Low disk space after reinstalling windows seven.

While running diagnostics I recevied error code 0142. I was told by a Dell rep that I needed a new hard drive. I decided to reinstall the operating system using the disk which seem to fix the problem only now I have two windows 7 drives one on C and the other on D. The C drive is labeled recovery and is red; while the other D drive is 0S. I was excited because I now am able to have internet access, but that was short lived because I have low disk space on C and when I ran expree test again I got error code 0146. I formatted the D drive but I do not have an option in the menu to delete it in the disk manager. I have been at it all day and I am at a loss. I need to delete the duplicate of windows 7 and fix the low disk space problem.

Here's the picture.

You used your Reinstallation DVD to clean reinstall onto the Recovery partition. This means it is no longer available if you want to recover your computer to factory condition, unless you made or order the Recov Disks.

However there's no reason you cannot keep the installation if you're satisfied with it. You can delete D and extend C into it's space but first you need to turn off the page file which is stuck on D keeping Disk Mgmt from allowing deletion.

Type Virtual Memory in Start Search box, click on How to Change Size Virtual Memory, follow the steps to choose No Paging File,click Set and reboot.

Now Delete D in Disk Mgmt, Extend C into its space. Turn back on System Managed Size paging file.
Partition or Volume - Delete
Partition or Volume - Extend

Here are some other steps to get a perfect reinstall of factory OEM: Reinstalling Windows 7

Yes I did a clean reinstall because my PC was about to completely crash. I have taken all the prgrams and everything I want to keep already owever from the old drive. I have just had a haed time deleting it. When I right click there is no delete; however it will let me extend it because I formatted it earlier.

It will only let you extend D into the space to it's right which is not what you want. I am assuming the Disk Mgmt screenshot above still holds true.

It will not allow you to Delete D because the Paging File is still located on it and this is viewed as a System File. Follow the steps I added in my last post to turn it off so you can delete D and then extend C into it's space. Then turn Paging File back on which will place it on C.

If this fails, open an Elevated Command Prompt, type:

Diskpart
List disk
Select disk 0 (first confirm Win7 HD is disk 0)
List partition
Sel partition 3 (first confirm by size that D is partition 3 as it should be)
Delete partition override
Exit

You can now use Disk Mgmt to Extend C into the deleted space.

Hi Wolfgang. It's only 15gb. I doubt windows.old could fit on it.

Did you boot the DVD to install Win7? Did you see that you were choosing the Recovery partition? This is why they're labeled.

I already search for the windows.old file and it wasn't there. I'm about to try what Greg is suggesting it sounds like he may be on to something.

In reply to Greg I did boot the DVD.