Removal of remnants of Windows 7

[s514ltl2]

Recently, I've installed Windows 7 beta under a multi-boot system with

Windows XP, and then I've tried to follow these instructions to remove that:

http://www.*****.com/how-to-uninstall-windows-vista-on-a-multiboot-system/

(those asterisks are "A S K V G")

Yes, Windows 7 really disappeared from my boot list.

But when I've attempted to remove the remnants (e.g. Windows folder of

Windows 7), a pop-up jumped out and told me that there were some

programs still running (even under the environment of Windows XP!).

I've tried to format the whole hard disk containing that folder, but again

I failed. So are there any ways to remove those remnants WITHOUT

making any damages to my current XP system?

 

[Night Hawk]

The answer to that is simple. You removed the 7 entry but not the 7 BCD file and boot loader! You first have to unload all parts of 7 to restore the normal XP boot.

In order to reclaim XP you will have to repair the XP mbr information by way of the recovery console in order to put the 7 loader out of commission first. Then with a few steps more you remove things like the unremovable boot folder seen since Vista placed in the boot partition.

If worse comes to shove a repair install of XP would be the stronger method for seeing XP reclaimed. That would be a last resort since the Fixboot and Fixmbr commands used at the recovery console when booted from the XP full or recovery disk(you do have one don't you?) will see the XP boot information actually rewritten.

 

[s514ltl2]

The answer to that is simple. You removed the 7 entry but not the 7 BCD file and boot loader! You first have to unload all parts of 7 to restore the normal XP boot.

In order to reclaim XP you will have to repair the XP mbr information by way of the recovery console in order to put the 7 loader out of commission first. Then with a few steps more you remove things like the unremovable boot folder seen since Vista placed in the boot partition.

If worse comes to shove a repair install of XP would be the stronger method for seeing XP reclaimed. That would be a last resort since the Fixboot and Fixmbr commands used at the recovery console when booted from the XP full or recovery disk(you do have one don't you?) will see the XP boot information actually rewritten.

Thanks for your reply... but in fact I'm completely unfamiliar with the recovery console and the complicated commands. Can you tell me the exact command codes and steps please? Or are there any simpler methods for me to get rid of Windows 7 completely?

 

[SIW2]

Hi,

You say hard disk - I assume you have two?

Please post a screenshot of Disk Management, like this:

 

[Jacee]

To get there in XP, click on Adminitrative tools, then Computer Management, then Disk Management.

You can take a snapshot with the last free version of FastStone Capture:
Last Freeware version: Renaissance, Quick Mixer, Backup4all, Ram Idle, FastStone Capture

 

[s514ltl2]

Hi,

Here's my screenshot:


I'm afraid that you might not be able to read that coz I'm a Hong Kong person and my Windows is in Traditional Chinese

 

[darkassain]

if you have moved all of your files you can just reformat...

these instructions should work still in 7...
Installing and uninstalling Windows Vista for dual-boot with Windows XP - istartedsomething

 

[Night Hawk]

Which drive letter sees XP? The screen there only shows 2 NTFS volumes since you didn't label the primaries. Most forget to do that and simply run whichever OS is on. Plus all the text besides the drive letters is in Chinese.

With a good custom layout here seeing two OSs on the first two drives you can see why I was asking which partition sees XP on it.



From the screen here you can see that XP and Vista are on two separate drives while the XP drive sees 7 on the second primary there. Just imagine that was Vista instead of 7 being installed after XP and being made the default OS. Or was XP installed after Vista? This is the information needed to help you there.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
1) Delete any spurious boot partitions and w7 partition either from Control panel or use GPARTED disk (download GPARTED ISO -- great free bootable tool FOR PARTITION MANAGEMENT)
2) Insert your Windows XP install disk
3) repair system using management recovery console
4) enter user password if it asks for one. Choose the windows system you want to repair (your XP system)
5) Type FIXMBR

job done -- you'll boot straight into Windows XP.

Incidentally if Windows in on a SATA drive your XP install disk will need to have been "slipstreamed" to include the SATA drive otherwise you'll see the message "No hard disks found" when booting the XP install disk.

(Incidentally if you want to keep VISTA still use this method to initially get XP back first.

Now boot VISTA install disk and simply repair system. The VISTA boot mechanism will create a boot entry for both XP and VISTA.

To dual / triple / n-tuple boot with an XP (or earlier Windows system) the earliest system must be installed first AND be BOOTABLE which is why you need to restore the MBR via FIXMBR. The FIXMBR command doesn't destroy and other partitions on the disk such as a VISTA partition).

Cheers

jimbo

 

[Night Hawk]

You had most of that correct jimbo45. GParted live for cd is an excellent free drive partitioning tool with the latest 0.4.3.2 iso free for download at SourceForge.net: GParted: Files

The documentation for use is seen at GPARTED DOCUMENTATION - GENERALITIES

For seeing the XP boot sector and information restored/repaired you boot from the XP cd and wait until seeing the option to press R for repair bringing you to the recovery console which is a dos type command prompt and then log onto the existing XP installation. There are two commands you would type being Fixboot and Fixmbr to see the new boot information written. That includes the new master boot record(mbr) entries.

If that fails to see XP restored the last ditch option would be performing the repair install method of XP leaving all files and folders intact with the possible need to reinstall some device drivers like video and sound. The remaining programs will still be left intact. A great old article easy to follow on this is seen at How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install

If you later decide you want 7 installed again for another try there's one option many are unaware of for seeing a repair disk created. The option for creating a repair disk is now seen in 7 in the Start>Programs>maintainence options. Note where the mouse cursor is pointing to.



Place a black cd-r in the optical drive and...