Upgrading to Win 7

[Phage]

Have backed up all the files etc but when I went to the command prompt it won't let me format c:
Says I need elevated permissions, but I am the administrator account !

How do I format c: before W7 install ?

[toolsong]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like your trying to format the C: drive from the Windows installation that is runnng on that C: drive.

If you want to do a clean install, boot from the DVD and you'll be able to select and format an existing partition when you choose where to install.

[Phage]

I booted from the Vista DVD and told it to format c:
Nothing seemed to happen.
On restart howvere, it now says bootmgr is missing. So did the format work ?
surely takes time to format c:

[Phage]

booting from W7 dvd now

[Phage]

format was a y/n choice and took ~5sec ?
Bonkers. What am I missing ?

[handscombmp]

Sound like mine.

It installed ok when i did it.

[toolsong]

format was a y/n choice and took ~5sec ?
Bonkers. What am I missing ?

5 seconds is fine for a quick format

[Phage]

Well thanks to all.
It had no probs at all and there is no sign of the Windows.old directory so seems to be OK. I assume that when they say format, they just mean delete bootmgr.
My problem was that I was expecting a 2-hour marathon of formatting not a 5sec operation.

I can recommend that www.ninite.com btw. I am too paranoid to let it load my secutity apps, (not that there's anything to steal) but it was excellent at all the other bits and pieces. Set and forget. Now I just have to re-load all the non-steam games, etc.

[nightkhaos]

Well thanks to all.
It had no probs at all and there is no sign of the Windows.old directory so seems to be OK. I assume that when they say format, they just mean delete bootmgr.
My problem was that I was expecting a 2-hour marathon of formatting not a 5sec operation.

Formatting now is really efficent. It used to be that QuickFormat would cause problems in FAT systems because all the old pointers might be read by an overzealous implementation of the FAT standard, so it would have to go and zero out all the pointers "just to be on the safe side" which would be your "2-hour marathon". With NTFS this problem doesn't happen anymore, so all the computer has to do is write the filesystem information, start the journal and you're away, a process that takes, as you said, 5 seconds.

[Phage]

Showing my age then...<sigh>

[vti_786]

so i won't have any problems with doing a quick format if ntfs is used?

Formatting now is really efficent. It used to be that QuickFormat would cause problems in FAT systems because all the old pointers might be read by an overzealous implementation of the FAT standard, so it would have to go and zero out all the pointers "just to be on the safe side" which would be your "2-hour marathon". With NTFS this problem doesn't happen anymore, so all the computer has to do is write the filesystem information, start the journal and you're away, a process that takes, as you said, 5 seconds.

[nightkhaos]

so i won't have any problems with doing a quick format if ntfs is used?

They are unlikely. But a corrupt filesystem may require a clean format, just to be on the safe side.

There is also the point about recoverable data, and that you may want to zero out your drives, but that is being paranoid, and only applies to reselling them.