Deleting Dual Boot and Keeping Vista

[alex.haden]

Hello Everyone!

Probably an easy question -

I have XP installed on C:\ which is also the boot drive

and i have Vista on D:\

Now i have not used XP for ages and ages - so i wanted to delete it.
I was happy to delete just the folders - freeing up some space.

Howver some files VISTA just wont delete for some reason, leaving me
with a messy looking directory structure - i know its less than 3mb
that this is taking up - but its winding me up.

What i would like to do is

1) format c:\
2)Keep Vista on D:\ and just reinstall the boot loader stuff on c:\

Is that possible without a full reinstall?

Thanks

 

[- Bobb -]

Hello Everyone!

Probably an easy question -

I have XP installed on C:\ which is also the boot drive

and i have Vista on D:\

Now i have not used XP for ages and ages - so i wanted to delete it.
I was happy to delete just the folders - freeing up some space.

Howver some files VISTA just wont delete for some reason, leaving me
with a messy looking directory structure - i know its less than 3mb
that this is taking up - but its winding me up.

What i would like to do is

1) format c:\
2)Keep Vista on D:\ and just reinstall the boot loader stuff on c:\

Is that possible without a full reinstall?

Thanks

To clarify:

1. As for it not deleting files now, did you go into Folder options for C
and have it display hidden files, check the protection on them etc on C so
that all is visible prior to deleting ? Did you get an error when you
tried ? Or just didn't remove them ? What files generate errors? System
files? What type error ?

2. What you mean by " the boot loader stuff on c:\ " ?
Did you install a full version of Vista onto a working XP drive ?
( In which case boot info is located on boot part of drive - not C: )
Using a boot loader program ? ( Like Easy BCD on C: )
Or did you install a full (upgrade ?) version of Vista onto a working XP
drive and manually edit boot string ?
Make sure those files are not being USED by Vista. ( again - how was it
installed with XP up or boot from Vista CD ? )

3. Is your objective to reinstall XP on C: - or format it and use for
general storage ? ( Boot entry needed or not? As opposed to formatting and
reinstalling an OS there)
If the answer is "full Vista onto XP drive and leave C: non-bootable",
then after removing C files, you just would delete the line referencing XP
partitition in the boot string and change timer to zero..

If all is displayed and still no deletion and IF the files are only in C:\
, then open a DOS window and type
dir c:\ > c.txt
and post the text of c.txt here as a reply.

 

[John Barnes]

Why do you want to keep C your system drive. Are we talking about one
drive, two drives, IDE, SATA or a combination. It should be no problem to
do what you want to do.