. I know when I
> occasionally pick up a virus when I format and re-install OS it gets rid
> of the virus.
>
> Walt
>
> "Conor" <conor@gmx.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:ho2hr0$sem$3@news.eternal-september.org...
>> On 19/03/2010 23:21, LSMFT wrote:
>>> How long do I need to keep this directory which was made after upgrading
>>> Vista to Windows 7.
>>>
>>
>> As long or as little as you want to.
>>
>> --
>> Conor

 

[Seth]

"R. C. White" <rc@grandecom.net> wrote in message
news9idndPz1aFyGTDWnZ2dnUVZ_gOdnZ2d@posted.grandecom...
> Hi, Walt.
>
>> I installed a new hard drive and I don't remember having to partitioning
>> it
>
> Then someone must have pre-partitioned it - or your memory is about as bad
> as mine. As I said, we never format "a drive", if we are defining a drive
> as the physical disk. We create and format a partition on the physical
> drive, even if there is only a single partition covering the entire disk.
> And Windows can't really use the hard drive at all until it has been
> partitioned and formatted - either by us or by someone else before we got
> the disk.

Well, Panther (the Windows installer for Vista, Win7, 2008 and 2008R2) will
allow you to select an unpartitioned hard drive as the destination and it
will automagically do the partitioning and formatting without the user
knowing.

 

[chrisv]

"Seth" <seth_lermanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:hok14q$669$1@news.eternal-september.org...
> "R. C. White" <rc@grandecom.net> wrote in message
> news9idndPz1aFyGTDWnZ2dnUVZ_gOdnZ2d@posted.grandecom...
>> Hi, Walt.
>>
>>> I installed a new hard drive and I don't remember having to partitioning
>>> it
>>
>> Then someone must have pre-partitioned it - or your memory is about as
>> bad as mine. As I said, we never format "a drive", if we are defining a
>> drive as the physical disk. We create and format a partition on the
>> physical drive, even if there is only a single partition covering the
>> entire disk. And Windows can't really use the hard drive at all until it
>> has been partitioned and formatted - either by us or by someone else
>> before we got the disk.
>
> Well, Panther (the Windows installer for Vista, Win7, 2008 and 2008R2)
> will allow you to select an unpartitioned hard drive as the destination
> and it will automagically do the partitioning and formatting without the
> user knowing.
>

But if it has been formatted previously, it doesn't really do it even if you
select to format the drive during installation.

 

[Seth]

"chrisv" <chrisv@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:holahc$eq8$1@tornado.tornevall.net...
>
> "Seth" <seth_lermanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:hok14q$669$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> "R. C. White" <rc@grandecom.net> wrote in message
>> news9idndPz1aFyGTDWnZ2dnUVZ_gOdnZ2d@posted.grandecom...
>>> Hi, Walt.
>>>
>>>> I installed a new hard drive and I don't remember having to
>>>> partitioning it
>>>
>>> Then someone must have pre-partitioned it - or your memory is about as
>>> bad as mine. As I said, we never format "a drive", if we are defining a
>>> drive as the physical disk. We create and format a partition on the
>>> physical drive, even if there is only a single partition covering the
>>> entire disk. And Windows can't really use the hard drive at all until it
>>> has been partitioned and formatted - either by us or by someone else
>>> before we got the disk.
>>
>> Well, Panther (the Windows installer for Vista, Win7, 2008 and 2008R2)
>> will allow you to select an unpartitioned hard drive as the destination
>> and it will automagically do the partitioning and formatting without the
>> user knowing.
>
> But if it has been formatted previously, it doesn't really do it even if
> you select to format the drive during installation.


It won't do it automatically, but it will still do it if you explicitly tell
it to (by hitting advanced options, click on the partition and hit format).

 

[Jack]

"Seth" <seth_lermanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:holc4d$b9c$1@news.eternal-september.org...
> "chrisv" <chrisv@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
> news:holahc$eq8$1@tornado.tornevall.net...
>>
>> "Seth" <seth_lermanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:hok14q$669$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>>> "R. C. White" <rc@grandecom.net> wrote in message
>>> news9idndPz1aFyGTDWnZ2dnUVZ_gOdnZ2d@posted.grandecom...
>>>> Hi, Walt.
>>>>
>>>>> I installed a new hard drive and I don't remember having to
>>>>> partitioning it
>>>>
>>>> Then someone must have pre-partitioned it - or your memory is about as
>>>> bad as mine. As I said, we never format "a drive", if we are defining
>>>> a drive as the physical disk. We create and format a partition on the
>>>> physical drive, even if there is only a single partition covering the
>>>> entire disk. And Windows can't really use the hard drive at all until
>>>> it has been partitioned and formatted - either by us or by someone else
>>>> before we got the disk.
>>>
>>> Well, Panther (the Windows installer for Vista, Win7, 2008 and 2008R2)
>>> will allow you to select an unpartitioned hard drive as the destination
>>> and it will automagically do the partitioning and formatting without the
>>> user knowing.
>>
>> But if it has been formatted previously, it doesn't really do it even if
>> you select to format the drive during installation.
>
>
> It won't do it automatically, but it will still do it if you explicitly
> tell it to (by hitting advanced options, click on the partition and hit
> format).
>

