Laptop with no DVD drive

[Fuentes]

Hey all-

OK, I did it...I installed W7 from my own Vista desktop...a clean install I might add. (You were correct all! Thank you!) I tried and tried to create a separate partition...no such luck...

After copying all the important files to my portable HDD, I installed W7. My question(s) is this:

How do I import programs/applications from my windows.old folder into 7? (Is that even possible? I don't think so: I'm under the impression I need to re-install....however some programs do indeed run.)

How do I get rid of BCDEasy? (I no longer need to attempt to boot from USB.)

Thanks all for tolerating an old man.

 

[bobkn]

How do I import programs/applications from my windows.old folder into 7? (Is that even possible? I don't think so: I'm under the impression I need to re-install....however some programs do indeed run.)

In general, you can't move installed programs. Some software will run without having been put in place by an installer, but most won't.

 

[gregrocker]

Uninstall EasyBCD in Control Panel>Programs and Features.

I have heard creepy stories about Programs running from the windows.old folder, like Tales of the Crypt. But I always boot from installer to do formatted clean installs.

We could have helped you create and format a second partition in Disk Management or using diskpart commands.

But glad you've got it up and running. Hang onto that .old folder long enough to make sure you got all of your files, then drive a stake through it's heart: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19151-windows-old-folder-delete.html

Once that is done, type backup into start box and Create a Backup Image stored externally (and/or in a primary formatted partition created in Disk Management) so you never have to reinstall again, just reimage in 15 minutes using the Repair console which is accessible by tapping F8 at startup.

 

[Fuentes]

Thanks Bob; thanks Greg.

Yes, I want to drive a stake. I'll peruse the .old folder and glean what I can, but right now, the space limitation isn't an issue(111GB before W7 install, 62GB afterward...with 30GB in the .old folder.)

I appreciate your help everyone, but the EasyBCD isn't listed in the remove programs option of Control Panel...I have yet to D/L Revo, but I also suspect it won't be there either.

Is EasyBCD in the .old folder?...And can I uninstall from there? (It is loaded in my .old folder with an uninstall.) I won't ask if it'll work from there before trying to uninstall it from there. I'll try that before I bother you all again, I just wanted to say thanks first.

 

[gregrocker]

Oh, right. EasyBCD was in your previous installation so it is dead and buried in windows.old.

Did you happen to notice if Windows 7 created a 100mb boot/repair partition at the front of the drive - look at Disk Management map to see for sure.

If so, you can access repair tools at F8 during bootup.

While you are in Disk Management, consider creating a partition of the size which Win7 Backup Center>Create System Image wants to store a copy so you never need to reinstall again, just reimage the HDD or a replacement using the repair tools.

You can also there create a repair CD (do you have a CD drive?) to boot to these same tools without needing the DVD or if there is not 100mb repair partition via F8.

 

[Fuentes]

Hi Greg-No boot/repair partition found. I have no CD/DVD drive. Can I make a repair disk and put it on a portable HDD? Would the repair disk remove BDCDEasy? Right now, I just want to get rid of BCDEasy. Can I DL and install it again...i.e. would the uninstaller remove both copies? (I kinda doubt it, but I have to ask.)

 

[gregrocker]

Hi Greg-No boot/repair partition found. I have no CD/DVD drive. Can I make a repair disk and put it on a portable HDD? Would the repair disk remove BDCDEasy? Right now, I just want to get rid of BCDEasy. Can I DL and install it again...i.e. would the uninstaller remove both copies? (I kinda doubt it, but I have to ask.)

EasyBCD is in my Programs and Features so it is uninstalled there. You can try re-installing it then remove it there.

You want to have a repair disk handy in case it is needed. This is the time when you really need a 100mb partition for those repair tools.

Get a small flashstick and use UltraISO trial to burn the repair files from the Bootable>Write tab. You may need to burn the disk on another machine and browse to it's CD drive over your network to get the files unless you can find the files online. Maybe someone will try to upload them for you here.

 

[chahat]

No installation dvd,only iso available

I do not have an installation DVD,I only have the iso image of the OS.Now how can I follow the second step-

Step 2: Make the Drive Bootable
Next we’ll use the bootsect utility that comes on the Vista or Windows 7 disk to make the flash drive bootable. In the same command window that you were using in Step 1:
Insert your Windows Vista / 7 DVD into your drive.
Change directory to the DVD’s boot directory where bootsect lives:
d:
cd d:\boot
Use bootsect to set the USB as a bootable NTFS drive prepared for a Vista/7 image. I’m assuming that your USB flash drive has been labeled disk G:\ by the computer:
bootsect /nt60 g:
You can now close the command prompt window, we’re done here.

Can someone please help?,thanks.

 

[jumanji]

Hi chahat,

Welcome to SevenForums.

Please have a look at the posts in this thread http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/230893-win7-32-bit-via-usb.html that may hopefully make your job easier.

 

[gregrocker]

Use Universal USB Installer with Win7 in dropdown menu.