Need help formatting HDD with no OS

DarkFlare69

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I bought a pc with no OS and need to install Windows right the fuck now, it's on my USB drive. I have no OS. Booting from USB and then formatting doesn't work.
 

GamerzHell9137

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There's no need for OS. Go into BIOS and set USB as the first boot sequence.
Get into Windows setup and format while installing it.
 

migles

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can you burn a DVD and put that dvd on the computer?

an alternative is to create a linux live cd like ubuntu and temporary install it...\format and check your hdd

what specs is your pc?

not having a OS doesn't mean anything.. everything is handled by the bios.. but in case your motherboard doesn't like to boot from a usb stick.. or its not propertly on the usb pen.. then you should use the dvd...

maybe try to update your bios...
 

migles

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I did that. When I boot it, it won't let me install windows onto a GPT formatted disc.
boot linux live cd, like ubuntu, and use gparted to install mbr to that hdd

or try to find the hdd detection settings on the bios and change how its handled
 

migles

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I don't have linux cd.
you can install it to your usb drive
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/
you can have a multiboot pen with both windows and linux so you can boot linux (dont need to install it)
and then install windows after...

if that tool doesn't work i can give you countless others to make a linux pen drive
if you need help on what to do you can ask me, for now download the ubuntu iso, and "inject" it to the usb drive

when you boot it select "live" it will run linux without installing, pretty sweet and cool for in case windows decides to break or don't boot and you need to recover files or diagnose

edit, the program will give you direct links for download the .iso if you don't have it yet
since linux is open source and free there is no issue with that
 

DarkFlare69

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you can install it to your usb drive
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/
you can have a multiboot pen with both windows and linux so you can boot linux (dont need to install it)
and then install windows after...

if that tool doesn't work i can give you countless others to make a linux pen drive
if you need help on what to do you can ask me, for now download the ubuntu iso, and "inject" it to the usb drive

when you boot it select "live" it will run linux without installing, pretty sweet and cool for in case windows decides to break or don't boot and you need to recover files or diagnose
Fuck, this is gonna take forever.
 

migles

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Fuck, this is gonna take forever.
you can also burn it to a dvd and now you will have a linux cd

i think there is a way to fix that problem through windows command prompt on the instalation thing
you will have to select repair computer, open command prompt, use diskpart and i can't give you exactly instructions, but if you are familiar with a command prompt you can try it...
but everything will be done through command prompt...
 

DarkFlare69

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you can also burn it to a dvd and now you will have a linux cd

i think there is a way to fix that problem through windows command prompt on the instalation thing
you will have to select repair computer, open command prompt, use diskpart and i can't give you exactly instructions, but if you are familiar with a command prompt you can try it...
but everything will be done through command prompt...
It says repair computer isn't compatible with my god damn pc
 

migles

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It says repair computer isn't compatible with my god damn pc
then ubuntu or other linux is your friend
when you get it to desktop search for Gparted, probably you will have to install it but linux has a "store" that does it automatically, just search on the store, install it, run it and install MBR on the hard drive

other option is take out the hard drive, and plug to another pc, if you have an external drive you can take apart, you could temporary swap the 2 hard drives (just be carefull) then use it as an adaptor, or put it internally on another pc to format it
 

DarkFlare69

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then ubuntu or other linux is your friend
when you get it to desktop search for Gparted, probably you will have to install it but linux has a "store" that does it automatically, just search on the store, install it, run it and install MBR on the hard drive

other option is take out the hard drive, and plug to another pc, if you have an external drive you can take apart, you could temporary swap the 2 hard drives (just be carefull) then use it as an adaptor, or put it internally on another pc to format it
I'm downloading ubuntu and then I'll put it on my usb. After i format it to NTFS using Gparted, i can just boot from my windows USB and then it will let bec ause its NTFS?
 

migles

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I'm downloading ubuntu and then I'll put it on my usb. After i format it to NTFS using Gparted, i can just boot from my windows USB and then it will let bec ause its NTFS?

after using ubuntu to install MBR on the hard drive (optionally format to NTFS)
you can boot windows on your usb and install it as normal\usual like you would do with a DVD or CD

gpt is another protocol that deals with partitions.. i don't know why windows doesn't let you install MBR (the default partition table format) to that HDD... but i had weirder issues trying to install windows on a computer..
 

DarkFlare69

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after using ubuntu to install MBR on the hard drive (optionally format to NTFS)
you can boot windows on your usb and install it as normal\usual like you would do with a DVD or CD

gpt is another protocol that deals with partitions.. i don't know why windows doesn't let you install MBR (the default partition table format) to that HDD... but i had weirder issues trying to install windows on a computer..
So:
1. Download Ubuntu
2. Put Ubuntu on USB
3. Plug USB into PC and start ubuntu from the USB
4. Download Gparted
5. Use Gparted to change the HDD to NTFS
6. Install Windows from USB
 

migles

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So:
1. Download Ubuntu
2. Put Ubuntu on USB
3. Plug USB into PC and start ubuntu from the USB
4. Download Gparted
5. Use Gparted to change the HDD to MBR and then format it to NTFS
6. Install Windows from USB


give me a moment i can provide you a picture for reference
 

migles

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linux doesn't work with drive letters, on the top right side, you can select the drive, select your hdd, you should recognize it from the size

to change the partition table, open the device tab on top menu then select "create a partition table"

in this picture example
/dev/sdb is my pen drive, as you can see its 7GB
(i made it smaller because this pen is dying\broken and attempting to write on a certain area at the end corrupts the files and gparted is a good tool to make a pen smaller so i could use this pen for not important stuff)

screenshot.png


the partition table you want is MSDOS (don't get scared because it is the father of windows and you think this is old.. its says msdos because windows uses the same partition system as his father)
 
Last edited by migles,

DarkFlare69

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linux doesn't work with drive letters, on the top right side, you can select the drive, select your hdd, you should recognize it from the size

to change the partition table, open the device tab on top menu then select "create a partition table"

in this picture example
/dev/sdb is my pen drive, as you can see its 7GB
(i made it smaller because this pen is dying\broken and attempting to write on a certain area at the end corrupts the files and gparted is a good tool to make a pen smaller so i could use this pen for not important stuff)

View attachment 21644

the partition table you want is MSDOS (don't get scared because it is the father of windows and you think this is old.. its says msdos because windows uses the same partition system as his father)
my hdd is 1tb, so mine would say 1024 (around there) instead of 7.02?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

my hdd is 1tb, so mine would say 1024 (around there) instead of 7.02?
what the fuck is wrong with fucking ubuntu. i downlaoded it from the website on my other pc and its 1GB. now when i create bootable usb drive its 2.25 fucking mb on formats it.
Capturexx.PNG
 

The Catboy

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I suggest using a Linux liveUSB and using gparted. I've formatted pretty large drives pretty fast using that.
My suggest is either use Unetbootin or imagewrite to create the liveUSB.
 

migles

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my hdd is 1tb, so mine would say 1024 (around there) instead of 7.02?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------


what the fuck is wrong with fucking ubuntu. i downlaoded it from the website on my other pc and its 1GB. now when i create bootable usb drive its 2.25 fucking mb on formats it.
View attachment 21645

that is really weird... what happened?
what you did? it should leave the pen like that :S
 

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