Can I install windows 7 over existing data?

[am10159]

I have a 1TB drive I want to install windows on. There is no existing windows installation on the drive, only music, movies, and other files and documents. Is it OK to install windows without formatting this drive? I don't have anything to back up all they data.

 

[rocknrollz]

Yes I believe so. Right click your My Computer. Go to manage, then go to Disk management. Then select the disk you are talking about. Partition a set amount of space you want to use for the OS/stuff for the OS. (If it is 1TB I recommend at least 500GB, 750 if you game.

Then when installing Win7 it will ask where to install it to, select the partition you made. (I would name it Win7 Partition for recognition.

 

[am10159]

Don't you need to format to separate the space into partitions? since the data already exists on a partition, even if it is the only one on the drive, I don't think I can separate it

 

[rocknrollz]

You can partition a drive without wiping the data on it.

 

[am10159]

Best answer selected by am10159.