xps m1530: Windows 7 Install issue [HARD DRIVE]

RESOLVED: I am on Windows 7 on my Dell XPS M1530 typing this resolved message!

GAH i AM BACK!
lol

So here is the issue. I am installing Windows 7 and i have hit an error

Umm I was wondering if I can delete the "Recovery Partition" or will that totally flip out my Windows Vista? Will it Void Warrenty?

I shrunk the OS Partition to 234GB so i got 50.8GB unallocated, and it wont let me install windows 7 on the unallocated.

 

Yes you can delete the recovery partition, just to let you know in advance, you will not be able to restore to factory condition without the recovery partition, though you can make backup discs which would give the same effect. Just to let you know the reason why you got that error.....

Any hard drive supports up to 5 primary partitions and a limitless number of logical partitions.

So.... most likely the partitions on your hard drive has hit the 5 primary partition cap. Shrinking the partitions do not matter as it is the number of partitions that do.

Hope that helps!

 

Wait so if I delete the Recovery Partition. i can not restore my laptop to a factory defult. But woulding reinstalling Windows Vista and using the Drivers CD restore it?

 

You are correct, you cannot restore your laptop to a factory default if you delete your recovery partition UNLESS you make backup discs or made backup discs beforehand when you first got your Dell, or System Restore back that far if you can.

Reinstalling Windows Vista and Using the Drivers CD will NOT restore it to factory condition as it won't be the same as it was out of the factory. This is actually not a bad thing as remember Dell includes bloatware like MS Office 2007 trials and a few other software on your computer that you typically won't use. (Which is why some people like reformatting right when they get their computer in the first place.)

The recovery partition was created by Dell in the factory while making your PC. It is not backed up on a CD or anything. Most people don't care anyway, unless you wanted to sell your laptop at some point with all the factory default. Though you could just reformat and install with Vista and Drivers disc to make it a clean slate without bloatware anyways.

 

ok... heh..the only bloatware on mine was Mcafee Security (I replaced it with NOD32)
How do i backup the Recovery Partition? it doesnt fit on a DVD-R Disk

 

Actually Office 2007 trial is on there too, just its not installed.
Like I said, there is bloat there, except its just hiding within a few folders and some is obscurely named so you can't tell. XD


You can't actually backup the Recovery Partition as it was made to be a hidden partition. Even if you did find a way to back up the recovery partition it would be messed up to restore it as it would corrupt or mess up your existing filesystem.

The only backup you can make, is to make a clone of your hard drive. Though that technically defeats the purpose since the recovery partition will only be useful on the original drive that it is on, and you can't just use the recovery parititon on a different drive for another drive, it doesn't work that way.

So if you REALLY want the recovery partition, just make a clone of your hard drive with Acronis, but its really really pointless as you can't use it since you cannot backup individual partitions.

 

Wow lol that just confused the hell out of me xD
so you are saying i cant back it up?
Also we put "No Productivity Suit" when we ordered it XD
then I installed my copy of Winodws 2007 Office

 

Yes, you can't back up JUST the recovery partition. You can only back up the ENTIRE DRIVE by making a CLONE of it, but it will not do you any good.

You shouldnt worry much about the recovery partition it really isn't that big of a deal. You won't miss it. I didn't.

 

wait what? before partitioning for windows 7, i created an image of the recovery drive with Acronis True Image, and now you're saying i can't restore it?

 

What the OP wants to do, is to backup the recovery partition, delete it, then install Windows 7, and later on if he encounters problems, load the recovery partition back onto the hard drive from a backup somewhere and use it to restore his M1530 to factory state. It does not work that way.

You can only backup the entire drive. Restore to factory state with recovery partition thats on that entirely backed up drive, but you cannot simply copy the recovery partition from that entirely backed up drive onto your other hard drive where you have windows 7 installed just because you want to use it to recover. The only way to use the recovery partition in this case would be to reimage the entire hard drive with the Windows 7 installation, then use Dells Recovery partition.

You'd have to restore the entire drive over.

The recovery partition is basically a ghost/ghost-like image of the hard disk that you can't just simply grab and burn onto a disc.

 

Well I decided i didnt need the "Dell Media Direct" partition. so I deleted. and then i installed windows 7, and then testing Vista. Both work Flawlessly.
Thanks for your help

I left the Recovery Partition Alone.

 

I have a problem. I used GParted and created a new partition, out of my OS partition, shrinking my Vista OS partition down to 130 gigs and using the 30 remaining gigs as my 4th partition to install windows 7 (I opted for the 7200rpm drive with a little less space).

So I went to install windows 7 and realised I can only have 4 partitions, and I deleted the Media Direct partition in the windows 7 options. I went to install it, and it extracted correctly, and went to reboot. However, upon rebooting, it sticks at the "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD....". If I press a key it does the windows 7 install over again, if I don't press a key it stays at that screen forever. I tried re-doing the pre-install part again but it got stuck upon the first reboot, again.

So I took the win7 dvd out and rebooted, only to find that immediately after the BIOS load screen there is a blinking underscore _ and nothing more. Nothing happens. I get no loader, and It's stuck. I boot up GParted to check what's still there, and I still have my OS there, my RECOVERY partition, my newer windows 7 partition. I wiped the new windows 7 partition, incase that was introducing the problem, rebooted with no CD/DVD and was still greeted with the blinking underscore that takes me nowhere.

I'm currently installing ubuntu 9.04 on the win7 space to hopefully get a working loader, but I'm not sure if this is the problem. Have any other XPS M1530 people who tried dual-booting Vista and 7 had problems?

 

Did it mess up your boot record at all? I want to dualboot Vista and Windows 7 as well and like you, I had the 4 primary partitions problem..now I don't know if I can/should delete the Media Direct partition.

 

please someone ?