Windows 7: Want to get rid of Boot Loader

spamnchips · 12 Dec 2009

I followed the Microsoft guidelines for a "clean" install of Windows 7. Unlike other Windows installations in the past I did not get an option to format the drive and subsequently ended up with the Boot Manager displaying every time I switch on the machine. I have subsequently removed XP from the drive and would now like to get rid of the boot loader so that my PC boots straight into Windows 7 via the splash screen. Is it possible to do this please or do I have to wipe the drive and re-install just to get what I want and not what Bill Gates thinks I should have ?

Tews · 12 Dec 2009

Use BCDedit to remove XP from your boot menu... See Limneos' tutorial -=> Here

severedsolo · 12 Dec 2009

i take it the XP boot is still being displayed? easiest way to do this is download easy BCD from here: Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies and just delete the XP entry (it will probably appear as "older versions of windows"

Sbrideau · 12 Dec 2009

Or simply use msconfig.

To open it, click on the start orb and type msconfig in the search bar and it should appear right there. All you need to do there is to go to the boot tab and delete Windows XP from there.

spamnchips · 13 Dec 2009

No, Windows XP is not displayed as it does not exist. I removed it with the option in "Disk Cleanup" as shown under Help and Support. The only OS shown on the Boot Loader is Windows 7.

Lebon14 · 13 Dec 2009

A little explanation : if you remove the bootloader, you won't be able to boot. What you want is NOT to display the OS choice. I think that EasyBCD can do that...

If this doesn't work, I think that re-creating the bootloader would be the solution.

spamnchips · 14 Dec 2009

Thanks for the suggestion I will give it a try.

gregrocker · 14 Dec 2009

If you were not given the option to format before install, it is because the DVD was run from the previous OS and not booted.

The cleanest possible install is to boot from the DVD and use Custom Advanced drive tools to format before install.

You can even delete any/all partitions, create new as you wish, then format and install.

jimbo45 · 14 Dec 2009

Hi there
download GPARTED
Create ISO
Boot GPARTED Disk
Create as many partitions as you need on the Disk -- suggest you use say 40 GB for W7 and use the rest of the disk for DATA partitions.

Ensure all partitions are PRIMARY and NTFS formated.

Now Boot W7 install media and install

job done. Single partition -- no hodden 100 MB system partition.

Greglocker - Hi -- your method won't work "cleanly" since even if you DO create a partition W7 will create a 100MB system partition before installing.

If you don't want the hidden 100MB system partition then ---

You need to have partitions coprrectly defined and Formatted BEFORE installing W7 and not have any unallocated space on the disk.

If you want unallocated space create a dummy partition in addition to W7 one with GPARTED -- install W7 then boot GPARTED and delete "Dummy" partition.

Cheers
jimbo

spamnchips · 14 Dec 2009

[QUOTE=gregrocker;440943]If you were not given the option to format before install, it is because the DVD was run from the previous OS and not booted.

No, I did run the installation from the DVD at bootup but there was never a screen advising of an oppurtunity to format the disk which would have been my preferred option.