system optimisation: assistance with deleting vista

[biggles11]

When I bought my new computer I had the HDD from my old computer (which ran vista) installed into the casing of my new system and used as a backup drive. it works fine, the only problem is the drive still contains vista which is taking up valuable space. My main question is, what process should I use to eradicate vista from the drive, without harming any of the files or games I have a run off that drive (but still through win 7 on my main HDD).

 

[bbearren]

If the Vista installation is on a separate partition on that drive, you can get rid of it just by formatting the partition. But that's probably not the case.
Have you tried taking ownership of the Windows folder and then deleting it?

 

[windude99]

In Windows 7: Go to start, then right click on comnputer and click manage. Once Computer Management comes up, click on disk management in the left pane. Now, right click on the Windows Vista Partition and select delete. Once it has deleted, right click on your Windows 7 partition and select expand. Click ok on the dialog boxes that pop up.

 

[Sir George]

In Windows 7: Go to start, then right click on comnputer and click manage. Once Computer Management comes up, click on disk management in the left pane. Now, right click on the Windows Vista Partition and select delete. Once it has deleted, right click on your Windows 7 partition and select expand. Click ok on the dialog boxes that pop up.

The OP stated this is an old drive used as a backup in his new system, so he won't see a Vista Partition on the drive with Windows 7. Additionally, if it were located on the same disk as Windows 7 and he deleted the partition he would lose his other files as well; since he asked:
"what process should I use to eradicate vista from the drive, without harming any of the files or games I have a run off that drive"
that doesn't sould like it would work out very well.

Maybe I am missing something in your reply. Please let me know if that's the case.

 

[windude99]

In Windows 7: Go to start, then right click on comnputer and click manage. Once Computer Management comes up, click on disk management in the left pane. Now, right click on the Windows Vista Partition and select delete. Once it has deleted, right click on your Windows 7 partition and select expand. Click ok on the dialog boxes that pop up.

The OP stated this is an old drive used as a backup in his new system, so he won't see a Vista Partition on the drive with Windows 7. Additionally, if it were located on the same disk as Windows 7 and he deleted the partition he would lose his other fiels as well; since he asked:
"what process should I use to eradicate vista from the drive, without harming any of the files or games I have a run off that drive"
that doesn't sould like it would work out very well.

Maybe I am missing something in your reply. Please let me know if that's the case.

Oh. Whoops! Yea DEFINATELY don't want to do that

 

[gregrocker]

Please post back a screenshot of your maxmized Disk Management drive map with listings, using the Snipping Tool in Start Menu. Screen Shots

We can advise you best once we see this on how to delete Vista partition after moving its files off which you want to sav.

 

[windude99]

Please post back a screenshot of your maxmized Disk Management drive map with listings, using the Snipping Tool in Start Menu. Screen Shots

We can advise you best once we see this on how to delete Vista partition after moving its files off which you want to sav.

THAT's what I meant lol

 

[gregrocker]

My guess is OP has the files/games on secondary HD on another partition, or should.

If not then I'd back up files to Primary, external or shift them to another partition shrunk out of Vista so that Vista can be properly deleted in Disk Mgmt, then created into a data partition or added to an existing HD data partition.

Games if on the Vista partition would need to be reinstalled.

Only as a last resort would I delete the Vista Windows folder as it is problematic to do and leaves residue.

 

[bbearren]

Only as a last resort would I delete the Vista Windows folder as it is problematic to do and leaves residue.

I agree, it is messy. I haven't worked a lot in Vista, but most of the OEM installations I have dealt with had only two partitions, a recovery partition, and the rest of the drive was the Vista partition.

 

[gregrocker]

It could be done by now if the OP was still around.

 

[biggles11]

sorry I wasn't around, I had school and sleep to catch up on

wow lots of interest taken in me, I feel special ^_^

in any case, moving files to another HDD would be very difficult and time consuming, as our only external HDD is too small to contain the files I would need to move.

What do you mean by "on a seperate partition"? All I know is that my old PC came with windows vista installed, I then installed my own games and stuff onto it, before plugging it into my new computer. (over several years of course)

Also greg, what exactly do you want a screenshot of? my disk manager?

 

[EzioAuditore]

Also greg, what exactly do you want a screenshot of? my disk manager?

Hit Windows key+ R, type diskmgmt.msc , maximize the window and post its screenshot.

PS: Windows key is the key between Ctrl and Alt with a wavy flag on it.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

What do you mean by "on a seperate partition"? All I know is that my old PC came with windows vista installed, I then installed my own games and stuff onto it, before plugging it into my new computer.

It isn't clear from any of your posts if you have 1 hard drive or 2.

Not to be confused with 2 partitions on the same hard drive.

That's why we need to see the pic of Disk Management.

If you have 2 separate hard drives, with Vista on one and Windows 7 on the other, it's a simple fix. If you have 1 hard drive with multiple partitions, it's a little more complicated.

 

[gregrocker]

Waiting for the Disk Mgmt screenshot. Tell us what is on each partition or HD.

Also answer these questions: Are you running programs/games or accessing files which reside on the Vista partition or Hard Drive from Win7?

What exactly on the Vista partition or Hard Drive to you want to save?

 

[biggles11]

aaah I see lol.

I have two physical hard drives.

a 250gb one which is running windows 7 (main HDD)
a 320gb one from my old computer with the defunct vista and many of my files on. (second HDD)

As for the disk management, I'll take a pic in a moment and upload. Shouldn't be more than 5 minutes.

 

[biggles11]

 

[biggles11]

Waiting for the Disk Mgmt screenshot. Tell us what is on each partition or HD.

Also answer these questions: Are you running programs/games or accessing files which reside on the Vista partition or Hard Drive from Win7?

What exactly on the Vista partition or Hard Drive to you want to save?

just saw this question

Yes I am running games and accessing files on the vista HDD

 

[gregrocker]

How are you accessing your data now from Win7 which resides on the Vista HD? Is it organized into User folders or random folders linked via Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums?

How are you running Programs which are installed to Vista from Win7? Those programs would normally need to be reinstalled to Win7.

Answer these questions to proceed.

Although it is not the cleanest uninstall we can help you delete Vista Windows folder and link the remaining User folders and data folders to Win7 libraries as shown in the blue tutorial above. Organizing data better by sorting into User folders would make it easier, then any remaining files can linked via Library if you want easy access from Win7, or considered storage.

 

[biggles11]

I'm not entirely sure, After both HDD's were installed in my new PC I booted it up and I could access both HDD's and all the files/games on them as normal.

 

[gregrocker]

Are you saying you're able to play games installed to Vista from Windows 7? This will not be possible if you delete Vista. They should be installed to Win7 anyway. Is this a problem for you?

Exactly how are you accessing your files from Win7? Do you browse into E to find them, or do you have them linked to the Documents, Pictures, Music, etc Libraries? Is this how you'd want to organize them now if you'd delete the Vista OS?

The cleanest way to do this is to move the files off of Vista and delete the partition. If it's not possible then you can delete the Windows folder after taking ownership of it, but it requires patience and sometimes drilling down into the sub-folders/files to take ownership using a Take Ownership Shortcut, or by full permissioning Everyone on the File's Property Box Security tab. We can help you do this as you go.

But you should have an idea of how you want to link your files from the remaining Vista partition, and will need to reinstall all of your programs.