Remove Windows 7 from Dual Boot with Windows 8

netbox

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Hello EF guys ;)

I just want to ask the gurus here;

I wanted to remove Windows 7 from dual boot with Windows 8 and reclaim the Windows 7 partition for backup purposes, and Use Windows 8 as a Main and only OS on my notebook...

Additional info;

I first installed Windows 7 on this notebook and install Windows 8 on new Partition, but now wanted to Use Windows 8 and remove Windows 7...

Any help guys. Thank you.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Pro (SP1 x64) & Win8 Pro (RTM x64)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP G62-340US
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
Please post a screen shot of disk management window.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Please post a screen shot of disk management window.

Thank u for the reply. Which DMW? from Windows 8 or Windows 7?

EDIT:

Ive added Disk Management Window screenshot from Windows 8. Thanks.
Untitled.jpg
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Pro (SP1 x64) & Win8 Pro (RTM x64)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP G62-340US
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
Hi netbox. Welcome to EF.

I dual boot 8 EE x64 with 7 Ultimate x86. You should be able to format and rename your 7 partition within 8 to accomplish your goal of backup. In fact that's pretty ingeneous. I may do that some day.

Now the tricky part -> I'm not as savvy as SWI2 or others here. I'm not all too sure about the boot loader and it's choice to which OS one wants to boot in. That's a program that 8 added during installation and is loaded in RAM so one can make the choice. It is quite advanced in that it also contains advanced repair/restore options much like a repairt disk in the "Default" link at the bottom of the boot screen. I don't know what will happen with this, but I sure would like to learn. I did searches to no avail.

It is a holiday weekend here in the U.S. and people vacation. I don't want to advise you on what to do. I'm learning a lot here as well. If anything this will bump up the post in "New Posts" so as to keep it on top so someone may notice. In the mean time, I'll ask a friend or two that I see are online to look in.

I'll be keeping an eye on this.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer T690
    CPU
    Intel Pentium D Dual Core
    Motherboard
    Acer/Intel E946GZ
    Memory
    2GB (max upgrade)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3000 - PCI Express x16
    Sound Card
    Integrated RealTek ALC888 high-definition audio with 7.1 channel audio support
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer AL1917W A LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1440 X 900
    Hard Drives
    350 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.10
    Thumb drives
    PSU
    Standard 250 watt
    Case
    Desktop 7.2" (183mm) W x 17.5" (445mm) L x 14.5"
    Cooling
    Dual case fans + CPU fan
    Keyboard
    Acer Windows PS/2
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft Arc
    Internet Speed
    54mbp/s
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    Office Pro 2013 / Nokia Lumia 1520 Windows Phone 8.1DP GDR1
That's the thing I want to clarify.

If I do remove/format the Windows 7 partition via Disk Management Tool in Windows 8, do I have to do bcdedit thing to be able to boot properly to Windows 8 since my original setup was Windows 7 was installed 1st and wanted to remove Windows 7 and use Windows 8 single OS...

I did try this scenario before on Windows Vista and 7, but I had problems upon reboot.
I just want to make things easier now, before I face another problem after doing things happened before.

Thank you for your guidance and pointers.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Pro (SP1 x64) & Win8 Pro (RTM x64)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP G62-340US
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64/Windows 8 Consumer Preview x64/Ubuntu 11.04
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Build
    CPU
    Intel Pentium Dual Core E6700 3.2GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS P5G41T-M LX
    Memory
    Strontium 8192MB DDR3 1333Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    msi GeForce N560GTX-M2D1GD5 1GB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    CHIMEI CMV 221D 22"
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 3.5'' 2TB HDD/WD Elements External 1TB HDD
    PSU
    SHAW Viper-1500w Gaming PSU
    Case
    Black eMaxx ATX Mini Tower Case
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 1000
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 2000
    Internet Speed
    100GB @ 4.76Mbps
Thanks much, Jaidyn. You, Brink, and 7F come through again. :)

OK, netbox. Point to the lower left corner of your screen -> Mini Start Screen appears -> Right click -> "Guts menu" appears -> Disk Management. Follow Brink's tutorial.

8 Enterprise Evaluation put my Boot file on my 8 partition as seen below. I would imagine they did this so it's easier to get rid of the old OS, which is 7 in my case. It'll be interesting to see what the next OS does with it.

My only question, is this really what you want to do? Your goal here is to use that partition for backup. DVDs, thumb drives, card drives, external drives, etc. are reasonably priced to do that. Perhaps you would like to keep 7 until you see how you like 8 and/or how it flies? Do you have 7 media to reinstall, if that's the case? Do you have other rigs?

Please let us know how is goes. Good luck.


