How to Uninstall W7 When In A Multi-Boot

[frankzappa77]

Ques: Can I do this startup repair now to make sure all is working whenever that day comes. Don't want to mess things up. I have an OEM disk (dell).

Gary

I actually just removed 7 and my Vista bootloader was still intact. I'm guessing that 7 still uses BCD for the bootloader and just replaced the Vista one, but Vista can still configure it because it's the same.

And to Bare Foot Kid, first problem, I don't have 7 any more (I will buy it when it comes out though). And what are my chances of Microsoft actually listening to my advice? (not rhetorical question)

About Linux, I've always loved computers so I just try to explore and learn about as many operating systems as I can. I've been using Windows for about 9 years now and I've actually learned more about how computers work by using Linux for a year and just trying to configure stuff and install programs than I have from using Windows. I've never had any problems with installing it, Google has been a great help. Not saying that I haven't learned anything from Windows though, it's still my primary operating system.

Edit: is there a way I can send MS feedback without reinstalling it? I'll reinstall it in a virtual machine if I know they will listen to my feedback. How hard is it to add an option of where to install the bootloader? (again, not a rhetorical question)

 

[Ex_Brit]

Thanks for the update.

 

[Barman58]

Hello frankzappa77,

If you look at the changes to the UAC in Windows 7 with relation to how it operated in Windows Vista, you will see that Microsoft does listen to constructive feedback from it's users.

There is a direct link to the MS feedback address on the forum. Will see if I can find it and post back...

Update Can't find the link I thought I saw here must have been a senior moment

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

.

Does anyone know if the development team will add this feature in 7? Is there a way to recommend this feature?

Hello frankzappa77, welcome to Seven Forums!

Now that you have Windows 7 installed; have a look at the tutorial, at the link below.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/405-feedback-microsoft.html?ltr=F






Later :shock: Ted

...

 

[Barman58]

Hi all

for anyone with a dual boot who experiences problems with the vista bootloader or is is worried they may do in the future you may want to have a look at this ...

Recovering the Vista Bootloader with EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

Be prepared !

 

[natri23]

I thinks I can remove the Windows 7 partition but the boot file is on another partition an it can't be deleted. Maybe Windows 7 had locked it somehow. Anybody know how to delete it?

 

[frankzappa77]

.

...

I don't have 7 anymore.

 

[smarteyeball]

You can always try Gpart to delete the partition. Just make sure that it doesn't contain your other OS'es boot data.

I installed 7 first on a new HD and then Vista after 7. Your setup may be different:

7 created a small (200mb) partition at the beginning of the drive (containing all the boot data) and then installed itself on the next partition.

So my system looks like:

Hd0,0 (200mb boot data)
Hd0,1 (107GB Windows 7 6801)
Hd0,2 (195GB Vista x64)
Hd0,3 (290GB Data)

Both 7 and Vistas boot data reside on the 200MB partition. In my case, deleting that 200MB partition will wipe out Vista's boot as well.

 

[frankzappa77]

You can always try Gpart to delete the partition. Just make sure that it doesn't contain your other OS'es boot data.

I installed 7 first on a new HD and then Vista after 7. Your setup may be different:

7 created a small (200mb) partition at the beginning of the drive (containing all the boot data) and then installed itself on the next partition.

So my system looks like:

Hd0,0 (200mb boot data)
Hd0,1 (107GB Windows 7 6801)
Hd0,2 (195GB Vista x64)
Hd0,3 (290GB Data)

Both 7 and Vistas boot data reside on the 200MB partition. In my case, deleting that 200MB partition will wipe out Vista's boot as well.

So you have a 200MB primary partition for just the boot data? Do you mean that the bootloader is installed on this partition? If so, how did you get Windows to install the bootloader onto a partition other than the installation partition? Or are you using GRUB for the bootloader?

 

[SIW2]

Hi,

MS speak is confusing to say the least.

The System partition is the one containing the boot files - the boot files will install on whichever partition is marked as Active

The Boot partition is the one containing the operating system files - the o/s will install on whichever partition you select during installation.

In the picture below taken from Vista Disk Management, the 30gb partition is the System partition ( containing boot files ) it also happens to be the Boot partition (containing the Vista o/s files )



If I boot into another o/s, on another partition, then this will now be the Boot partition.

However, 30gb partition will still be the System, Active partition.

Hope that helps

SIW2

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello SIW2.

So this helps clear up what I've just done; as this is my disk management shot.
Just to confirm: Windows 7 is now ready to be removed with no problem; correct?
For those that don't know; this is the thread I started about this earlier.



