Removing Win 7 from HDD after clean install on SSD

[kamsah]

I am unable to find a thread that discusses this. Can someone help me?

I installed an SSD and performed clean install of WIN 7 on it from DVD. I had a dual boot system. I installed some core programs and tested and optimized for two weeks - no more crashes and stable.
My intent was to install one program at a time from the SSD environment onto the hard drive and uninstall the program from the HDD once I found it works from the SSD. Now I cannot boot into the HDD anymore, and boot fixer does not work.
What do I need to do? I no longer need the HDD boot.
I guess I can manually delete a lot of the folders on the HDD, but I am hesitant since I have installed some of my programs on it from the SSD.
Does anyone understand my warped description and my intent?

 

[gregrocker]

Please boot into Win7 with both HD's attached and post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Management drive map with listings, using the Snipping Tool in Start Menu: Screen Shots

You can copy any remaining data you need from HD into SSD or externally via Explorer now, correct?

So are you ready now to recover the System boot files into SSD and wipe the HD?

 

[kamsah]

Window pics

Here are the disk manager and superimposed msconfig boot tab windows.
Does this help?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Do I understand correctly:

You cannot boot from the HDD, but don't need to anymore?

What exactly is the problem?

 

[kamsah]

I cannot boot from HDD.

I want to reboot to HDD only to remove all the programs I am reinstalling from the SSD (onto a folder on the HDD) - that's why I can't just reformat the HDD. ( I am installing programs I need but use inconsistently to a subfolder on the HDD as I am reinstalling them through my new Win 7 installation on the SSD in order to save SSD space and maintain speed)

I then want to remove Win 7 from the HDD and remove the dual boot option.

I have no problem accessing my files on any of the drives at this time.

I am not sure I am being very effective in explaining my intent... Or perhaps what I am trying to achieve makes no sense - educate me!!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I'm still not sure I understand your point.

Is it that you want to uninstall programs from the HDD but cannot?

Or??

In one sentence, what can't you do that you want to do?

 

[edwar]

If you are going to remove Win 7 from the HDD there is not need to boot into it to remove anything. Just delete the Win 7 directory, Windows, from that drive and then delete the User folder then the Program Files and Program Files (x86) directories. All the programs and Windows will be gone from that drive.

 

[gregrocker]

It would be cleaner if you can wipe the HDD after you get your data off. However if you have too much data to wipe it then we can help you move all of the data to a second partition so you can correctly remove Win7 which is done by deleting its partition.

You cannot copy over Programs but must reinstall them from scratch to the SSD.

Currently the SSD's boot files reside on the HD as shown by it holding the System label. To correct this mark C Active: Partition - Mark as Active

Then power down to unplug the HD, boot into BIOS setup to set the SSD first to boot. Then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts and C holds the System Active boot flags.

You can then plug back in the HD to access it's data or even boot it using the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key. If a Dual Boot menu persists, delete D listing in msconfig>Boot.

 

[AddRAM]

Your post is way confusing. If you have successfully installed 7 on the ssd and you can see the hdd drive after you`ve booted into the ssd, get all your files off the hdd onto your new ssd then format the C: partition on your hdd. Don`t format the recovery partition you might need it someday. You can then start using the partition you`ve formatted on the hdd for storage or whatever. You should make a partition on your hdd for keeping disk images.

Follow Gregs instructions to get the ssd booting on its own first.

 

[kamsah]

I think I am starting to understand that formatting the drive with the unwanted windows installation is the only way to really get rid of it. Is this correct?

To clarify -
My ultimate goal is to run W7 and some core, frequently used apps from SSD alone. Since this is a small SSD drive ( 60GB ), I cannot place all my applications on the SSD. So, as I am in W7 on my SSD, when installing less frequently used applications that take up huge amount of space like labelmakers and video editors and games, I am changing the installation directory to a folder on the HDD.
That's why I do not want to format the HDD. That's why AddRAM's and gregrocker's solutions won't work.

So, as I am installing the new programs, I am now unable to uninstall them from the HDD as I am unable to boot into that instance of W7.

WOW, perhaps there is a flaw in my reasoning?

Perhaps my logic is poor and I need some educating on how W7 runs programs, etc.. Please let me know where this does or does not make sense.

