Change my Windows 7 drive to System Partition?

[diomedes]

So, previously I was running Xp, and somehow it was in a state of decline and decided to move on to Windows 7. I had an alternate internal HD, so I formatted that and installed Windows 7 apparently without issue. Currently I have 2 internals with 2 (more or less) functional OS. BIOS allows me to chose the one to run. However, my unstable XP drive (I'm unsure if the disk or the windows system is causing the instability) is still considered the System partition. I'd like to format it to remove the old XP completely. I'd like to find a way to make the partition that runs Windows 7 the System partition.

This became clear to me when the old drive crapped out and in BIOS i received the cannot find NTLDR (it could not detect that drive, and relied on it's boot files to start up any OS, at least that is my understanding). That old XP drive displays very odd behaviors, and sometimes windows 7 loses detection of it in explorer.

However, when in Windows7, it will not allow me to format the XP drive. Both in explorer and Disk Managment the option is not allowed. Now, how can I change my partition that Windows 7 runs from to be the main system to avoid further problems? And will any further problems go away if I find a way to format and remove the XP system, or is the disk that contains the XP system somehow damaged? Should I go and replace that drive entirely?

Also, my partition containing Windows 7 is also labeled "Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition" in disk management. I've never seen those status descriptions, are they bad?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Arc]

Can you post a screenshot of the disk management window to make the situation clear to us ?

Usually the system partition in windows 7 is the hidden 100 MB system Reserved partition which includes the bootloader in it . Probably it is in your XP partition now . And there should be another question ... which one is the active partition .

Some utilities like Windows 7 installation Disk, Gparted Live CD and Partition Wizard bootable CD can manage the situation, but first of all, the situation isto be clear with the support of a screenshot of disk management window.

 

[diomedes]

Sure, here....
E: is the problematic XP partition
C: is where Windows 7 is running from
D: is just a storage partition, nothing important

 

[Arc]

The most efficient way to recover the situation is to remove (unplug) the disk 2 and then preform a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html , so that it is installed appropriately , with the system reserved partition . Just back your data (that is in C) up before doing it .

If you dont want to do a clean install , unplug disk 2 and then boot from windows 7 dvd . Run http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html for three times with restarts . If it boots up after that with disk 2 still unplugged , you have solved your problem .

Now if you want, you can format your disk 2 . Post back with results .

​

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello diomedes, welcome to Seven Forums!



The easiest way to do this would be to disconnect the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) that contains XP and in the BIOS set the Windows 7 HDD as the second boot device after the CD-ROM then boot the Windows 7 DVD or a created repair CD and run the startup repairs discussed in this tutorial at the link below to create the boot files to the Windows 7 partition.


Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

 

[diomedes]

Well, it was early on in the process, so re-installing is not a big setback, I did not start installing apps into the Win7 i created. Doing that now, so far everything makes sense and works.

My pc states specifically states that it *supports* 64 bit. Does that actually mean it is 64 bit? Or that I can run windows 7 64 bit on it? In most of the properties when in windows explorer i look up the specs on it, it does not state anything about 64 bit. But in BIOS when i was messing around in the F2 menu it said it was supported.

I set the current installation for 64 bit, could someone confirm? It is not however a powerful computer, which would generally match the specs for 64 bit (sorry, I did not get the data, which I should have, it's installing now).

edit:
here are the stats
Intel Pentium E2140 @1.6Ghz
1.08 single channel DDR2 256mhz
Conroe motherboard

well, the 64 bit works, but I think it lags here and there. Should I go back again and re-install 32 bit again?

 

[Lunarpancake]

when it says it supports 64 bit that means you have the option of running 64bit if you choose. You can still install 32bit (x86) OS's on it too.


I believe the recommended system specs for windows 7 x86 vs x64 are the same with the exception of supported amount of ram. You should be fine!

 

[diomedes]

I think I recall reading somewhere that about 4Gb of ram is required for 64bit windows 7? I have a measly 1 GB of ram. Is that really ok?

 

[Arc]

You can use either version (32 bit or 64 bit ) of Windows 7 Home Premium with your existing license . To run 64 bit properly, you ill need at least 4 GBs of RAM .

If you want to install 32 bit after installing 64 bit , you have to do a clean install with 32 bit OS .

 

[diomedes]

Ok, well the system runs ok for now. Can I just go out and buy some extra Ram and plug it in, while I let it run in less than ideal circumstances for a couple days? Is it that simple? Also, my version of Windows 7 is the Ultimate. I do not know if that changes anything.