 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer T690
    CPU
    Intel Pentium D Dual Core
    Motherboard
    Acer/Intel E946GZ
    Memory
    2GB (max upgrade)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3000 - PCI Express x16
    Sound Card
    Integrated RealTek ALC888 high-definition audio with 7.1 channel audio support
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer AL1917W A LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1440 X 900
    Hard Drives
    350 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.10
    Thumb drives
    PSU
    Standard 250 watt
    Case
    Desktop 7.2" (183mm) W x 17.5" (445mm) L x 14.5"
    Cooling
    Dual case fans + CPU fan
    Keyboard
    Acer Windows PS/2
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft Arc
    Internet Speed
    54mbp/s
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    Office Pro 2013 / Nokia Lumia 1520 Windows Phone 8.1DP GDR1
My answer to the original post:

Log in Windows 8.
Format W7 partition.
Open "msconfig" (search in apps).
Delete W7's boot entry.
Reboot.

You should be done.

I hope I could help you :D. Let us know :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Linux Mint 14
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion g4
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2330M CPU @ 2.20GHz
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    1 GB Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic PnP Monitor
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500 GB HDD
JaidynM, HippsieGypsie & Arpan
much appreciated with your help guys, really great to joined here and 7F.

@Arpan: I may try your steps, coz that's what comes to my mind at first ;)

@HippsieGypsie: The menu you've mentioned I called them Quick Admin Tools/Power User Tools. and I asked these questions so if ever in a future I may want to delete Windows 7, I can do it easily without worrying a thing because of all your help.
and yes, I do have OEM Recovery USB Drive for restoration of my Windows 7 that came with this notebook.
I also have Images of my disks saved on external drive for backup purposes, I also have a Windows 7 Universal Disk SP1 (created by me few months ago)
So, i wont have to worry about these things.
the 7 partition that I may want to delete is for my Installer and other files that I may need frequently.
I dont want to delete Windows 7 for now, but honestly Im already used to Windows 8 Start Screen which I didn't like as a Desktop non-touch device user...
Still, Windows 7 Rocks n' Roll :D THank you for your reply and help.

@JaidynM: I think the important steps on that tutorial for me is the easybcd tool, to solve bootmgr, which I had problems before when I was using Vista and 7 and that solves it easily... Thanks for the link and response.

EightForums Rulez ;)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Pro (SP1 x64) & Win8 Pro (RTM x64)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP G62-340US
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
format the drive wit windows 7 .. den go to run .. type 'msconfig' n in boot jus delete the windows 7 .. nw u have ur main os as windows 8 its very simple to do cherz:)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    acer aspire v5 431
    Memory
    4gb ram
    Screen Resolution
    720p
    Browser
    chrome
and you dont need any tool to do that haha
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    acer aspire v5 431
    Memory
    4gb ram
    Screen Resolution
    720p
    Browser
    chrome
Hello friends! I had a lot of trouble. I installed Windows 7 after Windows 8 and now I do not have dual boot. I only have Windows 7. I tried to fix it with EasyBCD, but no option penrtu Windows 8. Can anyone help me fix the dual boot menu?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8 enterprise
Hello friends! I had a lot of trouble. I installed Windows 7 after Windows 8 and now I do not have dual boot. I only have Windows 7. I tried to fix it with EasyBCD, but no option penrtu Windows 8. Can anyone help me fix the dual boot menu?

Have you tried to boot into your USB/DVD with Windows 8 and try to repair it from there?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Pro (SP1 x64) & Win8 Pro (RTM x64)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP G62-340US
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
Thank you, netbox! I tryed that and I succeded with these commands:
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Then it ask if I want to add the new entry, of course, yes! But I think was enough if I'd type simply:
bcdboot.exe X:\Windows , where "X" is Windows 8 partition. I'm not sure of that, but I assume it works! Once again, thank you!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8 enterprise
Hi there
I'd do it this way -- round about but works ( For MBR type Disks). This also has the advantage in that it gets rid of the BCD bootmanager too as well as freeing up the W7 partition.

I'm not a big fan of "specialized" boot systems on Windows --fine on Linux where they belong.

First prep work -- have these tools to hand

Bootable program to restore an image
Bootable W8 install media - preferably on a USB device.
Bootable version of a partition mamanger say GPARTED - freely available on the net.

Now :

1) image your W8 system.
2) download some type of bootable partition manager (I use GPARTED) but take your choice. Make it bootable from a USB if you can otherwise burn to DVD.
3) wipe the W7/W8 partitions (with the partition manager downloaded)
4) create ONE PRIMARY partition say of 75 GB should be more than enough for your W8 system) and set it to ACTIVE.
5) restore your image to the partition you created.
6) Boot -- it WILL EITHER BSOD or report a message lke ntldr / Boot manager missing - no problem -- we would expect one of these outcomes.
7) Now the trick is to boot your W8 install media and chose the Recovery (Repair your Windows system).
8) it should repair the boot mgr - you might have to do the repair two times but should work.

9) enjoy your W8 system and use the spare space for anything else -- enlarge existing data partition or whatever.

I know your method got your system working - but in any case going through the steps I've outlined here is good practice when you really do have to try and re-create the system again.

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
Thank you Jimbo45, but I did it in my way and it works. I explained above in my post. Thank you anyway!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8 enterprise
@Jimbo45: Nice. Thanks for your inputs and tips. I appreciated it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Pro (SP1 x64) & Win8 Pro (RTM x64)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP G62-340US
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
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