Current dual boot-deleting Vista

[Minotar]

Currently i have both Vista Home Premium 64bit and Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit on my pc.

1)
Ive decided i want to get Vista off this PC.

Can i just format the vista partition and add it to the Win7 partition?

Seeing as Vista is the original OS i was afraid i might loose valuable info,im not too worried about applications or documents,i mean drivers etc.

2)
Is there anyway i can put Vista on a CD incase i ever want it back?
I have made a recovery disc,can i boot from this?

3)
Can i install apps from the backup disc or is it drivers only?

Thanks.
Dan

 

[gregrocker]

Assuming Vista is on the first partition, it is occupying the boot sector which makes it complicated to delete without disabling Win7 - you might consider just hiding it in the Computer>Properties>Advanced>Startup panel.

First of all, use Windows Imaging backup to create a backup image of your HDD dual boot, so that you can easily reimage the drive if any of the steps fail, which they might. You can also save that image so that Vista can be reimaged if you ever need it again, however reinstalls are a thing of the past now that MS has brought imaging to the masses.


I have several times in this situation deleted Vista, then moved Win7 into that space and marked active, then run startup repair from the Win7 install disk to recover the boot. I suggest you use a 3rd party disk manager like Easeus or Paragon bootable. Easeus is free and runs from the desktop, going into boot to complete it's work - so cue up all 3 operations above before Applying it as you will not be rebooting until you run the Win7 installer's Startup Repair.

 

[SIW2]

You certainly can and should make drive images as Greg says.

You will not fit an image on a cd - depending how much USED space is on your Vista partition - you might get it on a couple of dvd's - if you use a 3RD party program.

Typically the image will be half the size of the USED space.

The Windows backup image takes a lot of space and is not very flexible

It is included, free, of course and is better than nothing.

There are a couple of free programs that are much better :

Take your pick :

http://www.sevenforums.com/software/31019-new-free-backup-app-paragon.html#post324736


Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download


Afaik - the free Easeus partition manager is only for 32 bit o/s.

This free one is much better :

http://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html

Get the free Home Edition and the Bootable disc.

 

[gregrocker]

I put Backup Images in a primary formatted partition for easy location, then back it up to an external drive in case of HDD failure.

SIW2, can you recommend any better way to delete the Vista and move 7 into first partition's space? I have done this before but would like to have an easier way from the guy who would know the best.

 

[Minotar]

What if i delete near everything off Vista bar the bare essentials and then shrink the volume and put Win 7 as the main boot?

Failing that i could try the above ,but im able with a computer im having a hard time getting my head around the above advice.

I have an idea of what you mean by image from browsing forums but if you could explain it a bit better id be greatfull.

 

[SIW2]

Hi Greg,

Depends on the layout.

Assume it is one HD and 2 partitions - Vista first partition (system) and 7 second partition.

If Vista partition is bigger - boot Partition Wizard, delete Vista partition, copy 7 partition into the unallocated space you just created.

Mark NEW 7 partition active. Run startup repair 3 times.

Boot into new 7 partition - delete old one. Remove old 7 from boot menu in msconfig.

( IF 7 partition is bigger - see if you can easily shrink it so it is smaller than Vista partition).

Very easy to understand and perform that way. Only need PW free app. and 7 dvd/recovery cd.

Of course - make backup image first. You should always have a recent image of all your o/s partition anyhow.

 

[Minotar]

Incase it helps.

 

[SIW2]

Your Vista partition is bigger than the 7 partition - so go ahead.

Grab a copy of Macrium free. Install it on 7. Run off the Macrium boot disc - ( select Linux based and don't format the cd-r)

Boot the cd to make sure it works fine.


Delete any junk from Vista you definitely don't want ( to reduce the amount to image).

From Within 7 use Macrium program to make an image of Vista partition and store it on an external HD if you have one - otherwise store it on E. Select normal compression and High Priority. It will take a while.


Get PW and and follow instructions in my previous post.

 

[Minotar]

Your Vista partition is bigger than the 7 partition - so go ahead.

Grab a copy of Macrium free. Install it on 7. Run off the Macrium boot disc - ( select Linux based and don't format the cd-r)

Boot the cd to make sure it works fine.


