Windows 7: Windows Boot Manager - Delete a Listed Operating System

thanks!

So should I do this before or after deleting the old partition?

Hello Lanthus,

It doesn't matter. You can do it before or after.

How to Remove a Boot Choice via Command Prompt





1. - Start an elevated command prompt:

Start > Search for "cmd" > Right click CMD.exe > Run as Administrator

2. - Run this command:

bcdedit /enum

3. - In the results from the last command, find the identifier for the boot option you wish to delete.



4. - Replace {identifier} with that identifier in the following command:

bcdedit /delete {identifier}

Thanks notsograymatter. That worked perfectly!

Thought my dumb actions I wound up with two windows 7 o/s on my machine. I did the best to delete the one I don't want, and machine will no longer boot to that one, however, how do I remove the option to select the os under windows boot manager. I tried the above, but the one I want to remove does not allow me to select delete. Both are listed as Windows 7, one (the one I want to use) is listed as default, and the one I'm trying to get rid of is listed as operating, although its not actually....Any suggestions on what to do to get the one I want to delete from the menu to offer me the delete option??? Any other way to get rid of it short of reformatting my system. There are years worth of information on my various hard drives, and I don't want to lose them, or the myriad of programs I have loaded....

Hello Parsec, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yep, it sounds like you deleted the wrong one. Try running a startup repair to see if it will add the correct boot entry for the one you still have installed back for you. You may need to run it a couple of times though.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Very good Shawn. But how do you locate and remove the OS you deleted the pointer to and recover all that space. Thanx in advance!!

Hello Thesosman, and welcome to Seven Forums.

It depends on if the OS you removed from the Windows Boot Manager screen is the one you installed first or not, and if it's the boot partition.

If not, then you could usually just delete the partition that OS is on to be unallocated space and extend the other partition into it.

If it is, then please post back a screenshot of your Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) showing all of your drives layout, and what OS was removed from the list.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks mate, really useful information you've got there

You're most welcome WildChaos, and welcome to Seven Forums.