dual boot reformat questions

Bare Foot Kid said:

Don't forget to post back the with outcome.

ok so i did that and it did not boot into xp but rather it came up something about making a dos disk and had options about AHCI and stuff.

What type of HD are using IDE or Sata?

Can you post your specs.
Filling out System Specs

Do you want to reinstall Win7? Or just format and use it's HD for something else?


To recover the System MBR into XP, you need to unplug the Win7 HD, boot into XP CD to run a Repair Install: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operat...txprepair1.htm

After XP starts up, plug back in Win7 HD which can now be booted separately via the BIOS one-time Boot Menu key, or you can format it in XP Disk Management or using this method: SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

gregrocker said:

Do you want to reinstall Win7? Or just format and use it's HD for something else?


To recover the System MBR into XP, you need to unplug the Win7 HD, boot into XP CD to run a Repair Install: Repair Windows XP - How to Perform a Repair Installation of Windows XP - Part 1 of 2

After XP starts up, plug back in Win7 HD which can now be booted separately via the BIOS one-time Boot Menu key, or you can format it in XP Disk Management or using this method: SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

If possible i need to reformat the drive with just win 7 on it and re install win 7 back on it.

thanks

devan5 said:

gregrocker said:

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

If possible i need to reformat the drive with just win 7 on it and re install win 7 back on it.

thanks

Clean Install Windows 7

Bare Foot Kid said:

Thanks Greg, I saved that link I couldn't find the one I thought I had.

This is the more popular one but it tends to confuse people with all of it's side warnings: How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install. Kept me up all night first time I did one.

Compare them and tell me which one you find easiest to understand. They both have their weaknesses. Nothing close to a SevenForums tutorial is available that I can find.

devan5 said:

If possible i need to reformat the drive with just win 7 on it and re install win 7 back on it.

thanks

In that case, you can try doing a formatted clean reinstall of Win7 while XP is still plugged in as it should auto-configure the Windows Dual Boot again.

You should only need to Repair Install XP if you want it to boot independently via the BIOS boot order or one-time Boot Menu key accessed by tapping the key given on the first boot screen or in your mobo Manual.