2 windows 7's need to get rid of one

[Lansander]

Hi guys
I need help regarding having one dudd copy of windows 7 (recovered) as it says. I cocked it up while trying to install it using my windows 7 upgrade disk (originally i had vista on it untill windows 7 came out)and dont know how to get rid of it. I tried twice doing a clean install thinking it would overwrite it, this second time getting rid of a partition on my drive that has always been there since new. But its still there as an option every time i start my laptop and after a clean install i have only 180gb free of a 219gb hdd. i think having only one operating system would use only 14-16gb. I have done a disk cleanup getting rid of any old version of windows but because this recovered windows (which doesn't do anything when you try to load it) is still current it wont go. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[VistaKing]

Hi Lansander and welcome to Seven Forums .

Try this here . Click on the rb: button type msconfig in Search files and programs inside the start menu press ENTER if you get a USER ACCOUNT CONTROL window click on Yes . Once the System Configuration Window opens up click on the Boot Tab Highlight the recovered option and delete

 

[Lansander]

Hi vistaking I did not expect such a rapid response. Thanks for that I will try tomorrow as its bed time for me now. I will let you know how I get on cheers

 

[theog]

I tried twice doing a clean install thinking it would overwrite it, this second time getting rid of a partition on my drive that has always been there since new.

Can you post a screen shot of Disk management?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[gregrocker]

Once we see the requested screenshot we will help you delete the unwanted Win7 instead of just hide it - so you can recover the drive space and boot files into the remaining Win7.

You also need to become familar with Disk Mgmt so you become the master of your PC and not just install on blind faith. We will explain it to you as we go.

 

[Lansander]

ok cheers you guys. I hope this is readable for you

 

[gregrocker]

There isn't any partition large enough besides C to install Win7 upon, so you'll need to either remove the ghost listing as suggested in msconfig>Boot tab, or install EasyBCD (click Download - no Name or Email required) to delete the entry on the Edit OS menu tab.

in the future follow the steps in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 to get a perfect reinstall, deleting all partitions during install to create new as you wish. It's doubtful Acer Factory Recovery will run now that you've reinstalled but you can test it using Acer eRecovery Management program.

 

[Lansander]

cheers for helping guys. I have done the msconfig thing which has deleted the optional windows when starting but as you stated earlier it has only hidden it away as opposed to deleting it and recovering the hard drive space that its taking up. i looked at the guide Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 and want to know if i can use my windows 7 upgrade disk for that or not? Or failing that how else can i do just a clean install as new? Thanks again

 

[AddRAM]

You have to explore C to see what is taking up the space. You may have a windows.old folder you have to delete. In computer, click on your C drive and if you have a windows.old folder it will be right there in plain site.

And Yes, you can use an upgrade disc to do a clean install, you are formatting your install partition when you do the install, correct ?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

As stated by Greg, you only have 1 instance of windows, so nothing is hiding anywhere. If you mean you had 2 instances of windows on the bootscreen, that is all together different and it sounds like you cleared that up. Let us know for sure.

 

[VistaKing]

He wasn't dual booting Windows 7 . The Windows 7 ( Recovery ) option in the boot manager is that he kept booting to that and didn't let Windows boot on its own when it was installing.

@ ADDRAM ... like you said he should have the Windows.old folder inside C:\

 

[Lansander]

I already got rid of windows.old and freed up about 15gb. I have used windows 7 since it came out. However my external HDD which i have barely used didn't seem to work after upgrading from vista. So recently i tried to go back to vista just to try to recover stuff from my HDD. I moved windows files using comand prompt (following instructions from a web site) and basically cocked it right up! So I did what i thought was a clean install. Thats when i got the extra windows recovery. So not being satified with that i tried again this time removing the partition D drive to see if that would cure it and alarmingly during restarts i seen 3 different windows 7 versions untill it completed itself and went back to 2 copies. It was then that i deleted the windows.old folder and recovered some space. But like i said when i just did this msconfig instruction stated earlier it got rid of windows (recovered) but there is no change to the HDD space, still taking up 41gb

 

[AddRAM]

No one ever said he was dual booting But he has done more then 1 install attempt, which he botched, and sometimes you will get multiple entries on the boot screen.

You should not be moving windows files. And as far as your external, you should be able to hook it up to any pc without problems. If you want to reinstall windows right, let us know and we will be glad to help you.

You need to format the install partition ( C ) when you do the install. The full size of the partition and the empty space should be the same. And you are correct in saying windows should only take up about 16 to 18 GBs.

Please read the tutorial I posted on doing a clean install with an upgrade disc.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

 

[VistaKing]

There is 10GB on the Recovery partition . Id create a recovery disc and wipe that out . My preference

 

[Lansander]

Thanks for the help and advice. You live and learn as they say. And yes i would appreciate any help in doing a CLEAN reinstall. However it is almost midnight here so for now i will bid you all good night and i shall tackle this issue again tomorrow. Thanks again.

 

[gregrocker]

You won't need to make any special steps if you boot the Win7 DVD, it will see the OS on the HD and allow use of Upgrade key during install and activation afterwards.

If you don't have the latest official Win7 installer with SP1 for your version it is in step 1 of Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 to burn to disk or write to flash stick using the tool in Step 2. Then follow the steps to get a perfect isntall.

 

[Lansander]

All sorted

Thanks guys for all your help. So i basically just had to format my hard drive and did a clean install. Now i have 208 gb free from 219. Just one more thing (a columbo moment) regarding my faulty external HDD. Is there any way to recover the stuff (About 80gb) off it. I know that the caddy is not the problem but the HDD itself. But anyway guys thanks again

 

[gregrocker]

Plug in the external via USB to see if it's detected in Computer. If not see if it is seen by Partition Wizard
and if so run Partition Wizard Check File System and Partition Wizard Partition surface test which sometimes can make it readable when Explorer can't see it.

If not you can remove it from the case and plug it in internally to run maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan.