Remove XP from Vista - XP Dual Boot

G

Guest

I started with an SATA drive that was running my XP system. I added an IDE
drive to try out Vista, set it up as a dual boot, worked fine.

Now I would like to just run Vista, everything I need to run works on Vista
so I'm good to go. At the same time I'd like to move it to a SATA drive
(either the one running XP currently in the machine, or a new one). I'd
prefer to not reload Vista.

I have a copy of Acronis True Image Home but I can't seem to get this going.
I'm trying to clone the Vista disk to a new SATA drive using the automatic
function but it won't boot from the new drive. I think it has something to
do with the Dual Boot, which I want to get rid of anyway.

Any tips for doing this?
 
G

Guest

So if I delete the reference to XP in the boot menu then it will not require
the XP drive going forward during the boot? If that's the case, then cloning
the Vista drive to another drive would be the next step?

Ken
 
K

Ken

All i know that it removes entries from the boot menu. Probably will see
the xp drive as the drive with the boot info. The only way i know is to re
install vista. Someone else might have an answer

Ken
 
C

Colin Barnhorst

The Vista boot folder will be on the volume used for the first OS installed
on the system. If you installed XP first then the Vista boot folder could
be there and not on the Vista volume, so be careful that you understand this
before wiping the XP volume. Removing the boot options screen entry is the
least of your concerns.

This kb article describes the reverse problem; that of removing Vista:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922809/en-us.
I couldn't find the one that addresses removing XP when Vista is the second
OS installed, but this kb should give you an idea of what can happen. This
is the sort of thing you want to avoid.

Of course, you can always use the Windows Easy Transfer wizard to backup
your files and settings to intermediate storage and then start over to
ensure you get the system just the way you want it.
 
G

Guest

I'm pretty sure the boot folder is on the XP volume. I think I'll have to go
for the settings transfer and start from fresh....but I'll watch this thread
for a little bit before I go through that to see if someone has some ideas.

Who knew....I figured going with a dual boot would be a good way to go with
one OS versus the other....I didn't want to be stuck with it forever...

Ken
 
J

John Barnes

You need to set up the boot on your SATA drive and you need to change the
BIOS to have the Vista drive first in boot priority. Since VistaBootPro
writes to the system drive, it is not going to help you. Your best bet is
to change the boot priority in the BIOS to have your CD drive first, then
the Vista drive. Save and restart with the Vista DVD and start the install.
When you get to the place where you can do a repair, select the startup
repair. This will write to the current system drive which you set as the
SATA with Vista. Restart. I haven't seen this posted as a problem for a
while, but earlier postings said that this had to be done as many as 3 times
before the system would boot. A good option for you is also to unplug the
power from your XP drive when you do this or Vista will give you dual boot
and you will then have to mess with removing it with VistaBootPro later.
Good Luck
 
G

Gary G. Little

Take an image of the Vista install with it's Complete PC Backup. Replace the
OS drives and restore the image from a DVD boot to Vista.
Just remember, the new disc will need to be using the same drive letter as
the Vista installation.
 
R

Reyede

Well, I've tried this twice now and Vista keeps grabbing the D: drive were
it was C: before. It will boot, but it won't give me a desktop. I guess I'll
keep XP for a while. It's the best way to get rid of those pesky shadow
volume files.

Reyede
 

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