Delete an OS from a dual booting system
January 21st, 2020
I was wondering if I could format the C: so I could just have XP.
Or does Vista have to be on the D drive for me to delete…
The way you described it…It can’t be done…If you format the C partition which is the active partition…You will loose the ability to boot both OS…
Just remove the line from the boot.ini file present in the C:/ drive
You can’t format your C:/ and still keep one of operating systems as one can be removed.
Just remove the line from the boot.ini file present in the C:/ drive
You can't format your C:/ and still keep one of operating systems as one can be removed.
That wouldn’t work…The boot sector will be gone and boot.ini will be useless…
What happen if I want to do it the other way? like, my vista is on C: and xp on D:, i want to remove D???
If you format the D partition…You can still boot to vista but XP will give an error…
no matter where you put an os or 3 or 4 the boot manager or boot ini will be on the first partition of the first drive
Ok, So is there anyway I can remove vista by installing WinXP on C and then deleting D ?
i am not sure but u may try this.
format drive C then boot with xp cd and select repair startup!!!
i think dat ought to do it .but plzz consult wid others also first coz m not dead sure and 99% m sure itll work:)
Remove the the Vista boot entry from the boot loader with EasyBCD, format Vista partition.
Wow….Format Vista partition = Format the boot partition…
Ok, I already had EasyBCD, but do I just format just by going to the drive and right clicking and clicking format?
Or do I have to do it a certain way
i did that mistake on my netbook this week Had XP + Ubuntu and deleted the Ubuntu Partition which made XP not boot at all. Had to reinstall ubuntu. The new MBR catched XP again; logged on XP. Restored the MBR to the default windows one and removed the ubuntu partition. The MBR data isnt always on C drive it seems otherwise i would be able to log on XP (which is drive C) after deleting ubuntu’s partition for the 1st time
Wow....Format Vista partition = Format the boot partition...
Doesn’t matter if the boot entry is removed then the XP entry will be the only one in the loader. EasyBCD will remove the Vista bootloader and install the XP one leaving just XP to boot from allowing Vista to be removed.
Vista partition = C partition = boot partition = Active partition…
You format it you might as well install a fresh Windows XP…
Vista partition = C partition = boot partition = Active partition...
You format it you might as well install a fresh Windows XP...
What do you mean by fresh?
(sorry I am only 16 and have not experienced this kind of stuff)
What i think you should do is: (back up the things you need first)
1. Download A bootable Vista / XP / Windows 7/ any other os. ( or just use a cd you already have)
2. Reboot and install the os over the partition you don’t want and delete the other one
3. Reinstall all the drivers and programs you need/want
4. Copy back all the files you need /movies /documents you want
5. It will then be almost the same as before-just takes a bit of time
Thats all, good luck
or better just pop in the xp disk and do a repair it will restore you boot sector and recplace the vista one with the xp one and make your xp C. then you can just format the other drive
No problem. Format C:, then boot with XP CD and start recovery console to fix your boot partition, point the system to D: and you will be fine.
Just remove the line from the boot.ini file present in the C:/ drive
You can't format your C:/ and still keep one of operating systems as one can be removed.
No problem. Format C:, then boot with XP CD and start recovery console to fix your boot partition, point the system to D: and you will be fine.
So who is right?
suggestion might work if you are wiling to have your OS in the second partition and your primary partition empty…
So is it alright to have my C: drive empty?
Are we talking about partitions here or do you have each OS on a different harddrive?
If you have each on a different drive then modify the boot.ini file in the XP OS to look like this then save it. on the root where it should be. You might see a boot.ini.bak or boot.bak file on the root ……. this will be your original boot.ini file.
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
Go into your BIOS and set your D drive as second boot after your CD/DVD drive.
Using Hirens Boot CD (Partition Magic or Acronis) set your D drive to active and your C drive to none.
Using Hirens Boot CD format your C drive to NTFS.
Reboot your PC.
is right as i said before, just pop in the xp disk run a repair point it to D and it will fix the boot.ini, now comments like and DeadMeet made are correct in a sence but this only applies to XP and under as Vista no longer uses a boot.ini but rather a BCD so there suggestion will have no effect.
So is it alright to have my C: drive empty?I’ve done squirlmans method before. It worked out perfectly for me. I even installed my OS on the D: Drive and left the C: Empty. More like, use it to store extra data. ( Movies, music..etc)