[SOLVED] I messed it up!!

I have installed Win 7 on my laptop as a 32 bit machine I wanted to make it 64. I am a plonker!!!! I have tried reinstalling win 7 but it seems to have a memory and I do not get back to the 32/64 bit choice screen.
I have fiddled with the laptiop through the command prompt and there is a x: drive that will not allow, itself, to be erased. All want to do to is to clean up the hard drive but it will not even accept an old XP to purge the Win 7.
Anyone got thenkey to this please>
Cheers david
Have erased and recreated then partions but good old Win 7 has a secret one!!

As a last resort, you could download and burn copy of DBAN (Darik's Boot And Nuke) and boot up with that and wipe that drive.

I assume you don't care about anything on that drive because it will be gone

http://www.dban.org/

I would wait a bit for other smart people here to chime in first.

By the way welcome to the forum!

Just to keep you up to date, I have done as you suggested and my LT has not responded. It is an HP PAVILLON CV3. Tried Win 7 again and no opportunity to choose 64 bit. Also have had right thumb joints fused so typeing is a bit shoddy as still in cast!!! Will do it all again for good measure but thinking an axe might help the stupid thing!!!

and a PS thanks for your welcome!!!!

Don't you need the 64-bit version of the win7 installation DVD?
The 32-bit and 64-bit versions come with separate installation DVDs, so the only choice you would get between them is which DVD you use to boot and install...

You'll have to start over and do a clean install of 64 bit. That means wiping the hard drive clean and new partitions, etc.

Set your laptop's DVD drive to be the first boot device and put in the Windows 7 64 bit install DVD. Reboot and you'll see a prompt to "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD device" do that within 4-5 seconds and the install will begin.

When you get to the screen showing the hard drive and its partitions, delete the partitions and make then make new ones. The Windows 7 partition should be about 48-64 GB in size and then the rest, no more than two more, whatever size you want them to be.

Then install to the new 48-65 GB partition and you'll be good to go.

BE SURE to download all the correct 64 bit drivers for your laptop first and store them on a thumb drive or external drive or CD-RW disc.

If the laptop did not come with the installation DVD, there are links in this forum to the full ISO's for each version of Windows and you would need to download and burn the proper one and then install from that.

Thank you all for your help.
Let me update you in case you can shed some more light on my mess.
1. I have an HP Pavillion cv3 that came with Vista.
2. When I attempted to make the backup, I inadvertantly used a CD instead of a DVD and it wanted 18 of them, so I abandoned that as a bad job.
3. I then went to install Win 7 in 64 but hit the 32 choice. I thoght this wa a menu option. Someone has said you use a different disk for 32 and 64.
4. In the process I have buggered my LT and if I try an old XP to get it working a bit, I get a blue screen.
5. A new cold install just will not start. I have tried cleaning the HD with DBAN but the little HP monster is just plain stuborn.
6. I have now purchased a set of HP rdestore disks but in the meantime has any one got a bright idea. Just tried it again 'BOOTMGR is missing' when booting from the HD and the cold boot still takes me past the 32/64 menu choice without a how do you do!!!!
Thanks Guys, will give you all a 'thanks'

Call HP, they built this, they should be able to help youl

You say you're given a 32 or 64 bit option on startup? What is an LT?

Why did you waste your money on HP restore disks?

Have you ever read the user guide for the computer?

Well

All is cleared up. I have a 32 bit version of Win 7, not a 64. it works fine
Many thanks to all who struggled with my cockup, simply a plonker here.
And for Nibiru2012, a LT is a LapTop!!!
Cheers