Safe removal of Vista partition on a Dual Boot.

Been working on it all day, but nearly there. Its not quite as straightforward when your files are all over the place but I've finally managed to track them all down and relocate them. The pst files have been a particular nightmare but I think all the important stuff is there.

I haven't deleted the other partitions yet but plan to do so with the PIW shortly. I assume that's just as effective?

May I ask why you didn't follow the tutorial to back up your files ahead of time, then delete all partitions except the Dell OEM partition to do a booted Clean Install Windows 7?

By not doing so you've made it much more unnecessarily complicated.

To remove the other useless partitions when ready we need to see a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image to see how it has changed. Post it up now so we can see if there are any other more serious problems since you're clearly not following steps.

Make sure you have a backup of your files externally. Partition Wizard boot disk has never failed in tens of thousands of operations we've helped with here, but we still need to say that. All other partition managers including PW installed version can fail with data loss, except Disk Mgmt which can't do these operations.

Boot into a Elevated Command Prompt to Mark G Partition Inactive - Windows 7 Forums

Power down to unplug Disk1, boot PW CD, rightclick Recovery and Vista partitions to Delete, click OK after each. Apply steps for both.

Now rightclick on Win7 partition to Resize, drag left border all the way to the left to take up the deleted Recovery and VIsta space: Partition Wizard to Resize Partition - Video Help. Apply step.

Win7 should boot but if not boot its installation media or Repair CD to run Startup Repair until it starts.

I would then go over the rest of the steps from Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 to assure you get and keep a perfect install.

Hi Greg

Haven't had the opportunity yet to delete the other partition but have done a backup with system image. Currently removing duplicates in Outlook using a neat little free tool from Remove duplicate emails in Outlook 2010 and 2013 quickly and safely

I've also downloaded the other tools you recommended and have also downloaded WinMerge. I assume this is the right tool for identifying all the duplicate files that now exist on my C drive. Would you please let me know if this is the correct action to take.

Also, how long do you recommend I leave it until I delete the windows.old folder that was created during the reinstall?

You ignore our steps, don't appear to have even looked at the tutorial which has guided tens of thousands of users to get and keep a perfect install. I also gave you customized steps to get rid of Vista which you ignore, asking back how to fix your mess because you haven't followed any of our advice. Why would you come to the top site for reinstalling Windows and just blithely ignore all advice for doing it correctly?

Everything is outlined for how to prepare for, get and keep and perfect install in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
Nobody who has followed it has ever reported back duplicate files and emails. Not once.

Why make a Win7 backup image of an install which is still being booted by Vista if the plan was to remove Vista? Your backup was to have been done following the steps in the tutorial which compile everything not to forget.

And you'd save windows.old for as long as it takes to know for sure you have everything.

With the greatest respect Greg, as I have said before, I only diverted from your excellent tutorial because you were unable to respond promptly to my back questions regarding it. I asked quite a few questions and all the time my PC wasn't working. It's not your fault you can't respond for over 24 hours at times; had you been able to then I would certainly followed through on the Tutorial, which I must have read 3 or 4 times now.

So I made the conscious decision to abandon the Clean Reinstall and get myself back to the point where I was when you first intervened in this post in the knowledge that there would be a "mess" to sort out but at least I'd have access I'd need to all the programs I need to do my job.

You seem upset that I have gone down a different path but I'm sure that, on reflection, you will understand why I had to go that way. I followed your advice to the letter up to that point, even taking the external backup mentioned in your penultimate post - which now appears to be wrong......."Make sure you have a backup of your files externally".

Anyway, there's no need for me to be defensive; I'm less stressed now than I was New Year's Eve when I was checking my emails every 30 minutes to see what I should do because the f12 extended diagnostic didn't throw up any results.

That's not a complaint - I'm very grateful for your support.

The duplicate files haven't been created by the install, they were on my old PC too. I just never got round to sorting it. Now, with my greater knowledge as a result of reading every link in your tutorial, I am wondering if the WinMerge app is what I need to do the job.

Another question: In your penultimate post you said : Boot into a Elevated Command Prompt to Mark G Partition Inactive - Windows 7 Forums. The G partition is my external hard drive; Is it not sufficient to just disconnect it?

Following the next step in your instruction but the machine can't read the PW disk.

I don't suppose I can delete the other partitions from the application?

Can the drive read any other disks? If so burn another PW disk using WIndows Image Burner, with a fresh ISO.

When you are receiving hundreds of dollars of free support and need interactive support, you'll have to wait for reply. It's a small price to pay for free.