That appears to only do the "Quick Format"... the old data isn't
overwritten. You need to delete the partition and create a new one to get a
real Format.

 

[Seth]

"Jack" <nospam@invalid.not> wrote in message
newsOqrn.2963$u62.2105@newsfe10.iad...
>
> "Seth" <seth_lermanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:holc4d$b9c$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> "chrisv" <chrisv@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:holahc$eq8$1@tornado.tornevall.net...
>>>
>>> "Seth" <seth_lermanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:hok14q$669$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>>>> "R. C. White" <rc@grandecom.net> wrote in message
>>>> news9idndPz1aFyGTDWnZ2dnUVZ_gOdnZ2d@posted.grandecom...
>>>>> Hi, Walt.
>>>>>
>>>>>> I installed a new hard drive and I don't remember having to
>>>>>> partitioning it
>>>>>
>>>>> Then someone must have pre-partitioned it - or your memory is about as
>>>>> bad as mine. As I said, we never format "a drive", if we are defining
>>>>> a drive as the physical disk. We create and format a partition on the
>>>>> physical drive, even if there is only a single partition covering the
>>>>> entire disk. And Windows can't really use the hard drive at all until
>>>>> it has been partitioned and formatted - either by us or by someone
>>>>> else before we got the disk.
>>>>
>>>> Well, Panther (the Windows installer for Vista, Win7, 2008 and 2008R2)
>>>> will allow you to select an unpartitioned hard drive as the destination
>>>> and it will automagically do the partitioning and formatting without
>>>> the user knowing.
>>>
>>> But if it has been formatted previously, it doesn't really do it even if
>>> you select to format the drive during installation.
>>
>> It won't do it automatically, but it will still do it if you explicitly
>> tell it to (by hitting advanced options, click on the partition and hit
>> format).
>
> That appears to only do the "Quick Format"... the old data isn't
> overwritten. You need to delete the partition and create a new one to get
> a real Format.


Even then, if using the utilities built into the Panther GUI, even on a
delete partition and recreate it will be a "quick format". You have to drop
out to a prompt (or use a 3rd party disk) to get a "real format".

 

[johnbee]

< "R. C. White" <rc@grandecom.net> wrote in message
news9idndPz1aFyGTDWnZ2dnUVZ_gOdnZ2d@posted.grandecom...


How do you "occasionally pick up a virus"?! I've been computing over 30
years >

If you have been involved in computing for 30 years and you do not know how
viruses
get onto a PC, then you have not tried very hard. In the old days I think
the most common
viruses relied on people booting their PC with a non-system diskette in the
drive left over
from a previous session. MS-DOS ran whatever program was in the boot
sector of a diskette
in the A drive. Usually of course that program printed 'Non-System Disk' or
some such
thing, I can't remember the details - and my PC now has no floppy drive due
to a mistake I made
when ordering it. I am fairly sure that PCs with floppy drives will still
fail to go if a floppy disk
is in the drive when they switch on. My guess is that many people would be
mystified if it
happened and people would tell them they have a virus.

Since then of course programmers have invented all sorts of methods of
getting their
programs to spread for fun. I have had two, one at work called Form which
was in most
PCs in our part of the organisation - it was discovered by me when I looked
at a new virus
protection program prior to installing it on all PCs. For a reason I do
not fully understand
it would not 'infect' one of my PCs but did the other when I tried it. I
took it home and
it worked on my home PC. The other one was named Vundo and was received
much more
recently and which caused a lot of popup ads when browsing. Windows and my
cheapo
virus protection failed to detect it and to remove it when I found out what
it was and I had a
good go at removing it according to instructions on web sites. It was a
little monkey
though and I had to download a program from Symantec to get rid of it. That
one was
a trojan in an 'alternative' web site for downloading free software demos.
Obviously my anti-virus thing bought since then reports 'viruses' weekly in
order
to show what a good job it is doing.
It is not necessary ever to reformat and reinstall an operating system to
get rid of a virus,
although of course it is the first thing suggested by people who are not
very expert. Get decent
virus software which you pay for, register it and join the web site, and if
you get a nasty virus
(which you won't if you follow the software's advice) search the web site
for a solution.
The last resort is not to start from scratch. If you are a home user the
last resort is to get a virus
expert from the web site to remove the thing by remotely controlling your
PC - but that will
never be necessary if you have decent registered software and are a web site
member.

