How to install Windows 7 without extra system paritions?

Usually when you choose to create a partition in Windows 7 setup, it prompts you to create a system partition

in my case, it also prompts me to create some MBR disk I think it is because my SSD is a GPT disk (I have no clue what's that)

So basically, when I install Windows 7, I end up up with:

1- System partition (for boot files I think)
2- MBR Disk (or whatever it is called is being created due to me having a GPT disk I think)
3- C: partition (where windows is installed) [part of my 256 GB SSD]
4- D: partition, my 2nd disk which is a 1 TB HDD

The problem is, when I try to backup with Acronis True Image, even though I have installed the addon which supports GPT disks, when trying to restore the backup it always fails.

Now what I want to do is, at one point last week, I installed Windows 7 but it didn't prompt me to neither create a system partition nor that extra MBR disk! I was then able to backup / restore in ACronis True Image just fine! I don't know what I did in computer management / disk management that made the SSD become a non GPT and valid for a normal installation, this is very confusing

now yesterday I wanted to make a new installation with a new backup of Acronis True Image but this time it kept prompting me to recreate those extra partitions

How does one go about installing Windows 7 on C: only without any extra partitions?

Thanks

 

berryracer,

GPT is intended for HDs larger than 2 TB. I doubt that applies to your SSD. I'd delete all partitions on the SSD and in Disk Management create a MBR disk. Create a single primary partition on the SSD (you choice of size), make sure the partition is Active and install Win7 into that partition. It's essential that partition is Active otherwise your booting files might be installed on another HD.

Edit... I forgot you don't have another OS. I'd do everything from a BIBM CD. Want any help?

 

at the setup drive-partitioner, create a small partition about 100 or 200 megabytes, leave the entire rest of the hard-drive unallocated. try to install windows to the small partition - there's either no option to install to it, or you'll get an error message from setup. at that point extend that small partition to about 20 gigs (or whatever's sufficient for the install), and select it for the installation location. win 7 should install to c: only, with no other hidden/system partitions

 

I finally figured it out after a lot of research online.

It seems the reason that extra MBR Disk 100 MB partition is created in addition to the 100 MB system partition and forcing the disk to be a GPT disk is because I had EFI Boot enabled in BIOS!

All I did was delete the EFI boot option, and disable "Boot to EFI" in the BIOS settings then this time when I inserted the Windows 7 DVD and tried to create the partition, this time it only created C: without anything else! no system partition and no MBR Disk!!! Finally! I can use my Acronis True Image to back up and restore properly!!

Thanks for all the suggestions though!