Final answer:
To support a Windows 7 installation over a network, partition the hard drive by creating a system reserved partition and a primary partition formatted with NTFS, which can be done using a tool like Windows PE or diskpart.
Step-by-step explanation:
Partitioning a hard drive for a Windows 7 installation over a network generally involves creating specific partitions that the operating system needs for a successful install and boot process. This is typically done using a tool such as Windows PE (Preinstallation Environment) or the diskpart utility. To partition a hard drive for Windows 7, the following steps are usually followed:
- Create a system reserved partition which is a small, formatted NTFS partition that holds the Boot Manager code and the Boot Configuration Database.
- Create a primary partition which will be where Windows 7 is installed. This should be formatted with the NTFS file system and should be large enough to hold the operating system and any additional files or applications.
Note that when installing Windows 7 over the network using technologies such as Windows Deployment Services, the partitions can be created and formatted automatically through a pre-set installation process. It's also important to ensure that the hard drive you are partitioning is bootable and that network boot (PXE) is enabled in the BIOS/UEFI settings if necessary.