Windows 7: Dual Boot Question (Server 2008 and Win7 Pro)

I have a desktop that I installed Windows Server 2008 Web Edition on, and then later added Windows 7 Pro on a separate physical drive.

Server 2008 is C:
Windows 7 is Z:

I used bcdedit to delete the boot entry for Server 2008, and now I'd like to remove the install of Server 2008 and reformat the drive.

However, I am not able to delete the volume or format the c drive.

Can someone please point me in the right direction?

Thank you.

The simple way is to mark windows 7 partition active, then run starup repair from the 7 dvd/recovery disc a couple of times.

Will that then allow me to reformat the drive with the Server install on it?

Yes, reboot after doing that and set your win 7 HD first in bios boot order - at next boot up your Windows 7 partition will be both "system" and "boot".

You can then do what you like with the other drive.

That didn't work unfortunately.

Here's what I did:

I marked the z: drive (Windows 7) as Active
drive c: says active as well

I rebooted with the Windows 7 disk, and it automatically detected a problem with the Server 2008 installation on drive c, and wanted to repair it (because I used the bcdedit.exe program I think) to put it back on the list. I selected no, and then had it try to repair the Windows 7 installation. I did this twice.

I went into the Bios, but didn't see any way to change the actual hard drive selection on startup. It had the normal boot sequence options. NOTE: The "c" drive with Server 2008 is a SATA drive, not ide. Don't know if that matters.

I went back into Windows 7, and again, could not delete or format the Server installation.

Not sure how to proceed now.

If this is your setup

Disk 0 = First Sata Port = Server 2008.
Disk 1 = second Sata Post = Windows 7

Remove Disk 0 & replace with Disk 1

Than your setup would be

Disk 0 = First Sata Port = Windows 7
Disk 1 = second Sata Post = NO Hard Drive

Than follow SIW2 good advice.

Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Your Windows 7 partition must be the first active partition in bios boot order for startup repair to do this job.

Another way is to mark your server partition inactive , before running startup repair.

To do that, at cmd prompt, type:

diskpart

sel vol ?

inact

exi

Replace ? above with letter of your server partition as seen from Windows 7.