A few questions about wiping/clearing drive for a new OS.

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kaio37k

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K, so this is my situation:
I bought a used computer but kept my old drives, the new computer only had Windows 7 Chinese version installed, but I am not Chinese nor do I speak it. I'm going to install Windows 7 English (doesn't matter what drive) on one of my two old drives but then I'll have 3 Windows drives.
So, the questions below I need to know before I re-install Windows 7.

1. If I install Windows 7 with the original chinese Windows 7 drive in, will it be wiped?
2. If I cannot keep the chinese Windows 7 Drive in while installing the Englsih verison, then will I ever be able to access that drive on this computer without wiping it clean?
3. How do I only remove the OS from the drive?
 
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M
You can't just install a drive, with windows on it from another computer, the drivers are all different, and it won't boot.

If the computers are Identical, it will work.

You just have to look at what you are deleting, just be careful.

There should be no data in the"Windows folder, and a 99% chance there is no data in the "Programs Files" folders
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millwright

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1 only if you install it on the drive with the Chinese version on it.

2 You can keep the Chinese drive in,, just be sure of what drive you are doing the install on.
No mater what you do, as long as you don't tell Windows to install Windows on the Chinese drive you can access the data.

3 If you don't want the Chinese Windows, but want to keep the data, all you have to do is after you get it running on the new English install, go to that Chinese drive, and delete the Windows folder, and leave all the files. very simple.

If, I'm unclear, just ask.
 
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kaio37k

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1. So, will it Completely wipe the drive of all data (if I install English version on Chinese drive?)

3. Only the 'windows' folder?
 
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millwright

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1 Yes, If you do a clean install, Windows, WILL Format first, that wipes everything.

3. I'm sure there are a few more you can delete,
Basically. you can delete anything you don't want.
When you are running on the new install, the Chinese drive is just a simple drive.
You can delete everything, and fill it up again with your backup.
If you are going to delete everything, just format it, in "Computer".
I just noticed "Program Files" isn't in the windows folder.

 
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millwright

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Be careful
Double check!
We have all installed windows on the wrong drive before.

I did it 3 years ago, with a combination, of me Knowing it all, and I have done it a Million timed, and a glitch of my board, not recognizing SATA when an IDE drive was installed (they were the same size) I lost the main drive, and the backup.

Luckily, I had a second backup.
 
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kaio37k

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The reason I ask 3 is because I would like to delete Windows English on an old drive (that won't boot on new computer) to save space but ALL my important programs are on it.
 
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millwright

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You can't just install a drive, with windows on it from another computer, the drivers are all different, and it won't boot.

If the computers are Identical, it will work.

You just have to look at what you are deleting, just be careful.

There should be no data in the"Windows folder, and a 99% chance there is no data in the "Programs Files" folders
 
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