Solved Question about Deleting a Dual Boot OS

[totalnoob7]

Hello,
I have a question about deleting an OS from the Boot tab in the System Configuration window.

So our computers are setup in a RAID 1 configuration where everything is mirrored to another physical drive and I guess there is another OS installed. It used to go to a prompt when the PC started to select which operating system and after 30 seconds would go to the default. After a little searching I found we could uncheck the boxes in the startup and recovery under advance system properties and it now just flashes the two operating systems before starting the default OS. My supervisor was wondering if we could get rid of it flashing the two operating systems and just start the default. (I realize this will literally only save .5 seconds, but I said I would look into it. Note: I am not an IT person, I know a little bit and don't mind researching or asking questions when needed (which is most of the time)).

After some looking I have come across the Boot tab in the system configuration and I am wondering if I delete the other OS listed if this will solve the problem AND not screw up the RAID 1 setup and whatever the IT people had setup. The two operating systems listed in the boot tab are:

Windows 7 (C:\Windows): Current OS; Default OS
Windows 7 - secondary plex (c:\Windows)

I really do not want to mess things up, so if it may screw something up I am find leaving it as is. I am just wondering if deleting the OS (secondary plex) from the Boot tab is more of a cosmetic change that will stop it from booting, but not delete it or affect the operations of the PC.

Thanks for any help. Also, as my handle implies I am a total noob about this stuff so avoid big words or small difficult words
PG

ps - oh, I am also wondering why the second OS looks like it is on the C drive?
pps - if I delete the OS is there a way to recover it later?

 

[gregrocker]

Can you post back a screenshot of http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...t-post-screen-capture-image.html#post2261610?

 

[totalnoob7]

Here is a screen shot of my Disk Management screen. Hope this helps.

 

[gregrocker]

You'd think at least once in five years we would have had a good report on RAID with Win7 but once again we have nothing but problems.

In this case your RAID is resynching and in an alert status, which means the drives are not identical. It might eventually synch but it could also mean one of the drives are failing, which can be tested with the maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan.

What I would do is backup your data asap then test the HD's, remove any questionable drive and reinstall WIn7 to a single HD which always works best since RAID is dated now that there is built-in backup imaging, and RAID confers no real advantage since it isn't even redundant and can cause data loss even with a supposed mirror.

 

[totalnoob7]

Thanks for the feedback Greg, I will give it a day or two to see if it synchs and then mention it to the IT people here since that is way out of my depth. Unfortunately, I don't think we are going to be able to get out of the RAID 1 setup since some of the software we are using from a vendor requires it (or so I have heard...that is all stuff that is dealt with above me).

Do you (or anyone else) have any insight on deleting the OS from the boot tab? Will it just be a cosmetic change of the bootup or will it affect anything else?
thanks
PG

 

[gregrocker]

Normally you should be able to highlight and delete the Default OS as shown in Option Two: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2282-default-operating-system-change-default-boot-os.html

 

[totalnoob7]

Right, I am just wondering if I delete the other OS (secondary Plex - see original post) if it will actually delete the OS or anything important or if it will just delete the OS from being a boot up option.

 

[gregrocker]

Msconfig>Boot listing delete only removes the Boot option.

To remove the actual OS one would confirm the remaining OS is independently bootable and then delete the unwanted one's partition. However we cannot see another OS partition, possibly because the disk config is in error and resynching. That should be dealt with first.

It is possible there isn't really another OS there but just remaining boot code that msconfig will delete. This cannot be said for sure without seeing Disk Mgmt with the RAID resynched.

Your IT department should deal with these issues now as it is a critical situation.

 

[totalnoob7]

Ok, here is another screen shot with both drives now healthy, I guess it just needed a little time to resynch.

I take it everything is good and I don't need to contact it?

Thanks for all of your help Greg!

 

[gregrocker]

You're welcome.

I still don't see any other OS partition so it may only be a ghost listing which can be removed as shown in tutorial or by installing EasyBCD to delete its listing there.