Trouble formating old Vista Install Partition

Hello all,

I think my problem is similar to the one outlined in this thread :

Won't let me delete my old partition.

But I want to make sure before I go and start messing with things...

----

Last week my vista64 installation became inoperable (due to what I suspect is an ongoing ram issue)

I ended up purchasing a new HD and a copy of Win7 to install on, boot and hopefully be able to recover all my old files. This worked perfectly. However I am now unable to reformat one of my old harddrives (the one with the old vista install on it)

I have already removed my old vista install from the boot menu using msconfig.

Ive attached a screenshot of what my disk management interface looks like below.

C: is my new Win7 installation
E: is my old Vista C:

If I enable hidden files I can see the boot files on the E drive and NOT on my new C drive...

As this is a fair bit over my head I want to make sure what I am doing is correct - I can follow directions of what to do. But like I said I want to make sure I'm not going to screw everything up in the process.

Thanks,

Scott

Mark Win7 active in Vista Disk Management, shut down, unplug Vista HD and set Win7 HD as first HD to boot in BIOS setup (after DVD) or just switch the Vista cable to Win7 HD.

Now boot the WIn7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots to write the System MBR to Win7.

Once Win7 starts up you can plug back in the Vista HD to format it. If it interferes, boot the Win7 DVD/Repair CD to Clean the Vista HD: Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command

If Vista DIsk Mgmt will not mark Win7 active, then also use the booted Win7 DVD/Repair CD: Partition - Mark as Active

My old vista installation is unbootable (blues screens before the login interface/even in safe mode) - would this be required to access disk management in vista or are you refering to something else?

Thanks,

Scott

1) Boot DVD, & Press Shift+F10 (for command prompt)

2) Boot DVD, & Command Prompt at Startup(for command prompt)

You should be able to do what is asked from within Windows 7 Disk management. Right click on the new Drive that Windows 7 is installed on and select mark as active.

What has happened is that your old vista disk contains the mbr or system store. The Se7en Drive needs to be the one marked as Active, Boot.

As greg has stated, disconnect the vista drive (drive1), boot from dvd with your windows 7 disc and choose repair/repair startup. Once thats done restart your pc with vista drive still disconnected and see if 7 loads. If so, shut down and reconnect your old vista drive, boot 7, go into disk management and right click and choose format.

What happens if it doesnt load?

Will I possibly have to run repair successive times or will this lead to having to reinstall Win7?

~ Scott

Follow Gregrocker advice, & startup repair.

Press the F8 key repeatedly at boot up or use the Startup disk.
Startup Repair
Note: You may need to do startup repair 3 to 4 times.

g0dzilla said:

What happens if it doesnt load?

Will I possibly have to run repair successive times or will this lead to having to reinstall Win7?

~ Scott

This should not be an issue as Microsoft finally got fixing boot issues done easily.

I don't believe you'll have to do this more than once, however I have no experence in needing to do this. I do know about the system store and understand the new way that Vista and Seven boots.

When you have the old vista drive disconnected and are running the repair boot wizzard from 7's DVD, it will simply see that the windows se7en drive does not contain the system store boot info and will make the corrections needed to boot.

This tutorial should help you...

Startup Repair

theog said:

Follow Gregrocker advice, & startup repair.

Press the F8 key repeatedly at boot up or use the Startup disk.
Startup Repair
Note: You may need to do startup repair 3 to 4 times.

Darnit, you beat me too it! I too figured that Brink would have a tut on this.

Anyway, as long as the OP gets it solved, thats all that matters.

Thnx for posting

Any idea how long the system repair will take - if its going to take a few hours I might have to wait until the weekend to try all this out.

~ Scott