Solved Uninstalling Windows 7 without formatting.

[BertieBassett]

I'm currently having a new PC built which utilises my 2 existing 1TB drives. Windows 7 is installed n one of these.

It has been suggested that a small SSD I have is used as the OS disk and thus kept separately from all the other work, which makes sense to me. The question is: how can I remove the OS from the original HDD without compromising the rest of the data on the disk?

Any help or advice gratefully received.

 

[theog]

Mark the Windows 7 HD Drive INACTIVE
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/197157-partition-mark-inactive.html
This will stop the Windows 7 install on that HDD from booting.

 

[BertieBassett]

Mark the Windows 7 HD Drive INACTIVE
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/197157-partition-mark-inactive.html
This will stop the Windows 7 install on that HDD from booting.

Thanks theog. I like a simple solution

 

[gregrocker]

Be sure to install the new OS with the SSD plugged in alone.

Then you can link the User folders on the HD from Win7 to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums.

This avoids Win7 backup imaging from deeming the data drive as a System drive if you instead move the User Folders - Change Default Location.

Eventually you'll want to delete the HD OS which is best done by deleting its partition, so you might want to move the User folders off its partition now before linking them from the new Win7, or moving it's User folders to them.

 

[BertieBassett]

Much appreciated gregrocker

 

[gregrocker]

No prob, glad to help.

You can shrink the HD OS partition this way: Partition or Volume - Shrink if to the right, or use Partition Wizard Resize Partition Video Help to shrink to the left. Don't add another Primary partition if you reach limit of 4 Primary or 3 Primary and unlimited Logical it wants to convert to Dynamic.

If you have any problems just post back with a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image - Windows 7 Help Forums