Deleting Vista After Windows 7 Install

gregrocker · 23 Aug 2010

I don't believe there is any reason why you cannot run Win7 on a letter K drive as any programs already refer to that letter.

So if you don't want to reinstall you can boot the Win7 DVD repair console or Repair CD, open a Command line by pressing Shift F10, then use Diskpart to mark Win7 partition "Active" and then mark Vista partition "Inactive": Partition - Mark as Active

Now power down to unplug Vista HD, and either swap its cable to the Win7 HD or set Win7 HD as first HD to boot in BIOS setup, after DVD drive.

Boot back into Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots to write the System MBR to Win7 parttion since it is marked Active: Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

When Win7 starts up, you can again power down to plug back in Vista HD to format partition in Disk Mgmt. It should not interfere with the boot any longer if you marked it Inactive after you marked Win7 partition Active. If Vista interferes, use DISKPART from DVD/Repair CD to "Delete Partition Override" the Vista partition.

lolguy · 24 Aug 2010

I've marked K: as active and run 3 separate startup repairs with system restarts between each repair. Here's what Disk Management looks like now.

IF the proper steps have been taken, how would I go about eliminating the dual boot and ridding myself of the Vista files and partition.

Thanks, again.

John

Barman58 · 24 Aug 2010

What I would do now is use the BIOS to have Disk0 (containing K: drive), to boot first, if possible disconnect the drive containing the c: drive (disk 1?) and check that the boot works correctly into win7.

If this happens reliably for a few boots - re-connect the drive and use disk management to delete the old vista partition (This free space may be re-used for ant purpose you wish).

This should work OK at least for the short term but with regard to my earlier comments I would re-install windows at the earliest convenient time just to be sure that no possible issues will arise due to running win7 on K:

Bare Foot Kid · 24 Aug 2010

As Vista is still "System, Active" he will not be allowed to remove/delete Vista, he will need to disconnect the Vista HDD and do the three startup repairs, with the reboots all over again to get Windows 7 booting on its own.

Then connect the Vista HDD and boot to the Partition Wizard CD to do a wipe of the Vista partition; Do Not try to boot to Windows with both HDDs connected after this set of repairs as that may cause other issues.

Before you start, in computer change the name (lable) of the Vista install to something easy to recognize so you will have no problems recognizing it in Partition Wizard for the wipe.

See my Post #4 that discusses the wipe.

gregrocker · 24 Aug 2010

Did you mark Vista Inactive and then unplug it as shown in steps below? The screenshot shows Win7 now marked Active, but Vista needs to be unplugged so it won't interfere with using Startup Repair to write System MBR to Win7. Then when you plug Vista HD back in to format, having marked Vista "Inactive" should keep it from interfering as long as you keep Win7 set as first HD to boot in BIOS setup.

gregrocker said:

So if you don't want to reinstall you can boot the Win7 DVD repair console or Repair CD, open a Command line by pressing Shift F10, then use Diskpart to mark Win7 partition "Active" and then mark Vista partition "Inactive": Partition - Mark as Active

Now power down to unplug Vista HD, and either swap its cable to the Win7 HD or set Win7 HD as first HD to boot in BIOS setup, after DVD drive.

Boot back into Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots to write the System MBR to Win7 parttion since it is marked Active: Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

When Win7 starts up, you can again power down to plug back in Vista HD to format partition in Disk Mgmt. It should not interfere with the boot any longer if you marked it Inactive after you marked Win7 partition Active. If Vista interferes, use DISKPART from DVD/Repair CD to "Delete Partition Override" the Vista partition.