 

[Arc]

Ok, well the system runs ok for now. Can I just go out and buy some extra Ram and plug it in, while I let it run in less than ideal circumstances for a couple days? Is it that simple? Also, my version of Windows 7 is the Ultimate. I do not know if that changes anything.

Sorry I mistaken ... Yes you can use the either version of Ultimate with the same license . And if you plan to buy more RAMs , match it with the FSB of your existing stick , otherwise it will show an average result .

 

[gregrocker]

When you have separate HD's always unplug the other OS HD when installing a new OS, then when you plug the old HD back in set the preferred OS HD as first HD to boot in BIOS setup, choose the other OS HD using the one-time BIOS Boot menu key.

This keeps the HD's independent to come and go as you please.

Were you able to recover the System boot files back into Win7 by running Startup Repair x3? Should be no problem since its marked Active.

 

[diomedes]

Well, looks like almost everything works. I unplugged the old XP system partition, when I did the boot complained about the NTLDR, naturally. So then I re-installed 32bit Windows 7 Ultimate on the intended partition. Clean install, reboots fine, with the other partition unplugged (unlike earlier). So that's solved.

My Windows 7 works nicely now. Thing is, I plugged that XP partition back in, and went to transfer stuff off of it. Of course, the window involving that data froze. Fortunately I have a last resort backup, so I went to format that troublesome drive instead. It would not let me! Checked in Disk Managment and it's still considered the system partition! This makes no sense since I installed Windows 7 with that XP partition unplugged, and it works and boots independently just fine.

Should I just unplug that drive and throw it in the trash?

 

[gregrocker]

Both Win7 and XP are now System Active so either can still boot and are protected from accidentally being deleted or formatted.

Make sure your last resort backup works and the files you need are copied over and in place. If not you can boot XP by choosing it from the one-time BIOS Boot menu given on the first boot screen.

Once you know you have no reason to boot or use XP HD again, wipe the HD using Diskpart "Clean All" from Command Prompt at boot, then reformat in Disk Mgmt:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/682-command-prompt-startup.html

 

[diomedes]

Well, I was about to do that but before I reboot to go hunting for that drive, does this mean anything:

I went to "clean" it out just now, but Disk Management is not acknowledging it currently. The system appears to have lost connection to it. That's usually triggered by my accessing it in explorer, or even trying to transfer data. Either way, it's vanished. Now, if i reboot, it won't be there. But if i shut the pc own completely, then restart it, the system will then notice it again.

So before i restart again and go ahead, just wondering since that's rather unusual. Is the disk damaged?

 

[gregrocker]

Do you have hot plugging? If not I wouldn't plug or unplug HD unless you've powered down.

If you're sure you have all the data off of the old XP HD:

Restart with the drive plugged and Win7 DVD in the drive, boot DVD, press Shift F10 at first screen, type in Command Box:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (replace # with the HD # you are sure is old XP HD by size and position)
CLEAN ALL (takes about an hour per 320gb)
EXIT

If you have questions about this or any other HD, run the maker's diag/repair full CD scan: http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287 followed by http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html run from the DVD Command Line.

 

[diomedes]

shift + F10? That does nothing. I had the 7 boot disc in too.
In my startup it's F2 = run Setup, F11 = Boot Menu
Which one of those is the one to get to the command box?

And those are disc images to repair my diagnose my Western Digital drive? That means I need to re-install nero to make a boot disc. Ick....I'll deal with the format\clean 1st.

 

[gregrocker]

Use ImgBurn at 4x speed to burn bootable disks. http://download.cnet.com/ImgBurn/3000-2646_4-10847481.html

Shift+F10 will normally open a Command Prompt at first screen when booting the DVD, which is better to use if there are possible HD problems. If not, on second DVD screen select Repair My Computer, click through to Recovery Tools list (after it discovers installation to repair) and open Command Line there.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again diomedes.



Have a look at Method One to see what he's referring to with "Shift + F10" at boot.

DISKPART : At PC Startup

 

[diomedes]

Thanks BarefootKid, that clears up some part of it. I'll try to look into that.

If you have questions about this or any other HD, run the maker's diag/repair full CD scan: Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp. followed by Disk Check run from the DVD Command Line.

Download an image to make a boot disc? But that site for my SATA drive only has an exe file diagnosis. And I have no idea what DVD Command line means, that link brings me to instructions that right click the drive in explorer and select a Error checking process.

I'll try the two diagnosis tools, but I still don't know anything about finding a dvd or boot disc to fix the drive.

Sorry, I'm only good with excessively specific instructions, this is not my specialty, I am learning as I go.