Need Pro, Partition problems!

Microwilly · 22 Mar 2010

So this is the deal, i bought my pc from future shop with vista half installed, i got home turned it on it finished the install.. no cd's were given to me. Then i got windows 7, i installed it on the partition that was already on my hard drive with nothing on it. So, my C: had Vista on it, and i just installed 7 on D: I don't use Vista at all as it's garbage, so i want to format the c: to get all the space i can, but no matter which way i try, it won't let me. All i've seen thus far on the internet is something to the effect of gettin an XP disk and booting from that, then formatting the c: from there, then afterwards, would be something to the effect or finding a boot.ini file and changing something? i don't know, i'm pretty noobish when it comes down to it. Plz don't scald me but help would be nice :) Thanks in advance.

gregrocker · 23 Mar 2010

Please post back a screenshot of your full Disk Management drive map, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu, attach file using paper clip in Reply box.

The tools needed are free Partition Wizard bootable CD and your Win7 DVD or Repair CD.

Once we see the screenshot we can give you the exact steps.

Microwilly · 23 Mar 2010

i duno if that worked...i clicked attachment. i hope it works otherwise i have no clue how to post the pic, i'm even more noobish with forums.

Bill2 · 23 Mar 2010

Microwilly,
Since you dont intend to use Vista, it would be best to format your drive, then partition and clean install win7 on C: drive. That will probably save you a lot of future hassles.
Also, before doing that, make sure you backup your data and have your app cds ready.

Microwilly · 23 Mar 2010

That would be all fine and dandy, but i can't format the c: hence the reason for this post. And besides, i have almost 200 gig of stuff on this one partition and would rather not burn 100 dvd's. What i really want to do is just be able to format the c: partition to get all that space back.

severedsolo · 23 Mar 2010

have you tried formatting it from the Windows 7 disk rather than booting into windows,

your problem at the moment is that your Bootmanager is stored on the Vista partition (see how its marked as active?), that means if you wipe out Vista you wont be able to boot into 7, hence why 7 wont let you format because it is using some files on C

to fix this problem once it has been formatted you will need to run a startup repair from your disk 3 times: Startup Repair

I'm assuming that ACER is the Vista partition? in which case you wont be able to reintegrate that with your D drive using Windows built in disk management, as it is to the left of the windows 7 partition, you will need to use a 3rd party app such as acronis or paragon

personally... id just wipe out vista, install 7 on that partition then transfer anything important over to the new install and wipe out the current 7 partition and reintegrate it, but the way i posted above will do specifically what you asked

Microwilly · 23 Mar 2010

No i haven't tried formatting it with the win7 cd, Would that leave me with tha same outcome you've described with Bootmanager? As for wiping vista and installing win7 on the c: (which i would really like to do) I assume one would simply put the win 7 cd in through windows, and install it again on the c: ? If that's the case, will it just automatically overwrite vista? Will i have the choice to boot from 2 different windows 7's? I apologize for my ignorance in advance.

gregrocker · 23 Mar 2010

Since your Vista Recovery Partition will be disabled with the removal of Vista, make your Vista Recovery disks first if you want a path back to factory condition. These can also be ordered from tech support later if neccessary, or you can find a Vista installer for your version to activate with the key on sticker if you ever need to clean reinstall Vista.

Back up your files as Resizing operations can fail, although very rarely with Partition Wizard.

Boot into free Partition Wizard bootable CD, allow files to load, select 1 for Screen Resolution, right click Recovery partition, select Delete, OK.

Next right click Vista partition>Delete>OK.

Now right click Win7 partition>Modify>Set to Active>OK. Again right click Win7>Resize, slide left grey border all the way over to the left to include deleted Recov and Vista space, OK. Apply all steps.

After steps complete, Win7 will not boot. Instead boot into Win7 DVD or Repair CD, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots, as it will attempt to repair and finally rewrite System MBR to start it up.

severedsolo · 23 Mar 2010

Microwilly said:

No i haven't tried formatting it with the win7 cd, Would that leave me with tha same outcome you've described with Bootmanager? As for wiping vista and installing win7 on the c: (which i would really like to do) I assume one would simply put the win 7 cd in through windows, and install it again on the c: ? If that's the case, will it just automatically overwrite vista? Will i have the choice to boot from 2 different windows 7's? I apologize for my ignorance in advance.

yes thats it, what i would personally do if i were doing this, is use the win 7 disk to delete the vista partition and then install 7 onto the now unpartitioned space, this will create a system reserved partition for your boot files, or you can format the partition rather than deleting it, which will result in your boot files being stored on the same partition, either way is fine, but bear in mind that if you choose to create the system reserved partition you will hit your maximum of 4 primary partitions on 1 disk

If you simply try to install over the top of vista you will end up with all your vista stuff in a windows.old folder (im assuming as you want to format it that there is nothing important there)

what should happen is windows will create new bootmanager files which may or may not hold boot files for the current windows 7 installation on D (im sorry i actually dont know, i would guess they wont because it wont figure it needs to reinstall them without a startup repair) but will definitely allow you to boot the new installation on C

either way D will be readable by the C installation, so you then transfer the important files over to C (personal data like downloads, pictures, music anything you dont want to lose basically just not windows stuff or installed programs) and then format D, and reintegrate it into the C drive

If it turns out that the D installation is automatically included in the new bootmanager, you will get a dual boot windows saying "windows 7 and windows 7" in which case the top one will be the last one you installed (presuably the one on C) you will then have to delete it from the boot menu using msconfig (just type it into the start menu, then delete the entry from the boot tab) if it isnt this isnt a problem and it won't miss it once its gone

as ever backups are recommended as this stuff occasionally fails (but not often)

I hope thats clear enough for you, any other questions let me know

Microwilly · 23 Mar 2010

Clear as a sunny day itself my good man :)

Thanks alot to both you and Greg for all the help, i really appreciate it :) Now i have to find my win7 cd and give that a shot.