Delete any junk from Vista you definitely don't want ( to reduce the amount to image).

From Within 7 use Macrium program to make an image of Vista partition and store it on an external HD if you have one - otherwise store it on E. Select normal compression and High Priority. It will take a while.


Get PW and and follow instructions in my previous post.

Thank you,appreciate it.

 

[SIW2]

When you are ready to use PW:

Boot the PW cd, it asks to select screen resolution. On your keyboard, make sure NUM LOCK is on. Type1, press Enter.

Rt click Vista partition - select Delete -click Apply ( at the bottom left of the screen ).

RT click 7 partition >Modify>Set as Primary, then Apply.

Rt click 7 partition again >Copy , in the scren that pops up click on the Unallocated space you made by deleting Vista. Click OK.

Leave the next screen as is, click Finish. Apply.

It will take a few minutes to copy.

Rt click the NEW 7 partition >Modify>Set as Active. Apply.

Then boot up 7 dvd - when you get to screen saying Install Now - at the bottom of that screen it says Repair My Computer - click that. Run Startup Repair 3 times.

Boot into the NEW 7 - it should be the default anyway - type msconfig in start search - click it - under the Boot tab, highlight the old 7 entry and delete.

You can delete the OLD 7 partition in Disk Management or with PW .

May as well install PW program if you didn't already.

Have Fun.

 

[gregrocker]

Looking at the drive map, my question would be what he needs the recovery partition in the prime real estate for? If it came with Vista, it should go with Vista since it no longer will work anyway. You need to keep your Vista recovery disks separately in case you ever need them (which you won't if you keep an image of the drive).

I'd delete both recovery and Vista and copy 7 into that space. SIW2?

 

[SIW2]

Yes, he could do that if he no longer wants it. Only thing is - you might want to retore to factory state e.g. if you were to sell the machine. If he has Vista recovery discs - then why not.

 

[gregrocker]

Yes, he could do that if he no longer wants it. Only thing is - you might want to retore to factory state e.g. if you were to sell the machine. If he has Vista recovery discs - then why not.

I agree to make the recovery disks as backup before deleting, but my understanding is that the recovery partition becomes disabled when Vista is deleted anyway. Except for Dell apparently, which can stil recover Vista after Vista is deleted. (edit: Dell users posting elsewhere here saying that tip was incorrect - Dell recovery partitions are restored with the disks they create, so they can be deleted once disks are made).

 

[Minotar]

when i run startup repair,how long should it take?

And out of curiosity,why 3 times?

 

[Minotar]

im getting bootmgr is missing
And windows cant repair
Done all of the steps,not sure if i done something wrong?

 

[SIW2]

Is the 7 partition Primary and marked as Active?

 

[Minotar]

Is the 7 partition Primary and marked as Active?

Yes.

I have 2 partitons (Win7) with the same amount of memory used etc.
I have a Data partition
I have 39 GB partition unallocated
And i have a winre partition

 

[SIW2]

Memory? I think you mean space.

You can only have 4 partitions - how come there are 5?

Which show as Primary partitions, and which show as Logical drives?

You had 4 to start - you deleted 1 that makes 3.

You copied the 7partition into the unallocated space to make 4 again.

(If you followed Greg's idea to delete the little recovery partition as well - you would only have 3.)

 

[gregrocker]

Which partitions did you delete?

If you kept the recovery, it might be corrupting the startup since that disk sector contains the boot files. Better to delete the Recovery sector along with Vista, copy Windows 7 into that space and run Startup Repair repeatedly.

You run Startup Repair several times because it doesn't always work the first time if there are multiple problems, especially if it is offered up to you when you first enter the Repair console after booting into the INstaller.

THere are also commands to run from the Repair console command line to repair or rewrite the boot if startup repair doesn't work. Try "bootrec.exe /fixboot" and "bootrec.exe /fixmbr" without quotes.

 

[Minotar]

Memory? I think you mean space.

You can only have 4 partitions - how come there are 5?

Which show as Primary partitions, and which show as Logical drives?

Sorry,yes,space.

Again sorry,one is just unallocated space.

Win7 -primary
Win7-Logical
Data- Logical
Winre- Primary
Unallocated- logical