Triple boot machine needs to have XP gone...

Hello,

My triple boot machine has XP, 7 and Linux/Ubuntu on it. I'd like to take XP off and be left with 7 and Linux.

Since XP was on the drive first, 7 has written it's boot info into XP. I also know that if I remove XP, 7 won't boot as there is no MBR for it.

I have Acronis backups of everything, can't use the 7 backup method due to XP being there, that's fine, I know my backups are valid.

I am trying to figure out a way to remove XP and be left with a 7 and Linux system that will boot. I am wondering if I blow out the XP partition, can I use the install CD of 7 to repair or create an MBR for it? Right now on XP I have EasyBCD set up to point to the install point of Linux. It's all working fine but I use XP little to none and its pointless to have it anymore. I'll just keep the backup of it somewhere.

Right now the way Linux is installed the grub bootloader is only controlling Ubuntu, not any version of windows. It was done that way to prevent the possibility that if grub becomes corrupt I wouldn't be able to boot to anything. This method of install I used prevents grub from modifying the MBR. So if I was to lose the MBR I'd still have Linux or vice versa.

Thanks to all who reply!

Tinsby

Please post back a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image, tell us what's on each partition or label them, and we'll give you the best way to do it.

hi gregrocker,

Here you go:

Partition C is of course 7 since I am in 7
" " D " ""XP
The 32.6GB one is / root Ubuntu partition formatted to ext4
" 20.50GB " is the /home Ubuntu partition " " "
" 1.91GB is the Ubuntu swap file not formatted
" "H" is my Storage drive

Hth you and the others thanks!

J T

Mark Win7 partition Active, reboot into Win7 disk to run Startup repair up to 3 separate times until 7 boots and holds System flag.

Delete XPired in Disk Mgmt to Extend c into the space.

If you need to add Linux to 7 boot menu: Where to install ubuntu in my system?

gregrocker said:

Mark Win7 partition Active, reboot into Win7 disk to run Startup repair up to 3 separate times until 7 boots and holds System flag.

Delete XPired in Disk Mgmt to Extend c into the space.

If you need to add Linux to 7 boot menu: Where to install ubuntu in my system?

gregrocker,

Will your method give the the 'system reserved space' in disk management as if I had installed 7 by itself? I assume that running the installer multiple times will create it and take the boot flag from XPired correct?

>>>> XPired <<<< nice one lol never heard that one b4!;D

J T

No, System Reserved is only issued when you install Win7 on a blank drive, or delete it and the C partitions during reinstall. It is of so little consequence that pondering whether you have it is a waste of time. You only need to know that if you have it, it should always be System Active.

Greg,
It looks like Disk 0 has 6 primary partitions.
I thought the max is 4, or 3 primary and unlimited logical ?
Is this because some partitions are for Linux ?

Sorry to interrupt, just curious, back to lurking :)

Yeah I noticed that but assumed its the misreporting Disk Management normally does of Linux partitions. If not then it would have had to be converted to Dynamic to have more than four Primary partitions. If you want more than four partitions on an MBR disk then at three you must create the fourth as Logical to add any others within the Logical container partition.

If it presents problems I'd suggest using Partition Wizard to convert the Linux to Logical but don't know what the consequences would be since i don't support Linux.

What do you think David? Are you Linux-fluent? Never hesitate to jump into the threads I'm in because this way we can learn from you more.

No, I don't have Linux ...
It's something I might add if I don't like the way Windows goes in the future.
If I do install Linux, I would install it on a separate HD, just because of the horror stories I've read.
If I could help, I would
I didn't think about Disk Management misreporting ...