dual boot xp/7 ---> 7 only (advice please)

I apologize in advance if this exact scenario has been detailed previously. if it has, please simply point me to the right post. if not, then any advice/ideas will be appreciated.

I'm running a 320 gb drive on a sammy n120 netbook dual booting xp pro and 7 ultimate. my 7 install went perfectly, and I'm happy with it enough to make the switch to 7 permanently. I currently have a 35gb partition where 7 lives, and I would like to keep it that way. I do not want to 'reclaim' the rest of the drive to create one whole 7 partition. I would like to use the rest of the drive (the existing xp partition) for my data. I've always preferred to have my OS on one partition and my data on another.

so my parameters seem to be as follows:

• I have backed up all my data to an external drive and have tested using it from within 7. that is the least of my worries.
• I am also not worried about program data. I will reinstall all programs on the 7 side.
• I need to find out how to format the xp partition in order to create an NTFS data partition.
• I also need to remove the dual-boot screen and just have the thing boot into 7. this seems to be the part with which I'm least familiar.
• any advice on moving picasa onto a backup drive and then onto the new data partition without losing my edit history and albums would be great. I have had terrible luck in the past with the 'backup' options in picasa (that include the piacsa exe file).
• is 35gb enough for the 7 OS partition?

I imagine that this scenario is not uncommon, so perhaps people have figured it all out already, and perhaps this will start a good thread that will help others in the future. thank you all.

Would you like to preserve your same Windows 7 installation and just move it over to the lower address? We do these all the time here. No need to reinstall.

We need to see your full Disk Management map to advise you more fully but your description sounds like about 50 others we have done here since WIn7 release. Please post back a screenshot using the Snipping Tool on the Start menu, attach file using paper clip in reply box.

You will need to download and burn to CD free Partition Wizard.

Since you have backed up your data, there will be no need to copy Windows 7, just Delete the first XP partition, Move Windows 7 partition over into the deleted space by sliding the left border, size your Win7 partition by sliding the right border. Then create your data partition in the space to the right.

After applying those steps reboot into the Windows 7 DVD Repair console and run Startup Repair 3 times to rewrite the MBR in the new Win7 partition.

I guess I wasn't completely clear. I do not want to reinstall 7, or move it, or re-size anything. I just want to format the existing xp partition so that I can use it for my 7 data, and keep the 7 partition where it is. but I can't simply reformat a partition with an existing OS on it, so that's the trouble there. I have EASEUS partition master.

I have seen mention of running 'startup repair' three (!) times. that seems odd, that I would have to run something three times. I do have my 7 DVD.

thank you for your quick reply!

You can't delete the XP partition without first marking the Windows 7 partition active.

Then you can delete XP, however that will wipe out the MBR contained in the XP partition.

It needs to be rewritten to the Windows 7 partition which is why Startup Repair is run 3 times.

It needs to run 3 times because it runs many tests and decides to first repair the MBR (bootrec commands) and assumes that will be the fix until restart proves it wrong. Then it will rewrite the MBR (bootsect cmd) and it will restart to Win7.

You need to use Partition Wizard or another bootable CD because these operations have to be done in boot mode, and if something is left out you need to be able to go back into boot with Partition Wizard when OS will not restart.

This is the automated method. There are diskpart commands which can be run from the WIn7 DVD to do each step but Partition Wizard and Win7 Startup Repair are fully automated with all of these commands.

Very good explination Gregrocker,u've obviously done it b4(so have i,it's just refreshing to read.)

rover3500 said:

Very good explination Gregrocker,u've obviously done it b4(so have i,it's just refreshing to read.)

About 80+ times here in the month+ since Win7 was released.

People wanna bail out of these dual boots within hours or days instead of weeks or months it took us beta testers.

Each case is its own puzzle with a solution.

I also think this is ready for prime time: Attachment 40031

It rewrites the Win7 MBR.

We need to find out whether it also marks the partition active (should) and whether that overrides the XP without deleting.

Any dual booting beta testers?