Remove Win XP from dual boot with Win7. Win7 not at front of HDD.

Hello folks and good day.

I've searched the forum and read so many different threads that now I'm confused about the proper way to accomplish the task at hand. To prepare, I've done the following: Downloaded and installed Reflect backup, EasyBCD version 1.7.2 and Partition Wizard. I've successfuly backed up the WinXP and Win7 partitions and have a Partition Wizard Boot disk burned to CD.

Here is a pic of my Disk Management screen:


I originally had WinXP then added Win7 in a dual boot setup. I haven't used WinXP for nearly a year so it needs to go. As you can see, XP is the primary partition and Win7 is a logical drive.

If I understand the steps correctly, I need to make C: active with EasyBCD, then I'm safe to format or delete the contents of the current XP partition? This is the point where I get confused. How do I get Win7 to the front of the HDD, or is it even critical to do that? I'm also confused about the proper steps to take with the Partition Wizard boot disk and/or the use of my Win7 DVD install disk.

I've tried to make myself ready to do this, but I think I've researched myself into a stupor. Please, someone straighten me out on the steps and order which I should do them.

Thanks in advance.

First you'll need to convert C to Primary using Partition Wizard: How to set partition as Primary or Logical.

Then mark C Active: How to Set Active/Inactive partition -Partition Wizard Video Help.

Then click on HD to highlight and from Disk tab run Rebuild MBR: Rebuild MBR with Partition Wizard Rebuild MBR Video Help.

If Win7 doesn't start outright, boot into Installation DVD or System Repair Disk to run Startup Repair - Run up to 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts on its own and holds the System Active labels.

Now that you know Win7 will boot on its own you can then delete XP to recover its space or image Win7 over there.

I would personally want Win7 at the front of the drive, which would need to be achieved by imaging it. You are in luck since having a WD HD qualifies you to use their superior imaging/cloning app at WD Acronis free cloning app. The Manual is there on the downloads page and easy to understand.

If the old install interferes use PW CD to Mark it Inactive until certain the newly imaged OS will start so you can delete it. If it fails to start up run Startup Repair again until it does.

hello greg - Thanks so much for the info. After viewing the videos, I make the C: Win 7 partition primary. When I make that same partition active I need to make the D: XP partition inactive?

I'll run the PW Rebuild MBR and hopefully that will do the trick. If not I'll run Startup Repair until it's repaired good and proper. I'll delete XP and format that partition to make it ready for the cloned Win7 install. Is formatting sufficient for my needs or am I better to delete the XP partition completely? If I only reformat will the "old" XP partition remain drive letter D: or will the cloned Win7 carry the drive letter C: with it?

I think I'll be okay with this now. Will read through the Acronis manual to make sure I get the cloning done right.

No need to mark XP Inactive.

Once you know Win7 will boot itself from its own Primary partition, the correct way to delete XP is to delete its partition. Leave it Unallocated so it's ready to receive the image.

During imaging look at all options offered to set the drive letter to Auto, keep a Primary Active partition and choose to copy the MBR and Track0 so it remains bootable. Just before attempting to boot the new imaged, boot in with PW CD to mark the old partition Inactive. Be prepared to run Repairs again.

hello again greg.
Followed your instructions and making the Win7 partition Primary and Active went fine. Then when I attempted to run the Rebuild MBR, that option was greyed out and unavailable. I went ahead and applied the make Primary and set Active and that was no problem. I thought I'd go ahead and reboot and see if I could come back and rebuild MBR, but still greyed out and unavailable. Kept getting the "NTLDR missing" error.

I then used my Win7 repair disc to get the computer back into a bootable state. Right now I'm back at square one and I've read your instructions about 6 times and I don't think I missed anything. Should I have done a reboot between each of the steps? I did the make primary and make active at the same time. PW didn't complain and completed the changes. Do you suppose I should make the changes to the XP partition, make it logical or leave Primary, but mark it as inactive?

Is it possible that I had some kind of error when I burned my PW Boot disk ISO? Just flustered by not being able to use the rebuild MBR option.

Kaktussoft - I used PW to change everything back to its original state. When I left Win7 marked as Primary and Active, that's when I kept getting the NTDLR missing error. I finally used my Win7 recovery disk to get back where I could boot.

I think I'll try this again and after making the changes just go directly to the Win7 disk and run System Repair until it's corrected. I'll update here in a short time to let you know how it went.

Ok, went back in witht the PW boot disk. Made the Win7 partition Primary and Active. Had to run the Win7 Repair Disk 3 times and the 3rd time it detected no problems.

Rebooted and Win7 booted fine. I'll leave things alone for a day or two and make sure it keeps booting like it should.