Windows 7: Two Copies of Win 7 in Separate Partitions - is it OK to Delete One ?

When I decided to move from XP to WIN 7 some time ago I initially ran a Dual Boot with both of these systems . I intended to run the XP OS until I became familiar with WIN 7 . Eventually I removed this Dual Boot and now run WIN 7 only.



I forget the details now but I must have forgotten the second Win 7 folder was still present in this now non-bootable Partition ( Partition F ) - I suppose I had XP on the C: drive at that time and WIN 7 running on Partition F .

What I would like to do now is delete this Windows Folder from the F Partition . Would this cause any problems ? Win 7 is now installed and running OK on the C: drive.

Any chance you could use the snipping tool to take a picture of your disk management and attach using the paperclip?

Expand it enough so we can see what the notation on the partition is.

Sounds like your bootmgr is on F. A picture of Disk Management would clarify that.

Please post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Management drive map and listings:

1. Type Disk Management in Start Search box.
2. Open Disk Mgmt. window and maximize it.
3. Type Snipping Tool in Start Search box.
4. Open Snipping Tool, choose Rectangular Snip, draw a box around full map and all listings.
5, Save Snip, attach using paper clip in Reply Box.

Tell us what is on each partition.

OK , I've attached the Fle Management snip here - correctly I hope as I don't use the SNIP procedure very often.

Your bootmgr is on C. So you can delete F.

Thanks very much . I should have thought of that before posting . The help is even more appreciated.

I tried to delete the Windows Folder on the F Partition as advised here in this thread and was following the directions given in the URL

"http://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-7/windows-7-how-to-delete-files-protected-by-trustedinstaller"

Unfortunately all this did was delete the folder "Windows" but left the sub-Folder "winsxs" which refuses to delete because I require permission again .

Apart from formatting the F Partition , how do I get permission to delete "winsxs" ?

Why are you trying to delete the Windows folder? The correct way to delete an OS is to delete it's partition in Disk Management or a Partition manager.

Then create a new one there or resize G to the left to take up the space using Partition Wizard to Resize Partition - Video Help.

As stated in my OP in this thread , after removing a Dual Boot I had setup when I was changing from XP to Win 7 I was left with the Windows Folder on the F Partition . This is now some time ago and I forget all the details but I think on that Dual Boot setup , I had XP on the C:\ drive and Win 7 on the F Partition. Whatever happened , after removing the Dual Boot I ended up with WIN 7 on the bootable C and a non-bootable Windows Folder also on the F Partition . I eventually forgot about the existence of this , now superfluous Windows Folder , until recently but was still using the F Partition normally. I was trying to remove this Windows Folder while still preserving the data on F but I now am realising that the simplest way to get rid of it will be by formatting that drive . I realise now that attempting to remove an OS-containing Folder is not a simple process even if it is not bootable !