Removing Win 7 from HDD after clean install on SSD

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  1. Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       #11

    kamsah said:
    I think I am starting to understand that formatting the drive with the unwanted windows installation is the only way to really get rid of it. Is this correct?

    No, that's not correct. You could delete the partition entirely, without formatting it.

    So, as I am installing the new programs, I am now unable to uninstall them from the HDD as I am unable to boot into that instance of W7.
    I'll have to take your word for it that you cannot uninstall apps on the HDD when you have booted from the SSD. I've never installed anywhere but C and have never had to deal with that problem.

    Many people with small SSDs install some apps to an HDD without incident. I'm not sure how you find yourself in a predicament.
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  2. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #12

    But that`s not the correct way to do it. You should 1st format/delete the partition/drive then start doing what you want. The old windows 7 is taking up valuable space you could be using.
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  3. Posts : 7
    Win 7 home premium
    Thread Starter
       #13

    Here is a screenshot of my uninstall menu from the SSD. The programs without space listed in "Size" were installed from my SSD Win7 instance, but onto the HDD under a folder called "Programs installed from SSD". They are taking no space on the SSD. And they require HDD activity to run. I use them less frequently.
    The other programs do not activate the HDD, since they run purely off the SSD - faster and quieter.
    Since there seems to be a lot of question about my intent here, I wonder if my reasoning makes sense at all...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Removing Win 7 from HDD after clean install on SSD-db2.jpg  
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  4. Posts : 7,730
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-Bit
       #14

    Why can't you just delete the partitions on the HDD, create a new one, give it a quick format, and then re-install any programs you need?

    You don't need to boot into it, just use Windows 7's disk management to repartition and format the old drive.

    I think we're all struggling to understand why you seem to want to make things unnecessarily complicated.
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  5. Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       #15

    kamsah said:
    The programs without space listed in "Size" were installed from my SSD Win7 instance, but onto the HDD under a folder called "Programs installed from SSD".
    And you cannot uninstall those programs when booted from the SSD?
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  6. Posts : 7
    Win 7 home premium
    Thread Starter
       #16

    To answer ignatzatsonic - Yes, I can. But they are duplicate installations performed from the SSD. I want to uninstall the old installations from the HDD Win7 instance.
    To answer seavixen32 - I actually am trying to make things simpler by removing all the duplicate programs and finally Win7 from the HDD and then making my system single-boot.
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  7.    #17

    kamsah said:

    I like edwar's solution, but it appears this is not a clean way to remove W7 from the HDD?
    We can help you remove the OS from HD in pieces but it's not recommended and can be a struggle requiring Take Ownership Shortcut on the WIndows folder.

    The cleanest method is to wipe the HD it was on to clean the boot sector which sometimes presents problems with leftover code blocking future OS installs, or other problems.

    The normal method
    is to delete the OS partition. You could do this here easily by shrinking it as much as Disk Management will allow, then creating a New partition in that space, dragging all of your files you want to keep over to that partition. Partition or Volume - Shrink
    Partition or Volume - Create New

    You could even drag your User folders (Documents, Picures, etc) intact to the new partition and then link them to the C:Win7 related Library - Include a Folder which is easiest, or move your C:Win7 User folders to your old User folders on HD: User Folders - Change Default Location

    I would first install all needed Programs to the SSD which is best so they can be a part of it's backup image - it's the data which should be moved off if necessary as described above.

    Once you've emptied programs and files from the HD OS partition, you can delete it in Disk Management from C, then create a new partition there or resize your HD data partition to the left to include the space using free Partition Wizard bootable CD.
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  8. Posts : 983
    7 x64
       #18

    Although every ones suggestions may work there is one thing that bothers me about your setup. On the SSD I do not see the 100MB System Reserve partition. So if you installed Win 7 on the SSD with the other hard drive connected the Sys Reserve section, The Active section which is needed to boot the computer, very well may be on the HDD. If you delete partitions and or format that drive your system may not boot back into Windows.

    Please let us know if you had the HDD connected when you installed 7 on the SSD.
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  9.    #19

    Edwar this was dealt with here:

    gregrocker said:
    Currently the SSD's boot files reside on the HD as shown by it holding the System label. To correct this mark C Active: Partition - Mark as Active

    Then power down to unplug the HD, boot into BIOS setup to set the SSD first to boot. Then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts and C holds the System Active boot flags.

    You can then plug back in the HD to access it's data or even boot it using the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key. If a Dual Boot menu persists, delete D listing in msconfig>Boot.
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  10. Posts : 983
    7 x64
       #20

    gregrocker said:
    Edwar this was dealt with here:
    OK Didn't see that post.
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