Windows 7: How to remove Windows XP gently from PC

I think it is not worth it to have Windows XP installed on the other harddisk on my PC anymore. Besides deleting the system restore points in Windows 7, XP is neither faster, nor less resource consuming than Windows 7, as myths will have it.

I recently got into a lot of trouble (MBR missing/corrupt) when I installed Windows XP AFTER the Windows 7 install. So I suppose I should probably not just format the harddisk with the Win XP OS from a dos prompt?

There is a dual boot at present. I have made a Windows 7 system backup, but if I use the rescue CD will it not restore the present bootmanager with dual boot and all?

Please post back a screenshot of your full Disk Management drive map, using the Snipping Tool in Start menu, attaching file using paper clip in Reply Box.

We've helped remove 150+ dual boots here successfully since Windows 7 was released. It only takes following the steps carefully. We can give you the exact steps once we see the screenshot.

I think I found the answer to my own question (though not a very gentle solution neither a subtle answer): I formatted the hard disk with the Windows XP OS with the Windows 7 installation disk, and then - when I got the message that the boot manager was missing - the Windows 7 installation disk repaired the boot procedure.

Hi gregrocker.

Thank you for your answer. I did not see it before I found my own clumpsy solution to my question.

Another time I will be more patient.

So is everything ok?

You might want to post back the screenshot anyway so we can take a look to see if there are any potential problems, as there often are.

PS. One problem was that the Win XP OS was not included in Windows 7's boot section (in msconfig), so...

I think everything is ok. As least thats what disk management tells me (in Danish)

PS. Couldn't find the Snipping Tool, so the above is just a print screen image.

If D: is XP, then it still holds the System MBR which means it cannot be removed without first recovering the MBR into C: Windows 7.

To do this: unplug the XP drive, plug it's cable into Windows 7 or make sure Windows 7 is set as first HD to boot in BIOS Setup boot order.

Now boot into Windows 7 DVD, select Repair My Computer on second screen, click through to Recovery Tools to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots in order to write the MBR to Windows 7 partition.

You can also accomplish this while keeping both drives plugged by marking XP drive inactive before running Startup Repair to recover MBR to Windows 7. This may also be needed to delete and format the XP drive without override command. Boot into the Windows 7 DVD Repair console, open a Command Line to type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (for XP HD)
LIST PARTITION
SELECT PARTITION # (for XP)
INACTIVE
EXIT

If you want to clean the XP disk, then use CLEAN after SELECT DISK #.

Thank you gregrocker for your detailed help.

You are saying that if I ever remove hard disk 0, the D: drive, (which is now empty and formatted so I can use it as storage) I will have trouble.

Right now the D: hard disk is formatted by(?) Windows 7's and ready for storage and I see no problems.

I will, however, in the nearest future, rearrange the hard disk setup. Right now C (hard disk 1) is slave and D (hard disk 0) is master (D: was my first hard disk, that is why) and the (very special) cables won't have it otherwise. So I will have to move around both hard disks. My BIOS boots to hard disk 1 as first choice.