Removing Dual Boot to XP Drive

[edward2000]

I am having a problem with my win7 installation. I have 2 250GB drives (1 with the original XP on it and 1 other with the new win7 installed on it). After I got all my files moved over and was happy with win7, I set about trying to reclaim the old xp drive to use for storage.

I followed the instructions from a previous post on here about using DISKPART to make the old XP drive inactive and running Startup Repair 3 times. Here are the instructions I was following:

To accomplish what you want you must set Windows 7 drive as first HD to boot in BIOS boot order, mark XP and the Media drives inactive, mark the Windows 7 drive active, then recover the MBR to Windows 7 by running Startup Repair 3 separate times.

Back up your files and a Windows 7 system image externally or to the other drive.

Now reboot, Enter BIOS Setup by tapping key given on first bootup screen, set Windows 7 partition as first HDD to boot, after DVD drive. Save settings and exit BIOS.

Boot into Windows 7 DVD Repair console, click through to Recovery tools list and open a Command Prompt, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (for XP drive)
LIST PARTITION
SELECT PARTITION # (for XP partition)
INACTIVE
SELECT DISK # (for Windows 7 drive)
SELECT PARTITION # (for Media partition)
INACTIVE
SELECT PARTITION # (for Windows 7 Partition)
ACTIVE
EXIT

Return to DVD Recovery Tools list and run Startup Repair 3 separate times to attempt repair and then rewrite MBR to Windows 7.

Check Disk Management that Windows 7 is now System Active so you can now format your XP HD.

However, after using DISKPART and running Startup Repair for the first time, I am prompted to restart and:

1. if I boot from CD and return to Startup Repair, it can't find a problem.
2. if I skip the boot CD, I get the dual boot menu and win7 boots fine (but disk management shows both disks as "active" and the old XP drive still as "system")
3. if I remove the CD before restart, I get an error about BOOTMGR missing, and an option to use Ctrl-Alt-Del to restart.

So, now I am lost again. It appears that Startup Repair is "fixing" the startup by making the old XP drive active again, and I confused about running it 3 times when it can't find a problem.

 

[edward2000]

Here is a screen-grab from disk management console. Also I should not that the my situation obviously doesn't involve the media partition mentioned in the instructions I was following.

 

[gregrocker]

Remove the XP HD, swap its cable to Win7 HD or set Win7 HD as first to boot in BIOS setup (after DVD drive), then boot the Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots.

After Win7 boots on its own, you can replug XP. The HD's will now boot via BIOS, with your preferred HD set to boot first, or trigger the other HD to boot by tapping the Fkey given on first bootup screen for one-time Boot Menu.

If you still want to delete the XP HD, then carefully select DISK then PARTITION using DISKPART, verify twice you have the correct HD/partition, then use DELETE PARTITION OVERRIDE command. I would then format it Logical for data so it cannot interfere with Win7 HD.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766465(WS.10).aspx

 

[Everlong]

The bootmgr error you're getting might be because your HDD boot priority in BIOS is set to the HDD XP was installed on. If you go in to BIOS, and switch it so that the Windows 7 HDD has priority, it should boot straight in to it without errors.

In Windows 7, open start menu and type "msconfig" and launch it, click the "boot" tab, and it will list OSs that are currently installed. Make sure Windows 7 is set to the default one. You can also delete the Windows XP entry if it's listed, too and if you're not planning on using XP.

 

[iphone]

i recommend using Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies to edit your boot order and then format the windows XP partition

 

[edward2000]

Thanks for the replies.

I had already had the win7 drive set to boot first, but the instructions I was working from didn't mention disabling or removing the xp drive before trying Startup Repair. I'll try that when I get home. thx again, everyone.