Partitioning question..

[markst]

Cant remember how to this but here goes. Have Windows 7 RC installed with no problem. Went into msconfig and got rid of the dual boot with Vista. Again no problem, boots right into Windows 7. Problem is I still have the Vista partition ( Drive D: ). How do I get rid of that partition and move that space to Windows 7 ( Drive C. When I go into computer management all I can see to do is Shrink Volume... Any Ideas.

 

[SIW2]

Hi,

In Disk Management, is your Vista partition shown as "System" ?

Please post a screenshot of Disk Management, like this:

 

[markst]

Here you go.

 

[Digger]

Hi,

In Disk Management, is your Vista partition shown as "System" ?

Please post a screenshot of Disk Management, like this:

View attachment 9807

that poor harddrive never gets a breather does it? lol.... true workhorse there for sure... keep me posted on manufacturer and lifespan

 

[markst]

True :

Western Digital Black
SATA II
640 MB
32 Buffer

 

[rkseagle]

It is my understanding that the "System" drive cannot be deleted or you will loose your mounting point to Windows 7. I may be wrong on this and someone will let us know soon enough. Look at it like this, getting to Windows 7 the way you did it requires a "stepping stone" and it you delete that stepping stone, you will sink into a dark hole...

Since your Windows 7 install is fresh and you obviously want to do away with Windows Vista, why not use the Setup program to delete the 1st primary partition (and possibly the second primary on disk 0), reformat it and install Windows 7 onto the first partition and then if you didn't already do so, use that install to delete the second partition and reformat it for whatever...

I don't think you can "extend" the volume backwards and the fact that it is the "System" drive is why you can only "shrink" that 100mb volume (probably not by much either).

Try to keep in my that Windows 7 begins to die off in March 2010 and goes to sleep in June 2010 (RIP). You will have to be doing this all over again when the retail hits the markets.

 

[johngalt]

Eagle - look at his partitions again....

mark - your 'vista drive looks to be already formatted (the one showing up as a new volume).

Windows 7 has 2 partitions, a *small* boot partition and the main system partition - which is all your main drive is currently showing.

It sounds like you're good to go - just reboot and see what happens.

*also*, read How to use the Snipping Tool in Vista - Vista Forums for tips on how to use the snipping tool effectively.

 

[Colonel Travis]

For a proper clean install, use dban.
Darik's Boot And Nuke | Hard Drive Disk Wipe

After 2-3 hours your Western Digital will never know it ever had anything on it.

 

[SIW2]

John is bang on as usual. Should be fine after a reboot.

Just to add to the confusion, the small boot partition contains the 7 boot files - M$ call this the "System" partition, because it is the partition thru which the operating system is booted.

The partition marked "Boot" contains the o/s files of the operating system you are booted into.

 

[johngalt]

Err...

In all my time using Win7 I have always been referring to them backwards....I always call the one labeled System as "boot" and the one labeled Boot, et al. as "System"....

No wonder ppl get confrused (sp on purpose) when I tell them that the small Boot partition is normal

 

[rkseagle]

Windows 7 has 2 partitions, a *small* boot partition and the main system partition

I was basing all my jibberish on the likelihood that he had the Windows Vista previously installed on the "System Reserved" *small* boot partition or more appropriately "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)". Whenever a dual boot is set up the old "C" drive where the Vista resided is renamed "D" and the Windows 7 assumes the "C" title. Not the way it looks in the MBT though, the first primary is going to be the system/boot and cannot be deleted or reformatted using Disk Manager. He can extend it forward from the beginning of partition(1) but he will should not be able to extend it backwards from partition(2).

He will have to start over during Setup and gobble up that partition by deleting all partitions on disk(0) and reformatting the drive in order to use that space effectively. Till then he is probably stuck with it the way it is. Having said that I seem to remember a neat Linux utility that might be able to accomplish what he wants...

 

[SIW2]

LOL John - everybody calls it the boot partition - except M$.

 

[johngalt]

I was basing all my jibberish on the likelihood that he had the Windows Vista previously installed on the "System Reserved" *small* boot partition or more appropriately "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)". Whenever a dual boot is set up the old "C" drive where the Vista resided is renamed "D" and the Windows 7 assumes the "C" title. Not the way it looks in the MBT though, the first primary is going to be the system/boot and cannot be deleted or reformatted using Disk Manager. He can extend it forward from the beginning of partition(1) but he will should not be able to extend it backwards from partition(2).