Obviously, do not be too nervous about getting a virus - getting rid of it
sensibly is
part of the learning process and is pretty simple. There is more mystical
rubbish and nonsensical
ignorant advice about the subject than anything except miracles.

Finally I realise of course that your question was a rhetorical device - I
just noticed it while
having my dinner cooked and filled in the wait with this.

 

[LD55ZRA]

"johnbee" <johnbrockbank@virginmedia.com> wrote in message
news:holplg$es6$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>
> thing, I can't remember the details - and my PC now has no floppy drive
> due to a mistake I made
> when ordering it. I am fairly sure that PCs with floppy drives will still
> fail to go if a floppy disk

With Windows system a user can set in the bios how windows boots up and the
order of booting. Normally it is HD, CD, Floppy, Other devices etc. but
this can be changed as sometimes you want your system to boot up from a CD
so that you can perform a clean install or boot up from a network so that
you can download the image of the system to avoid viruses planted on the
system by students and other malicious users.

 

[Star@*.*]

On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:43:01 -0700, "Spanky de Monkey, ESQ"
<spanky@deMonkey.gov> wrote:

>
>
>"Dave" <dont@bother.com> wrote in message
>news:RtCdnfg2mOOmlDjWnZ2dnUVZ8ridnZ2d@bt.com...
>> Trev wrote:
>>> "relic" <relic211@cjb.net> wrote in message
>>> newsjtrjk.3i8.17.1@news.alt.net...
>>>>
>>>> "LSMFT" <boleyn7@aol.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:mrUon.27362$ao7.11589@newsfe21.iad...
>>>>> On 03/19/2010 079 PM, LD55ZRA wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> LSMFT wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> How long do I need to keep this directory which was made after
>>>>>>> upgrading
>>>>>>> Vista to Windows 7.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> As long as you want to keep it. There is no specific requirement
>>>>>> for it. It is there to enable you to revert back to Vista if you
>>>>>> decide Win7 isn't your type! I did a clean install so don't
>>>>>> have this folder on my system.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> hth
>>>>>
>>>>> I did a clean install also changing from 32 bit Vista to 64 bit
>>>>> WIndows 7 and it made Windows.old.
>>>>
>>>> What do you (and Trev) think a "Clean" install is?
>>>>
>>>> Had you, there's no way you'd have the Windows.Old folder.
>>>
>>> I let winds disc format my C drive and install Win 7 on it Part of
>>> that process is to create a Windows old folder if it find a Previous OS
>>> on the drive.
>>
>> But that's the point - if it was a clean install it would not find a
>> previous OS and so would not create a windows.old folder.
>>
>> When you go to the shop to buy a brand-new hard drive, you can't put it in
>> the computer and expect to start using it straight away because it won't
>> work. It has to be prepared first and that is done by formatting (and if
>> you so wish, partitioning) it. In effect what you're doing is laying out a
>> structure to it, telling it that this area here can be used for this, that
>> area over there can be used for that, etc., etc.
>>
>> In order to keep track of what's going where, a table is created. Think of
>> it like the table of contents of a book - the list tells you something
>> like: Chapter 6, The songs of Led Zeppelin, Page 58, so you know that if
>> you turn to page 58 you'll find the songs of Led Zeppelin. If a previously
>> used hard drive (or partition) is formatted, what you're effectively doing
>> is removing the table of contents - the data (the songs of Led Zeppelin)
>> is still there but you don't know where it is and you don't know where to
>> look for it so you can't find it. Or to put it in the context of this
>> topic, your new OS would not see the old OS and therefore would not create
>> a windows.old folder.
>>
>> Personally, I would delete the partition, create a new partition in the
>> now unpartitioned space, and format that - that is a clean install.
>>
>There must be something wrong with your format program. I have Led Zeppelin
>in Chapter 4.
>
>
I think the Windows default is Chapter 4 but if you use a 3rd party
program for the format it may well appear in a different Chapter.

Art

 

[Marty Felker]

On 3/19/2010 7:21 PM, LSMFT wrote:
> How long do I need to keep this directory which was made after upgrading
> Vista to Windows 7.
>
>
>
>
>
You can (and probably should) remove it when you are ssure you've gotten
all your data files lmoved to Windows. It can take up a lot of useless
- any programs would run. I don't believe you can revert to Vista but
even if you why on earth would you??

mf