How Remove Bad New Win7 Install from Dual install with XP machine?

[abrogard]

I have an old XP machine.

An Acer Aspire.

I put Win7 Ultimate on it but it hasn't taken. Always gives me an error message and asks for the install disk again - which was a USB stick - but when i provide it nothing changes.

So I need to get it off and start again.

I have 3 physical disks divided into 4 virtual disks.

Disk manager describes them like this:

Disk 0: 20G Fat32 System. That's C drive
Disk 1: 75G NTFS Active That's D drive
Disk 2: 98G NTFS Active That's E drive
135G NTFS Boot That's G drive.

WinXP is installed on the G: boot drive.

I had 20G free on the D drive and I just let Win7 find it and install itself there.

All the advice I find on the web says delete the partition of the Win7 OS you want to remove. Well I don't want to delete that partition because it has gigabytes of data already existing before Win7 installed itself there.

So how do I go about it?

Is it simply a matter of deleting the Windows Folder and editing the boot manager text file?

There was another old XP OS on that drive used before I installed this one on G: and win7 has renamed it windows.old. That's fine. There's also a Program.data folder that seems to have been made at the time of this win7 install. That should go too?

There's also a Program Files folder that doesn't seem to have been made by Win7, because of folder dates. I don't know about it. Is it part of that ancient XP install or is it part of the new Win7 install?

Either way it can go. I don't need that ancient install, it is just rubbish now.

What should I do?

 

[DavidE]

Post a maximized/resized screen print of Disk Management so all info is displayed using these instructions:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

I had 20G free on the D drive and I just let Win7 find it and install itself there.

I'm not sure what that really means, or what would happen installing an OS that way.

I install Windows into a pre-defined empty partition, or into unallocated space.

I suggest using WizTree free so you can more easily see all files/folders on a partition.
It displays hidden and protected files without making any Explorer view changes.
They have a Portable Zip available, no installation needed.
Antibody Software - WizTree finds the files and folders using the most disk space on your hard drive

To me it sounds like your Disk Management is a mess and needs cleanup

 

[abrogard]

Hi,

thanks for your help.

Here's the screenshot. Hope it helps.

 

[DavidE]

You booted XP and it has the G drive letter.
Is that correct ?

When you installed Win 7, did you start the Win 7 install from within XP (while XP was running) ?
When installing an OS it's best to remove all drives except the drive you are installing the OS to.
Starting an install from within a running OS will cause that OS to not get the drive letter C, as it's already in use when the install is started.

Can you disconnect the D drive and see if the system will boot and run Windows ?

 

[abrogard]

That's right, it boots from G. Into XP. After choosing 'old system' off the dos screen list.

If I disconnect any on of the three drives the system won't run.

 

[DavidE]

I don't know what to suggest to clean up your drives/partitions
You might want to look for a XP support site to help with this.

Normally i would suggest moving the boot code to the E partition, so only Disk 2 would be needed to boot up.
But i don't know what attempting that would do with your situation.
You have 2 Active partitions, a System FAT32 C partition, and the Boot (OS) G partition

Also, you are very low on free space on E and G.
Not having enough free space can cause problems.

 

[AddRAM]

I would start all over having only 1 drive plugged in at a time, as suggested, you`ve got a real mess there.

Why or what is on C ? It`s such a small drive, not even worth using.

 

[Layback Bear]

Yes starting over is a great idea.

Disk (0) is 19 gigs. I would not even use such a small disk (drive).
Disk (1) from what I can see is marginal in size for what you are using it for looking at the free space.
Disk (2) is looking good. It would be a good place to install Windows 7 using about 100 to 150 gb partition for Windows 7 and programs.

Just my thoughts.

Jack