Solved Fix dual boot mistake

[Mitch656]

Hi,
So I was dialing booting windows 7 and Windows 8.
I decided to format my windows 8 partion as I did not want window 8 anymore.
Windows 8 was my default OS and before I shut down my computer I forgot to change my default OS to windows 7. Now everytime I boot my PC it goes to windows 8 logo and says "diagonsing PC"
And reboots and does same thing.
How can I boot into 7 I have tried start up repair

 

[gregrocker]

Hey Mitch, long time no hear!

First do Option two of Mark Partition Active on the Windows 7 partition. You can also boot the Partition Wizard CD you have to right click 7 partition to Modify>Set to Active, OK, Apply.

Next from the Win7 DVD System Recovery Options run Startup Repair - Run up to 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts and holds the System Active boot files.

Then open Disk Mgmt, maximize the window, post back a screenshot of your drive map and listings.

 

[Mitch656]

I can get it to select partition, but i can't do the very last step.
When I type active it says no partition selected, which it should because I'm following steps

 

[Mitch656]

Sorry I manged to do the disk partition but it did not work.
Did I mention that its all one partition, it just boots into windows 8 and if I run start up repair it gives me windows 7 or 8

 

[gregrocker]

How did it get to be one partition if you were Dual Booting, which requires two partitions?

Did you delete the Windows 8 partition? How did you do this? Did it try to stop you?

What does Diskpart report when you type List Partition after selecting the disk:

Diskpart
List disk
Sel Disk 0 (are there any other disks listed?)
List partition

 

[Mitch656]

How did it get to be one partition if you were Dual Booting, which requires two partitions?

Did you delete the Windows 8 partition? How did you do this? Did it try to stop you?

What does Diskpart report when you type List Partition after selecting the disk:

Diskpart
List disk
Sel Disk 0 (are there any other disks listed?)
List partition

Ok so I decided I didn't want windows 8 so I formatted partition and merged it back to one. but windows 8 was the default OS so now it tries booting into that
disk part report one partition of 931gb which is its storage.
I did it via partition wizard and I don't have have a CD for it. It didn't stop me.

Kinda getting stressed need to print school assessment D:

 

[gregrocker]

WHen I ask for any other disks listed and you reply one partition of 931gb are you answering my question?

Is Disk 0 the only disk and Partition 1 the only partition of 931 gb?

If so type

DISKPART
SEL DIS 0
SEL PAR 1
ACTIVE
EXIT

Now run Startup Repair 3 separate times no matter what it reports to see if Win7 will start.

 

[Mitch656]

Yes disk 0 and partition one is the only one listed.
Identity what you just said the same method as before? Because that doesn't work

If I was to do the method again, do I run start up then restart computer and do it again or click finish cancel and run it again

 

[gregrocker]

You need to restart between each repair to see if Win7 starts. It may not take 3 repairs.

If this fails, boot back into Command Line to type:

DISKPART
LIST VOL
SEL VOL * (replace * with Win7 volume #)
SHRINK desired=50,000

Boot Win8 or Win7 installer to run a rescue install, when it starts boot into your old Win7 install, set it Default with no Boot menu in Control Panel>System>Advanced Options>Startup Settings. Then in Disk Mgmt make sure your old Win7 partition is marked System Active, delete the rescue partition.

If you want to reinstall Win8, I have an exact replica Win7 start menu to replace the crApptastic Button Wall: Ex7ForW8.

 

[Mitch656]

Ok well the first method didn't work I will try. When in start up repair do I select windows 7 or 8.
Ive been checking seven.

I'm trying you second method... Two questions
1. For shrink do I put in square bracets the number.
2. I don't quite get what you mean when boot into 7/8. How does that work?

Edit sqaure bracets don't work. Get error

 

[gregrocker]

Were you running WIn7 Startup Repair?

Type Diskpart command exactly as I wrote it.

When you boot the installer it should show the space you shrunk to create and format a partition using Drive Options: Clean Install Windows 7

Once it's installed and reboots for the final time, reboot again and choose the old Win7 choice on Boot Menu.

Go into the Startup and Recovery options to set the old Win7 partition as Default, uncheck Boot Menu timeout.

Then in Disk Mgmt, confirm Win7 holds the System Active boot files. If so you can delete the rescue install partition and Extend Win7 into it.

If there are problems someone else will have to help you as I'm not staying up with you again all night. You're not as nice as you once were.

 

[Mitch656]

Because I'm on a stupid smart phone and I'm stressed because I need to print assessment.

I get an error when I enter [50,000]

 

[gregrocker]

Drop the brackets.


DISKPART
LIST VOL
SEL VOL * (replace * with Windows 7 volume #)
SHRINK desired=50,000

Are there any other volumes listed?

 

[Mitch656]

I keep getting
"The arguments specifed for this command are not valid. For more help blah blah

If it helps it says volume 0 which is 8,
Fs is UDF
Type. Dvd-Rom

So there is volume 0 which is 8 and volume 1 which I seven

 

[gregrocker]

That's the DVD drive. Did you use the Win7 DVD to do the Startup Repairs? It sounds like you have the Win8 disk in the drive. Otherwise what is 8? You deleted it completely, correct?

You need to figure out which is the Win7 drive. I thought you said there was only one partition.

Type
DISKPART
LIST VOL
SEL VOL # (use # of WIN7 partition only)
SHRINK DESIRED=50,000

 

[Mitch656]

That's the DVD drive. Did you use the Win7 DVD to do the Startup Repairs? It sounds like you have the Win8 disk in the drive. Otherwise what is 8? You deleted it completely, correct?

You need to figure out which is the Win7 drive. I thought you said there was only one partition.

Type
DISKPART
LIST VOL
SEL VOL # (use # of WIN7 partition only)
SHRINK DESIRED=50,000

I am using windows 7 disk. There is only one partition that what it tells me. Windows 8 is only 231mb
When i try to instaill 7 there is only one partition listed.
How do I figure out drive??
Is there a way to spilt the drive in half on the installatio
n screen so I can instaill 7
In start up repair am I ment to select seven or 8 as OS.
I select 7

 

[gregrocker]

Yes, you can use the Partition Wizard disk we made that time to Resize the partiiton.

What do you mean Win8 is 231mb? I thought you deleted it and extended the Win7 partition over it? Did you delete Win8 or not?

Post back everything that's given when you LIST VOL

 

[Mitch656]

I don't have a partition CD.
Well I through I deleted 8. I do what I normally do(done it a number of times)
When I select list I get
Volume 0 ltr: D. Label:GRMCHPFTER. Fs: DVD-ROm SIZE:2386mb status healthy.
Volume 1 ltr c. Fs NTFS type partition size 931gb. Healthy.


If start up repair it says win 8 partion 0mb

 

[gregrocker]

Type:

DISKPART
SEL VOL 1
SHRINK DESIRED=50,000
EXIT

Install Win7 or Win8 to the space you shrunk.

At this screen during install, highlight the space you shrunk, click New to create a New partition, then click Format to format it. Do not touch the old Win7 partition!



Then click Next.

 

[Mitch656]

I always get error when I shrink. The arguments specified for this command are not valid for more help blah blah
Will using partion wizard be easier?
If so I might be able to access a computer, but how would I burn program to dvd and start it