I like edwar's solution, but it appears this is not a clean way to remove W7 from the HDD?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I think I am starting to understand that formatting the drive with the unwanted windows installation is the only way to really get rid of it. Is this correct?

No, that's not correct. You could delete the partition entirely, without formatting it.

So, as I am installing the new programs, I am now unable to uninstall them from the HDD as I am unable to boot into that instance of W7.

I'll have to take your word for it that you cannot uninstall apps on the HDD when you have booted from the SSD. I've never installed anywhere but C and have never had to deal with that problem.

Many people with small SSDs install some apps to an HDD without incident. I'm not sure how you find yourself in a predicament.

 

[AddRAM]

But that`s not the correct way to do it. You should 1st format/delete the partition/drive then start doing what you want. The old windows 7 is taking up valuable space you could be using.

 

[kamsah]

Here is a screenshot of my uninstall menu from the SSD. The programs without space listed in "Size" were installed from my SSD Win7 instance, but onto the HDD under a folder called "Programs installed from SSD". They are taking no space on the SSD. And they require HDD activity to run. I use them less frequently.
The other programs do not activate the HDD, since they run purely off the SSD - faster and quieter.
Since there seems to be a lot of question about my intent here, I wonder if my reasoning makes sense at all...

 

[seavixen32]

Why can't you just delete the partitions on the HDD, create a new one, give it a quick format, and then re-install any programs you need?

You don't need to boot into it, just use Windows 7's disk management to repartition and format the old drive.

I think we're all struggling to understand why you seem to want to make things unnecessarily complicated.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The programs without space listed in "Size" were installed from my SSD Win7 instance, but onto the HDD under a folder called "Programs installed from SSD".

And you cannot uninstall those programs when booted from the SSD?

 

[kamsah]

To answer ignatzatsonic - Yes, I can. But they are duplicate installations performed from the SSD. I want to uninstall the old installations from the HDD Win7 instance.
To answer seavixen32 - I actually am trying to make things simpler by removing all the duplicate programs and finally Win7 from the HDD and then making my system single-boot.

 

[gregrocker]

I like edwar's solution, but it appears this is not a clean way to remove W7 from the HDD?

We can help you remove the OS from HD in pieces but it's not recommended and can be a struggle requiring Take Ownership Shortcut on the WIndows folder.

The cleanest method is to wipe the HD it was on to clean the boot sector which sometimes presents problems with leftover code blocking future OS installs, or other problems.

The normal method is to delete the OS partition. You could do this here easily by shrinking it as much as Disk Management will allow, then creating a New partition in that space, dragging all of your files you want to keep over to that partition. Partition or Volume - Shrink
Partition or Volume - Create New

You could even drag your User folders (Documents, Picures, etc) intact to the new partition and then link them to the C:Win7 related Library - Include a Folder which is easiest, or move your C:Win7 User folders to your old User folders on HD: User Folders - Change Default Location

I would first install all needed Programs to the SSD which is best so they can be a part of it's backup image - it's the data which should be moved off if necessary as described above.

Once you've emptied programs and files from the HD OS partition, you can delete it in Disk Management from C, then create a new partition there or resize your HD data partition to the left to include the space using free Partition Wizard bootable CD.

 

[edwar]

Although every ones suggestions may work there is one thing that bothers me about your setup. On the SSD I do not see the 100MB System Reserve partition. So if you installed Win 7 on the SSD with the other hard drive connected the Sys Reserve section, The Active section which is needed to boot the computer, very well may be on the HDD. If you delete partitions and or format that drive your system may not boot back into Windows.

Please let us know if you had the HDD connected when you installed 7 on the SSD.

 

[gregrocker]

Edwar this was dealt with here:

Currently the SSD's boot files reside on the HD as shown by it holding the System label. To correct this mark C Active: Partition - Mark as Active

Then power down to unplug the HD, boot into BIOS setup to set the SSD first to boot. Then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts and C holds the System Active boot flags.

You can then plug back in the HD to access it's data or even boot it using the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key. If a Dual Boot menu persists, delete D listing in msconfig>Boot.

 

[edwar]

Edwar this was dealt with here:

OK Didn't see that post.