Thanks!






Later Ted

 

[garysgold]

Sooo, seems that I should be fine with removing 7 from my second hdd as the Vista OS partition on disk 0 is the one marked active.



Why is my external drive also marked as active?

Gary

 

[SIW2]

Hi Gary,

There can be one Active partition per hard drive.

You may have seen this referred to as "Flagged On" if you have used Linux, or a Linux tool such as Gparted.

If you right click an inactive partition in Disk Management, you will get an option to "Mark partition as Active ". (Do not do this - the other partitions on that drive would then be inactive and you won't be able to boot.)

First you need to boot into Vista. Then remove the 7 boot files using Easy BCD.

Then, in Vista's Disk Management, right click on the 7 partition and format it. Or you could delete the 7 partition if you want to change the partition sizes on that drive.

Barefoot kid - looks the same procedure for you too.

Hope it helps

SIW2

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello SIW2.

Thank you for the confirmation.















Later Ted

 

[garysgold]

I think I've got it. Thanks SIW2.

Gary

 

[smarteyeball]

Or are you using GRUB for the bootloader?

Nope. W7 setup did it itself. I only created 3 partitions. I haven't re-installed Linux yet, so no GRUB. I must confess I wasn't really paying attention when I installed W7....

Hi,

MS speak is confusing to say the least.

You can say that again

Vista CM:

Windows 7:

Bah. Attachments are still huge

 

[Mark]

Can someone explain what's happening with mine.

B:\ Vista
c:\ Windows 7
f:\ external hard disk

This is the view from within Windows 7

 

[SIW2]

Hi Mr Grim,

B ( in this view ) contains Vista boot files and Win7 boot files , it also contains Vista o/s.

C ( in this view ) contains Win7 o/s files.

Your external hd is marked as active as there is only one partition.

If you carve it into several partitions with Disk management , i.e shrinking from the right - you will find the partition on the left ( with lower address numbers on the hd ) will remain the Active partition by default.

Hope that helps

SIW2

 

[SIW2]

Hi Smarteyeball,

Thanks for posting the screenshot - it's interesting.

I installed 7 first on a new HD and then Vista after 7. Your setup may be different:

7 created a small (200mb) partition at the beginning of the drive (containing all the boot data) and then installed itself on the next partition.

So my system looks like:

Hd0,0 (200mb boot data)
Hd0,1 (107GB Windows 7 6801)
Hd0,2 (195GB Vista x64)
Hd0,3 (290GB Data)

Both 7 and Vistas boot data reside on the 200MB partition. In my case, deleting that 200MB partition will wipe out Vista's boot as well.

Was that a new hd that you partitioned with Win7 during the installation ?

Everyone else seems to have installed after Vista and got the expected result , i.e. 7 installs it's boot files on the existing Active partition ( which for most people is the partition that already contains Vista's boot and o/s files ).

As you installed 7 first , it seems to have made it's own additional first partition.

Anybody else done the same thing, and got the same result?

It's a good thing as you can make an image of that 200mb partition to restore in an emergency. I have the Paragon Drive Backup, which lets you make a small bootable cd - so you can boot in , find the backup image and restore it - I assume Acronis etc are pretty much the same?

You could try using EasyBCD to remove the 7 boot files from the 200mb partition.

You might find that Vista doesn't know they've been removed and will still show 7 as a boot option. In that case it can be deleted from the boot tab in msconfig.

It will be fun to see how this pans out for us all

SIW2

 

[frankzappa77]

Wait, so SIW2, what you're saying is (assume fresh install on a clean hard drive), if I had a 100GB HD and I (hd0,0) was a 200MB partition and the rest 99.8GB was (hd0,1), I can guide the 7 installer to install boot files to the 200MB partition?

Does that mean that when I get to the disk management page in the setup, that I select (hd0,0) as my installation partition? or will it automatically install the boot files to the first partition?

As for a backup of my boot record (not windows boot files), I use HD Hacker to create a raw image of my MBR just incase.

Also, just to clear something up with the 'active' partition thing. I recall when I installed OS X, I had to mark my 4th primary partition dedicated towards it as 'active' through the command line. I then decided to boot up GParted and check how the flags were re-associated, and my Vista partition was no longer the boot partition, (hd0,3) was. This insured that my MBR was not touched, and Darwin was installed to the bootsector of (hd0,3) - my question, does the same go for Windows?

Say I had GRUB on the MBR, can I tell Windows not to touch the MBR by flagging my second partition (or whichever partition I want to install it onto) as 'active'/boot?

Thanks for all the info so far everyone.