Windows 7 - How Do I Stop Dual Boot and Remove Vista?

Durango · 10-22-2011

I currently have Vista and Windows 7 installed on my computer (different partitions on different hard drives), and I currently perform dual booting between the two. I no longer use Vista so I would like to remove it from my computer.

So my questions are:
(1) How do I completely remove Vista from my hard drive?
(2) How do I then remove the dual boot menu so that I simply boot into Windows 7?

Thanks in advance for any help/advice..........

gregrocker · 10-22-2011

Please post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Management drive map with listings, using Snipping Tool in the Start Menu. Type Disk Management in Start Search box.

We can then give you the exact steps to remove Vista. Do you wish to delete it and continue using it's HD?

Screen Shots

paul2011 · 10-23-2011

i would use easybcd (in 7) remove the vista boot option then just delete it from disk management and enlarge the 7 partition

Corazon · 10-23-2011

Quote: Originally Posted by paul2011

i would use easybcd (in 7) remove the vista boot option then just delete it from disk management and enlarge the 7 partition

Read the first post please - he stated that his 7 and Vista systems are installed on separate physical drives. This makes things slightly more complicated. Need that Disk Management screenshot before we're going to give further advice.

Durango · 10-23-2011

Quote: Originally Posted by gregrocker

Please post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Management drive map with listings, using Snipping Tool in the Start Menu. Type Disk Management in Start Search box.

We can then give you the exact steps to remove Vista. Do you wish to delete it and continue using it's HD?

Screen Shots

My screenshot is attached.

Yes, I wish to delete Vista. As shown in the screenshot, Vista is contained in the first partition of Disk 0 (named Vista-64 Install D)

I then want to reformat Disk 0 so I can use the entire disk for other purposes.

Thanks so much for your help.

How Do I Stop Dual Boot and Remove Vista?-diskcontents1.jpg

gregrocker · 10-23-2011

Glad to help.

Mark Windows 7 partition Active in Vista Disk Mgmt or using DIskpart from Elevated Command Prompt: Partition - Mark as Active

Power down to unplug Vista HD, swap its data cable to Windows 7 HD, make sure it remains set first HD to boot in BIOS setup (after DVD driive).

Now boot the Windows 7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD to run Startup Repair 3 Separate Times with reboots until Windows 7 starts on its own and shows the System Active flags on its partition. System Repair Disc - Create

You can now power down to plug back in the Vista HD to Disk1 cable, open a Elevated Command Prompt from Windows 7, use Diskpart to wipe the HD so it is ready to create new partitions and format in Disk Mgmt: Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command
Partition or Volume - Create New

If you want to move VPC install to the other HD you can use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to Resize C into its space to take advantage of slightly faster reads for Windows 7 in the lower HD address.

Durango · 10-23-2011

OK, I think I understand but I have a few questions:
(1) Before I start any of this, should I enter my BIOS setup and make sure that the Windows HD (Disk 1) is first boot after DVD drive?
(2) Are you suggesting that I create another System Repair Disk once Win 7 starts on its own (I already have such a disk)?
(3) I'm not real good with Elevated Command Prompts; can't I also wipe my Disk 0 clean using Disk Management, and then use Disk Management to create partitions and format?
(4) I like your idea of moving VPC Install to Drive 0 and then resizing C into its space. Can I achieve both of these things using Partition Wizard?
(5) And finally, once I successfully get Windows 7 to start on its own, do I have to still worry about my current dual boot menu, or will that automatically go away? If not, how do I remove it?

Thanks for sharing your expertise. At age 73, I do the best I can with whatever part of my brain still works.

gregrocker · 10-23-2011

Anwers in red below:

Quote: Originally Posted by Durango

OK, I think I understand but I have a few questions:

(1) Before I start any of this, should I enter my BIOS setup and make sure that the Windows HD (Disk 1) is first boot after DVD drive?
It states the answer quite clearly in the third paragraph above.

(2) Are you suggesting that I create another System Repair Disk once Win 7 starts on its own (I already have such a disk)?
You do not need a System Repair Disk if you already have one.

(3) I'm not real good with Elevated Command Prompts; can't I also wipe my Disk 0 clean using Disk Management, and then use Disk Management to create partitions and format?
You can try, but it may refuse to Delete and/or Format Vista partition in Disk Mgmt because it is System Active. You can use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to Delete Vista, even wipe the HD from it's Disk tab.

(4) I like your idea of moving VPC Install to Drive 0 and then resizing C into its space. Can I achieve both of these things using Partition Wizard?
Yes, boot PW CD, rightclick VPC partition, choose Move, select unallocated space on old Vista HD, OK, Apply.
Make sure new VPC works correctly during several reboots, then boot PW CD to rightclick original VPC>Delete, OK, rightclick Windows 7 partiiton>Resize, drag left grey border all the way to the left, OK, Apply

(5) And finally, once I successfully get Windows 7 to start on its own, do I have to still worry about my current dual boot menu, or will that automatically go away? If not, how do I remove it?
It should go away, if not enter msconfig>Boot to Delete the ghost listing.

Thanks for sharing your expertise. At age 73, I do the best I can with whatever part of my brain still works.

Durango · 10-23-2011

Thank you. I hope to get it all done this next week and will keep you posted.

Mark Phelps · 10-24-2011

You can accomplish the same with EasyBCD. It provides a menu option for "migrating" the boot files from one drive to another. You run that, migrate the files, and when you reboot, the boot files are now in the Windows 7 drive. Then, you can simply reformat your Vista drive without worries. I had the same situation and it worked fine.

Windows 7 - How Do I Stop Dual Boot and Remove Vista?

How Do I Stop Dual Boot and Remove Vista? problems?