need to delete OS off recovery drive!

[SIW2]

Hang on.

Why do you want to wipe all and reinstall?


The installation you finally did onto the D partition is OK ?


Pretty easy to make that the system partition.


You can delete the installed windows files from C after to free up the space on it.

 

[theog]

As you already installed x32bit, you must of booted from DVD.

In your x64 install you may find a program to make your Recovery DVD's & driver disk.

Can you post your specs. we can than find a download link for drivers.
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/22550-filling-out-system-specs.html

 

[gms]

Hold on... I think I found something with F12...

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

A brief background:

When we purchased this laptop (a Dell Inspiron), it came with Windows 7, the 64-bit version. My wife is taking a work-from-home job which only supports the 32-bit version of Windows 7, so I had to go out and buy the lesser version after just buying her a brand-new computer

I accidentally installed the 32-bit version on the C: drive (recovery) because -- as I stated above -- I've never seen anything BUT the large hard drive be labeled C...

Now I don't have enough space left to do a system restore and I keep getting pop-up windows stating I don't have enough memory left...

I really just want to restore my recovery drive to the way it was, if possible. If I have to, I guess we can just delete it off altogether if that's the only option available to me at this point...

I have now installed the needed 32-bit version to my D drive, which hopefully shows up as it was done correctly to you guys in my screenshot above.

Let me know if you have any more questions...

Thanks,
Greg

Hello SIW

He needs the space, he's getting space warnings and he just needs the 32-bit and that would be the easiest way to go don't you agree?

 

[gms]

I'm getting ready to do step # 1 of the "Boot to repair options" now...

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Good, keep us informed.

 

[theog]

I'm getting ready to do step # 1 of the "Boot to repair options" now...

Backup first.

 

[SIW2]

If he doesn't want the 64 bit, then yes reinstall 32 bit in the correct place.

As he has the install discs ( if he is able to run off the recovery discs - he might as well do that too),

he doesn't need the recovery partition anymore.

 

[gms]

Hmmm... OK, question:

I'm following the steps, and I'm just before step #2 where it asks me for System Recovery Options.

It gives me a chocie of using recovery tools that can help fix problems starting Windows..

I don't need to FIX the Windows 7 OS on the Recovery disk... I need to DELETE it!

That make any sense?

 

[gms]

Or... if I choose the correct file location this time, will it automatically be deleted from the other (the recovery drive)?

 

[SIW2]

I thought you were trying to run off the recovery discs?

No , it won't automatically be deleted.

You can delete it and repartition during the installation process.

When you see the screen showing partitions asking where you want to install, select Drive Options (advanced).

Unless that is a weird partition type, you can delete it and repartition there.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Jist click next, then at the next screen click "Command Prompt"


No it won't be deleted

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

I thought you were trying to run off the recovery discs?

No he has an install disk.

 

[SIW2]

Yes , I know - posts 22 & 23 looked like he was trying to run off the oem recovery discs as well

 

[gms]

OK, I just plunged on in and I see where it's giving me a chance to delete everything off the recovery drive, it appears...

I'm doing a "clean all" on the drive that was the biggest...

On second thought, perhaps I should be doing that on the smallest-sized drive, since that's more likely the recovery drive that's filled up?

I'll select the other disk when it's finished with this one and do a "clean all" on that one, too...

 

[theog]

OP started with x64, went & get x32.

I hope the OP made the drivers disk.

 

[gms]

Crap, SIW... somehow I missed your post #21 in this thread...

You're absolutely correct: I would have preferred to keep the correct install and merely delete the incorrectly installed version off the recovery disk -- but I couldn't figure out how to do that.

When I tried following your directions I linked to in the beginning of this thread, the option of "delete" was grayed out...

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Did you not read the warning, "Clean all" WILL DO THE WHOLE DRIVE automatically.

Warning

Do not do this to any SSD or HDD that has data on it you don't want to lose, the first thing this does is to mark the drive as "Unallocated Space" and then writes zeroes ( 0's ) to the entire drive, it's known as a "Secure Erase" and it will make data un-recoverable, it cannot be done to just a single partition on a drive, it will do the whole drive.
You have been warned!
​

 

[SIW2]

You can't delete the default boot menu entry. You also can't delete the system partition

You could have made another partition system ( e.g D ), You wouldn'thave a boot menu entry for the installation C after that.

You would then be able to delete C.

That would have left you with the installation on D, which is the 64 bit one , is it not?

As BFK pointed out - if you want the 32 bit - you have no alternative except to reinstall it.


Where are you up to now with all this?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Greg.



You seem to have a couple options as you have a 32-bit install disk to use, you could wipe everything on the PC and do a clean install, after you make backups of the stuff you don't want to lose, that may be the easiest way to go; have a look at this tutorial at the link below.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation




The other option is a bit more complicated, to move / re-create the boot files to the Windows partition that you want to keep, start by having a look at this tutorial at the link below; as you have questions feel free to ask them as needed.

Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD



Be sure to keep us informed what you choose to do.

I listed all that here, did you look at it?