How to remove single OS from dual boot - Windows 7 and Win Server 2008

Tried tackling this one single-handedly to begin with and failed.

I have Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 installed as a dual boot, different partitions single HDD.

I want to remove the Windows 7 partition and keep the Win 2008. I do NOT want to lose anything from the Win 2008 partition.

Taken from Disk Management.

Disk 3 with 5 partitions
1st - Healthy, Primary partition 73MB. (I thought this was system reserve but its not, leftover space from a previous partition change). It's currently mounted and completely empty.
2nd - Unallocated space 500mb
3rd - Windows 7 OS (Healthy - system, active, primary partition)
4th - Windows 2008 Server OS (Healthy - boot, page file, crash dump, primary partition)
5th - Unallocated space 8mb'ish

I haven't been using Windows 7 for years and want to clean this drives partitions up because it's messy and wasting space. I just need windows server 2008 as it's been used as a server for years and that's all I need it for now.

I want to safely remove the windows 7 installation and merge that partition along with the 1st and unallocated spaces back into a single partition where windows 2008 server resides.

Now I've tried tackling this myself and failed. I stupidly made the windows server 2008 partition as active which killed my boot and took me forever to repair with zero loss fortunately. Sadly it was as simple as using diskpart in a command prompt from win 2008 boot disk to make win 7 partition active again.

So, how do I do this? The boot manager must be on the win 7 partition as removing active killed it. The windows 7 boot (during startup) is long removed, system boots directly to windows 2008.

Thank you. Sorry for late reply, just finally got round to doing this, coupled with further issues to get your solution up and running.

I couldn't even boot into windows 7 due to forgetting the login password, managed to reset it without a reset disk using hirens boot cd, so after finalyl getting into win 7, i then remebered I was running a trial edition of a really old build, so guess what! It's didn't even work. So, after reinstalling a full edition of windows 7 freshly over the top of the old, I got it working. I won't even mention the fact that win 7 original boot would not for the love of god recognize any of my usb keyboards in any port, which is a reknown issue with NO solution...

So after all that here's where I'm upto. I got into win 7 and followed the easybcd method of moving the boot partition (copying), was simple. I'm now back in windows 2008 and I'm seeing pretty much as you mentioned.

win 7 3rd part - Healthy - Primary
win 2008 4th part - Healthy - System, boot, page file, Active, Crash Dump, Primary partition.

So now all to do is remove win 7 partition and remove win from boot menu. Fingers crossed, brb

Hasn't worked. I've rebooted and have received this:

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

1. Insert windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. Choose your language settings, and then click "Next".
3. Click "Repair your computer".

File: \Boot\BCD

Status 0x0000098

Info: The windows Boot Configuration Data file does not contain a valid OS entry.

Had a brief lookup on issue and seems to be various ways to tackle it. I'm guessing the best approach would be to do as it's stating.

Anyway i'll check in on this tomorrow after work.

Why not follow the steps given countless times here to remove such a Dual Boot which test and repair every single parameter of the boot including rewriting the WinRE System Recovery Options link to F8 Advanced Boot Options which EasyBCD does not do?

These steps always work unless a previous attempt has somehow corrupted the boot files beyond repair.

1) Mark Win7 partition Active. Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two)

2) Run Startup Repair - Run up to 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts and holds the System Active boot flags.

3) Once you know the Win7 partition can boot itself, if desired delete the old OS partitions and resize Win7 into its space using Partition Wizard Resize Partition - Video Help. Use only the Partition Wizard boot disk which will not fail whereas all others except Disk Mgmt can and will fail with data loss.

I reinstalled windows 7 following the initial advice, I've tried and followed many things so I'm literally following advice to a T. My windows 7 installation was knackered completely and was under the impression that I would need to get back into a working windows 7 install to appropriately move the boot files to my windows 2008 installation, as suggested above.

Anyway, I'm booting via win 7 dvd and following the requested command prompt output above I get (couldn't see an entry for default)

Windows Boot Loader
identifier (d2cf6938-5add-11df-a351-a5ef340d8f1c)

Windows Boot Loader
identifier (d2cf693c-5add-11df-a351-a5ef340d8f1c)
device ramdisk=[F:]\Recovery\d2cf693c-5add-11df-a351-a5ef340d8f1c\Winre.wim,(d2cf693d-5add-11df-a351-a5ef340d8f1c)
path \windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Recovery Enviroment
inherit (bootloadersettings)
osdevice ramdisk=[F:]\Recovery\d2cf693c-5add-11df-a351-a5ef340d8f1c\Winre.wim,(d2cf693d-5add-11df-a351-a5ef340d8f1c)
systemroot \windows
nx OptIn
winpre Yes

Windows Boot Loader
identifier (d2cf693f-5add-11df-a351-a5ef340d8f1c)

Windows Boot Loader
identifier (d2cf6943-5add-11df-a351-a5ef340d8f1c)

Windows Memory Tester
identifier (memdiag)
device boot
path \Boot\memtest.exe
description Windows Memory Diagnostic
locale en-US
inherit (globalsettings)
badmemoryaccess Yes

Thats all I get from running that command. What next?

Should I try running repair windows a few times and should I do it from win 7 install disk or win 2008?