Windows 7 - How to Uninstall W7 When In A Multi-Boot

Thinking ahead to when this copy dies on me & I have to format this partition...how does one restore ones original boot settings when in a multi-boot scenario of XP, Vista and Windows 7 in that order?
I posted the question on Pro Networks too as they have the detailed instructions for doing the same for Vista snd just wondered if you guys have any ideas?

I created a backup of my MBR with HDHacker (all the other methods I needed a floppy diskette and I'm on a laptop), which you can run from within Windows. I also created a backup of my BCD settings with EasyBCD just in case.

Just a question: when you installed 7, did it overwrite your Vista bootloader or did it just add an entry to it? (I actually couldn't even get 7 to install for me)

I'm not really sure if it overwrote it, I think it did. I have EasyBCD so I could always just use that (in my C: XP) to restore the bootloader to what it was.

How come you couldn't even get Windows 7 to install?

You should be able to use msconfig in Vista to remove the Windows 7 boot option if necessary.

Welcome to the forums frankzappa77.

Gary

Thanks Gary.

When removing Seven from a dual boot care should be taken. As Seven will be the "newest" OS on the system it will be using The Seven Boot loader even if you have changed the boot order.

if you boot into Vista (for Example) and remove the Windows Seven Partition you will probably find that Vista will then fail to boot. The vista disk and a Startup repair should be enough to correct this.

This is of course presuming that seven was installed normally and you have not performed a start-up repair in vista since and edited it's bootlader to load Seven.

It is the normal state with MS windows operating systems that you boot via the last one installed

OK I wouldn't be doing anything in Vista as the bootloader for everything is controlled in my C: partition, i.e. XP.

I would assume that one would format Windows 7 off the map and then use EasyBCD or similar to restore Vista's bootloader...no?

I was asking more would there be any need to delete certain files or folders in XP?

Hi peter,

I think you would have to do a repair of the XP bootloader, but not 100% sure if seven would have changed anything as XP uses a completely different boot sequence

See this thread. I keep getting BSOD'd during the install for some weird reason. I know it's not the DVD, because it works when installing 7 in a virtual machine.

I guess I'm worrying too far in advance...I'll cross that river when I get to it, by which time I'm sure more information will be available anyway.

Thanks for your help guys.

frankzappa77 - I saw your thread, sorry I'm not too technical in that regard but I'm sure there are many who are.

I installed mine from within XP so I could control which drive letters Windows used and it was quick and easy.