ORIGINAL: Terminus
I didn't have to format C:\. The problem was a bad driver, which my old install was unable to repair, so I did a fresh install on the same drive.
Now you lost me a bit... [:D]
What exactly happened?
#1
They sold you new PC (everything new) with Win7 and it didn't work or stopped working when you got home so you yourself installed Win7 again on same partition as they did (and as result you have "windows.old" folder)?
This is done by booting PC with Win7 DVD.
#2
You had old windows installation on HDD and they upgraded your old windows installation to Win7 (i.e. retaining old programs and settings but in new Win7)?
This is done by starting Win7 install within old windows (i.e. from working windows system).
I am now guessing that you had #1.
BTW, I always reformat partition when installing OS from CD/DVD boot (because the old system is irrelevant and clean install on empty partition is reccomended).
Leo "Apollo11"