"So, having had enough of this, I went to a tool I knew
would work: my favorite Linux system repair CD, SystemRescueCD
1.1.2. With this Gentoo-Linux based distribution, I used GParted
(Gnome Partition Editor) to set up the partition yet again and
format it with Windows' NTFS.
"This time, when I booted up from the Windows 7 RC DVD, the
installation routine immediately found the partition and installed
Windows 7 on it. So, thanks to Linux, I'm now running Windows 7 on
that system."