I now want to uninstall Vista but can't

Hi. I'd appreciate some help with the following:

I've always had Vista on my C drive. (The HDD is partioned into 3 - C, D and E).

For the past few weeks I've had 'dual boot' - Vista and Windows7. Although I installed Win7 on D drive, it shows as being on C when I boot Win7 (with Vista having moved to D...).

I am now happy with Win7 and want to remove Vista. But when I boot into Win7 and try to format the D drive (where Vista now is) I get an error message - "Windows was unable to complete the format". I am left with 2 folders in D drive - 'Windows' and 'Program files' but neither can be deleted.

I've done a fair amount of online searching but cannot find a solution as to how I remove Vista and free up my D drive. Any assistance gratefully received!

You need to move your boot files from the Vista partition before you can format or delete the Vista partition.

While booted into 7:

Make sure your computer is set to see hidden and system files first.

Then copy bootmgr file from Vista partition root to 7 partiton root. Then copy the boot folder from Vista to 7, telling it to skip copying bcd and bcd.log when it asks.

Then do this command from an elevated command prompt:

bcdedit /export C:\boot\bcd

Now set the 7 partition as active.

Now you can reboot and the 7 partition will be controlling that. You can also now remove Vista from the bootmgr using either easybcd or typing msconfig in the start menu search box, then boot tab.

Vista partition can now be formatted or deleted. Good luck.

Suggest you use a good 3rd party BACKUP or Win7's.
1. Made a FULL CLONE partition of Win 7. I use Acronis v.12
2. Make a BOOT CD with all required to use BACKUP files.
3. FORMAT C:\ from boot CD.
4. RESTORE Full Clone/Backup on to C:\
5. Replace Bootable CD with Win7 DVD.
6. Reboot - if it fails -
7. Boot from Win 7 DVD and REPAIR C:\Win7
Your ready to go.

My thanks to you all - I'll try torrentg's suggestion first though.

"Then copy bootmgr file from Vista partition root to 7 partiton root".
Do you mean the bootmgr file here: D/Windows/Boot/PCAT/bootmgr
Where exactly is it to be copied - to the same place in C (i.e. REPLACING the Win7 bootmgr file)?

"Then copy the boot folder from Vista to 7, telling it to skip copying bcd and bcd.log when it asks."
Do you mean REPLACE the Win7 Boot folder with the Vista one?

"Then do this command from an elevated command prompt:"
Is that a 'Start/Run' command or a DOS command?

"Now set the 7 partition as active."
How exactly is that done?

Many thanks.

Right on torrentg

Hi pooksahib,


First, Post a screenshot of Disk Management window - like the one Smarteye posted so we can see what your setup is - and which steps below you need to follow.


If you already have bootmgr and Boot folder on 7 partition , all you need to do is Step 4,5,6.

1. Go to folder options and make sure Hidden files are showing. Also untick "Hide protected operating sytem files", Apply, OK.

2. Look at the root of the partition and you will see bootmgr and a yellow folder called Boot.




3. Copy and paste those, skip copying bcd as it won't let you, then use the bcdedit command to export a copy of bcd from the current System partition to the Boot folder you have just copied across, like this:

4. type cmd in Start search box - when it pops up, rt clcik and run as admin, then type :

bcdedit /export C:\boot\bcd {enter}

Close cmd prompt.

5. Go to Disk Management , rt click C and Mark as Active.

6. Restart to hand System status to C.

Hey, glad you got it sorted out. :)

Haha SIW2, if it wasn't for one of your posts a few months ago when I learned, I'd still be telling people to use VistaBootPro to copy the bcd. :)