How to remove XP from dual boot config?
I've read a lot of posts/articles about uninstalling Vista from dual boot system. But I wanna keep it and remove XP. My system is configured like this- disk C: boot with XP instalation, disk D: Vista instalation (2xHDD raid array - NForce4 - so I cant just do clean install, until NVidia publish valid SATA raid drivers), and some other disks with data (E: & F:)...
I wanna remove XP so I could make another raid array (join C: and F: disks) and speedup a system little more, since everything (almost :) I need/use works just fine with this setup.
I've tried removing boot disk C: and 'repairing' boot configuration for disk with Vista instalation, but I can't do it - DVD setup doesn't load SATA driver, so I don't see diks D: at all. No other ideas...
Can anyone think of some kind of solution for this? Would some third party s/w, like Partiotion Magic, help?
Thanks,
Sasxa
Answers
To make your Windows starts Directly without prompting for Boot screen, do the following steps:
Control Panel> System and Maintainance>> System >> Advanced System Settings (On left tab), then select Advanced from the tab and click Settings in Startup and Recovery ... uncheck Time to display list of Operating systems then select Ok.
Since it wouldn't be a good idea to attempt to erase one partition and merge them without backing everything up, I would recommend just erasing it all and starting over.
Andre Rivera
All Replies
Since it wouldn't be a good idea to attempt to erase one partition and merge them without backing everything up, I would recommend just erasing it all and starting over.
Andre Rivera
Hello Sasxa
I'm no expert on this since I only started working with Vista today ;-) But i think I can send you in the right direction.
In the "old" windows XP you can alter the boot.ini file (the file that gives you the choice to choose the operating system to boot).
If you open the boot.ini file on your xp system you will see a message above saying the boot.ini file on Vista can be altered using a command (something like bcboot.exe). You have to startup Vista and execute the command. I tried it but got a message that i had no rights to alter this...
But if you can solve this, you should be able to alter the boot.ini file to startup only the vista configuration.
After this you can format the old xp version and you should be ready :-)Hope this helps..
Kind regards Vince
update:
To login as Administrator, you have to enable the "Administrator" account.
My Computer (right click) --> [Manage] --> [Users and Groups] --> Users --> Administrator --> Properties.
Perhaps this solves the security issue
To make your Windows starts Directly without prompting for Boot screen, do the following steps:
Control Panel> System and Maintainance>> System >> Advanced System Settings (On left tab), then select Advanced from the tab and click Settings in Startup and Recovery ... uncheck Time to display list of Operating systems then select Ok.
- I have the same problem, what ahmhdy descripes removes the annoying messages but not XP (obviously). I'm worried that formatting the drive with XP on will remove my MBR
I'm contemplating the same maneuver. Can't you use EasyBCD to remove XP within Vista, then use something like Acronis Disk Director to adjust or remove the partition?
I will be doing the same. I haven't yet but studied procedures from Microsoft and others. The best so far is following the steps from EasyBCD.
1. Will just format drive(raid) system XP in located.
2. Set BIOS to Boot to drive(raid) Vista is located.
3. Follow steps to recover Bootloader (which was on the XP drive that was formated)
http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/EBCD/Recovering+the+Vista+Bootloader+from+the+DVD
St-Law
- Hi Team, You have a great source of info here. My setup is a litle different again (how many times have you heard that). I have a PC with windows Xp Pro on it, installed on “C:”. I bought a second drive and installed it “D:” On this second drive I installed Vista Ultimate with dual boot capability. I am now familiar with Vista and wish to remove the dual boot capability and remove the old C: So I can use the old drive as a backup drive in another machine.
I removed the old C: which by the way is now D: as it was renamed during the vista install. This caused my machine is fail to boot. Using the Vista DVD I asked windows to fix startup errors but this did not work. It told me I didn’t have a bootable drive.
Do you have a suggestion or solution I might try. Thank you in advance. Regards Gavin - ok well i'm aware of how to do that in XP, but i've got dual boot going one one HDD right now, 250g to vista 250g to xp, i would just like to re-format the whole thing and start over however i'm missing my vista business disk somewhere along the way. I would like to know if there is any way to format just half of my HDD or even just set it so that the XP pro isn't seen in the boot options at all, - this is a rather old post but maybe someone may find itall help would be helpful!! -Thanks
- Proposed As Answer bykato654 Monday, December 21, 2009 4:53 AM
ok well i'm aware of how to do that in XP, but i've got dual boot going one one HDD right now, 250g to vista 250g to xp, i would just like to re-format the whole thing and start over however i'm missing my vista business disk somewhere along the way. I would like to know if there is any way to format just half of my HDD or even just set it so that the XP pro isn't seen in the boot options at all, - this is a rather old post but maybe someone may find it
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/itdojo/?p=1306all help would be helpful!! -Thanksgo watch this video. it helped me remove it. But he use windows 7 as the example, but that and vista are pretty much the same.
