Bootmgr - Move to C:\ with EasyBCD

Bootmgr - Copy to C:\ with EasyBCD

   Information

Copying the bootmgr from the 100MB active partition or the recovery partition to C:\ is extremely simple with EasyBCD. You can download a free EasyBCD from this website.

The bootmgr will not be moved from the original location - it will only be copied to the C:\ partition. The C:\ partition will be activated and the 100MB partition will be deactivated.

NOTE: The free version download of EasyBCD is at the bottom under "Download free for limited, non-commercial use". Registration is not required to download.

The steps to take are very simple and explained in the 2 pictures. The first screen you get after starting EasyBCD and the second screen after step3 of the first screen. That is really all you need to know.

 

[farmerinthedell]

Hello, here is my situation.
I just purchased a refurbished laptop and when I turn it on the 'Windows Boot Manager' screen comes on with two choices to boot into:

Windows 7
System Restore

It seems to boot into Windows 7 ok.

Here is what the Windows Disk Management looks like right now:



When I boot into the Minitool Partition Wizard CD it shows that the System Partition has:

Capacity of 8 GB

Used Space of 192.28 MB

Unused Space of 7.81 GB

My first concern is that I would like to be able to boot directly into Windows without having to go through the Windows Boot Manager

and secondly, I would like to get rid of the 8 GB partition and possibly add it to the Windows partition.

Is this the right plan to get this done?

1) Move the Bootmgr to C:\ with Easy BCD

2) Using Partition Wizard format the 8 GB partition and then extend C into the unallocated space.

Will doing the above allow me to boot directly into Windows without having to go through the Windows Boot Manager screen?

Is there anything else I need to do?

TIA.

 

[whs]

In theory your plan is OK. What is strange though is that Disk Management shows the 8GB partition as 100% free and PW shows 192MB of data which could be the bootmgr (it's a bit big though).

 

[farmerinthedell]

Thank you for your quick response to my post.

Yeah, I am not sure what is going on here.

I used EasyBCD to move the bootmgr over to the Windows drive and now it is the active drive.
However, when I deleted the 8 GB partition and tried to move the Windows partition in to the new unallocated space, PW would not let me move into all of the 8 GB.
8 MB of the unallocated space was left. No matter what I tried it would not budge so I made a partition of it.

Here is what my hard disk looks like currently in Disk Management:



(ignore Patriot (G drive, it is a removable USB drive I had connected when this screen shot was taken.)

Now that I can see the Mystery drive in Computer I opened it up to see what was on there and the window is empty! Even after I enabled 'show hidden files and folders'.

Here are the Mystery drives Properties:



Oh, and one last thing… when the laptop is booting up, it still boots into the Windows Boot Manager with the same 2 options to boot into as before.

Any suggestions for me?

 

[whs]

Clean the bootmgr. See Step3 of this tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/210983-dual-boot-delete-os.html

 

[farmerinthedell]

Thanks again!
That solved the issue of the Windows Boot Manager coming on-screen.
The computer now boots directly into the Windows 7 login screen.

However, I still have not been able to move the Windows partition into that 8 MB partition.
When I delete that partition in PW it is automatically converted into a logical drive (from a primary).
Not sure if that means anything.
Is there a way of finding out what is on that 3.74 MB of used space on that partititon?

Any suggestions for this issue would be great appreciated.

 

[whs]

Here is a way to look at the content of that partition: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/150576-partitions-view-hidden-partitions.html

Else I would forget about the 8MB. It is such a little space and not worth standing on your head for it. But if you absolutely want to add it to another partition, post a picture of your Disk Management and we'll see what is the best approach.

 

[farmerinthedell]

I followed those steps and the only folder visible on that drive is called System Volume Information with one file visible in it called MountPointManagerRemoteDatabase.
A quick online search shows that the folder has something to do with the Restore Point feature in Windows.
When that drive was still visible on my system I tried to delete the file but it did not work.
As of now my Disk Management Window looks like this:



Is there anything I can do to get those files off that partition?
I know it seems kind of silly to do all this work for an extra 8 MB but since this is a new to me computer I would prefer to get it set up just right.
Thanks again.

 

[whs]

I'd rather you left the 8MB alone. It is too much of a risc to muck around with it.

 

[farmerinthedell]

So if I leave the partitions as they are shown in the screenshot from my last message do I have any reason to worry that the hidden partition will cause any issues to crop up in the future?

 

[whs]

Nah, that little partition won't bother you.

 

[farmerinthedell]

Ok, sounds good. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Well done Wolfgang.

 

[whs]

Thanks Ted.

 

[gregrocker]

Looks like they have a boot disk available now. You might want to add it? Easy Recovery Essentials - NeoSmart Technologies



Anyone tried it?

 

[sindm]

Thanks. It helped.

 

[figueroa4]

Awesome! You fixed my computer - been working on it for 5 hours now lol!!

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi Wolfgang,
I guess the boot file has been copied over to C after doing this tutorial but what can we do with the first or original partition it's on
I really don't like the it being on dual boot anymore with this 400mg partition :/
Yikes now it's listed as E
Accessing it says it's empty ?
View attachment 338697

 

[gregrocker]

Delete E in Disk Mgmt, boot Partition Wizard disk, rightclick C to Resize, drag left border all the way to left, click OK, Apply.

 

[ThrashZone]

Thanks Greg,
Looking at the free space on E it does seem to have something on it ?
Can I delete with mini tool ?

 

[gregrocker]

I thought we created that partition a few weeks ago to be the System Reserved partition? Did you change it to C recently? Why?

If you want the 400mb onboard C then resize otherwise you can just delete it as it is useless now that the System Active flags are moved to C.