Having trouble with a dual boot partition

[Toastums]

A while back I had installed Windows 7 ultimate as an upgrade from Windows Vista. I had a second partitioned drive only about 80gbs in space I had used earlier during the Windows 7 beta and I figured I'd install a second copy of Windows 7 on it encase anything should happen to my Primary partition of about 600gbs.

Well instead of doing a hard reset of Windows 7 on my primary drive I decided to just move my backed up items onto this secondary Partition in using and wipe the 600gb partition however, I am having a bit of trouble. It's been a while since I've had to do anything like this and I am not entirely sure how I would get rid of windows 7 on the bigger partition so I can use it as free space or to recombine the hard-drive space with the partition I'm using now.

It's a really noob question but I'm having a hard time with it nonetheless :/ Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Prof Kerfuffle]

So you wish to use your backup Windows version as your primary Windows and your other 600GB partition to join the primary '60GB' version?

If this is correct follow this.

Go onto 'Computer' and find the drive letter of the secondary drive. (Default should be 'D:/')

Click start > right click 'Computer' > Manage > Disk management on the tab to the left.

Right click the secondary drive and click 'Delete Volume' (assuming you have backed everything up)

Then select your primary installation drive and click extend, the set amount should be OK.

(I hope this helpful) please tell me if this is hard to understand.

Backup EVERYTHING on the drive volume your going to delete.

 

[Toastums]

I tried doing the above the problem I noticed was that I don't have the option to "delete volume"
The solution you stated is exactly what I am trying to achieve but I don't know how to get around this.

 

[Prof Kerfuffle]

Try this softwareParagon Partition Manager Free Edition - Leading partitioning software! | PARAGON Software Group - free partition software, resize partition

 

[whs]

I tried doing the above the problem I noticed was that I don't have the option to "delete volume"
The solution you stated is exactly what I am trying to achieve but I don't know how to get around this.

You cannot touch the volume as long as it is active. Either try with the program that Kerfuffle suggested or inactivate the partition you want to manipulate.

 

[Toastums]

Hmm, is there anyway I can run the 32-bit program on my machine? I'm running a 64-bit version of Windows 7 and on the 64bit demo the deletion option isn't available :/

 

[Prof Kerfuffle]

try the 32-bit and tell me if it works?

 

[Toastums]

I couldn't install the 32-bit program, it keeps telling me it can't be installed on a 64-bit machine. I am going to try installing the trial version Hard Drive Manager suite though from there and get back to you.

 

[whs]

Get the bootable CD of this program. That will be the easiest to manipulate the partitions because if you boot from the CD, every partition is inactive. It is a top program which we all have in our kit.

 

[Prof Kerfuffle]

Get the bootable CD of this program. That will be the easiest to manipulate the partitions because if you boot from the CD, every partition is inactive.

I think you have to pay for that but that is the best way

 

[whs]

Get the bootable CD of this program. That will be the easiest to manipulate the partitions because if you boot from the CD, every partition is inactive.

I think you have to pay for that but that is the best way

No, it is free.

 

[Toastums]

Thank you everyone for all the feedback, what ended up happening was I installed the trial version of the Paragon software but I think I might have had both operating systems on the same Hard drive some how (or at least petition) since after I wiped that drive, my computer refused to boot. I ended up having to do a hard reset on my primary drive so now I have a fresh installation of Windows 7 once more and I'm re-installing all my programs back at the moment.

Luckily I did backup all my personal files so now it's just a matter of time till my PC is running like new again, I guess it was due for a rollback anyhow. At the very least I know how to handle my partition issue and I will give mini-tool a try to to expand my primary volume.

Again thank you for all the information! It's helped me a great deal and finally got me to stop being lazy about my PC again

 

[whs]

Toastums, the trick is to image, image and image again. Then you can bail yourself easily out of a tight spot like this.