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Can't delete HDD partitions!

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Comments

  • Naf
    Naf Posts: 3,183 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    So I spend an hour reformatting the partition; and at the end it reappears exactly as it was before?!
    Currently trying with EaseUS - first attempt went exactly as above; now trying the 'erase all data' option.
    Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
    - Mark Twain
    Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon: no matter how good you are at chess, its just going to knock over the pieces and strut around like its victorious.
  • Naf
    Naf Posts: 3,183 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    eeyore123 wrote: »
    dban

    issue the "quick" command.

    Ideally I wanted to keep the OEM partition intact in the hope of reinstalling the genuine windows from there instead of a dirty, dirty pirate copy.
    But if this fails, that's looking to be the only option remaining.
    Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
    - Mark Twain
    Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon: no matter how good you are at chess, its just going to knock over the pieces and strut around like its victorious.
  • adouglasmhor
    adouglasmhor Posts: 15,554 Forumite
    Photogenic
    Naf wrote: »
    The first time, yes. The following 6, no.
    Gparted confirmed the operations had been completed. Re-scanned the disk to confirm no partitions remained. Tried to create new partition; got an error, suddenly the original two have reappeared?!

    I had this happen once, I ended up using a linux based UBCD to reformat the the disc then reformatted it again before reinstalling windows on it.
    The truth may be out there, but the lies are inside your head. Terry Pratchett


    http.thisisnotalink.cöm
  • Naf
    Naf Posts: 3,183 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    eeyore123 wrote: »
    :rotfl:wut?

    I wouldn't trust an OEM partition with all the crapware that comes pre-installed with these things. Why not download the ISO of your chosen Windows OS from mydigitalriver? Nice clean copy of Windows from Microsoft themselves. You'll need drivers of course which you can get from the manufactures website.

    Yes, I do this with my own.
    I'm happy enough removing all the crap - its not a big job. But its not my laptop, so not really my call. I'd rather put it back to how they're used to using it.
    Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
    - Mark Twain
    Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon: no matter how good you are at chess, its just going to knock over the pieces and strut around like its victorious.
  • Lum
    Lum Posts: 6,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    It won't be a pirate copy provided the sticker on the laptop is still present and the key is still readable. You already said you have a Win7 install disk so just use that along with the proper key and you're good to go.

    This one is definitely sounding like a nuke it from orbit option. DBAN or some other form of full disk wipe (as mentioned above) and a fresh clean install.

    How do you know the recovery partition isn't infected?
  • Naf
    Naf Posts: 3,183 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Lum wrote: »
    It won't be a pirate copy provided the sticker on the laptop is still present and the key is still readable. You already said you have a Win7 install disk so just use that along with the proper key and you're good to go.

    This one is definitely sounding like a nuke it from orbit option. DBAN or some other form of full disk wipe (as mentioned above) and a fresh clean install.

    How do you know the recovery partition isn't infected?


    Key isn't readable.
    They always seem to put the sticker on the bit of the underside which gets hottest & rubs off. None of mine are still readable either.
    Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
    - Mark Twain
    Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon: no matter how good you are at chess, its just going to knock over the pieces and strut around like its victorious.
  • Mista_C
    Mista_C Posts: 2,202 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    edited 20 June 2013 at 12:04PM
    Have you tried removing the partitions via CLI using DISKPART and "delete partition override" in the same way you would for an OEM partition?

    ETA: Personally I'd blitz the OEM partition and provide them with a bootable restore disc with the freshly reinstalled image on it. That way they reclaim some hard drive real estate and they have the ability to restore without all the usual garbage that comes pre-installed on a new machine.
  • NiftyDigits
    NiftyDigits Posts: 10,459 Forumite
    Full model number?
  • NiftyDigits
    NiftyDigits Posts: 10,459 Forumite
    Naf wrote: »
    Ideally I wanted to keep the OEM partition intact in the hope of reinstalling the genuine windows from there instead of a dirty, dirty pirate copy.
    But if this fails, that's looking to be the only option remaining.

    You can preserve or re-create OEM activation. It is not an issue. No need to contemplate piracy.
  • NiftyDigits
    NiftyDigits Posts: 10,459 Forumite
    Naf wrote: »
    Key isn't readable.
    They always seem to put the sticker on the bit of the underside which gets hottest & rubs off. None of mine are still readable either.

    Again, not an issue as this is not the key used for activation in the first place.
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