He will have to start over during Setup and gobble up that partition by deleting all partitions on disk(0) and reformatting the drive in order to use that space effectively. Till then he is probably stuck with it the way it is. Having said that I seem to remember a neat Linux utility that might be able to accomplish what he wants...

You're still missing my point- it seems *more* likely that there is another HD involved, the one *now* marked New Volume, that was *previously* the Windows Vista drive. Notice the size of the current Windows 7 partition - it's 400+ GB, and the New Volume is just a shade under 300 GB....

There is no need to start fresh - reboot and all should be well.

LOL John - everybody calls it the boot partition - except M$.

I know, right?

 

[winrar]

markst...i just try help ok? My english is not so good. I'm have this problem once, and i use Gparted iso (burn on CD-RW or DVD-RW and get first boot with Bios on DVD/CD first). Gparted is security and save tool, and you can change or deleted only partition that you selected. And after you deleted you partition you can reboot in Windows and you can see drive. Or, if you choice more than one primary device (bootable partition) you can choose just "extended" partition and still install seven or only use the partition for your back-up files...Resume: Gparted is a excellent tool to your partition administration...save and FREEWARE...Best regards!!! see this: Modify Your Partitions With GParted Without Losing Data | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials and this for download product: GParted -- Welcome Bye!!!

 

[rkseagle]

Problem is I still have the Vista partition ( Drive D: ). How do I get rid of that partition and move that space to Windows 7 ( Drive C. When I go into computer management all I can see to do is Shrink Volume... Any Ideas.

You're still missing my point- it seems *more* likely that there is another HD involved, the one *now* marked New Volume, that was *previously* the Windows Vista drive. Notice the size of the current Windows 7 partition - it's 400+ GB, and the New Volume is just a shade under 300 GB....

Not missing the point at all, he said the Vista install was on Drive D: (the *small* 100 MB partition at the beginning of Disk 0). If I understand him correctly, he wants to "blend" that partition into the now installed Drive C Windows 7 install. He cannot do that with Disk Manager at this point.

Sure, he will be able to reboot as long as he doesn't disturb the *small* partition. The only way to get it all back together is to start over and delete all partitions on Disk 0 during setup.

 

[johngalt]

Can you explain how to install Vista on a 100 MB partition? Not GB, MB?

That 100 MB System partition is created by the *Windows 7* installer - and it has been doing that since before the original Beta release. I know, b/c until I clean installed build 6801 I could not get that partition to show up - on every upgrade from Vista it would not show.

 

[rkseagle]

Can you explain how to install Vista on a 100 MB partition? Not GB, MB?

Don't ask me, that's where HE said he had Vista installed, I merely commented on what information HE gave to us.

p.s. I know Vista requires anywhere from 20-40 GB of hard disk space but that wasn't the question.

 

[johngalt]

Cant remember how to this but here goes. Have Windows 7 RC installed with no problem. Went into msconfig and got rid of the dual boot with Vista. Again no problem, boots right into Windows 7. Problem is I still have the Vista partition ( Drive D: ). How do I get rid of that partition and move that space to Windows 7 ( Drive C. When I go into computer management all I can see to do is Shrink Volume... Any Ideas.

Please tell me where it says 100 MB partition, - it doesn't

Or else, tell me where that 100 MB partition shows up as the drive letter D: in his screen capture - again, it does not.

you are the one assuming he is referring to the 100 MB partition.

If you know that Vista requires GB of space, then you would have realized that he could not have been talking about the 100 MB partition b/c neither does it say Vista on it, nether does it have a driver letter D assigned to it, and if you had read what I wrote not once but 3 times you'd realize that he had formatted the drive - but most likely Explorer has not updated itself and is still showing a D: drive which 8was* the former Vista installation, an a reboot would solve the issue.

The screen capture that he provided goes a long way to dispelling what it seems he was saying and what is actually going on....

 

[rkseagle]

you are the one assuming he is referring to the 100 MB partition.

My apologies, you are quite correct and I did miss the point. I did assume he was talking about the *small* partition and I was wrong in my advice, sorry.

Robert

 

[YupYup]

Ok now that you guys got that sorted out i want to know how the OP is going to combine his vista with win 7 when they are on separate hard disks.