Format Hard Drive
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Format Hard Drive
I have 3 separate hard drives with separate operating systems on each drive: (1) Vista Ultimate 64-bit, (2) Vista Ultimate 32-bit, (3) Windows 7 RC 64-bit. I want to reformat (2) but apparently I don't know how!? The purpose to reformat (2) is to use the hard drive as a back-up for the Vista & W7 RC 64-bit systems and other items. I am doing away with the Vista 32-bit system. I would appreciate any guidance you'all can provide.
Jerry Haley
Re: Format Hard Drive
One way is,
you could go to Vista x64 & Rt Clk Computer/ Manage/ Disk Management then Rt Clk the Vista x86 drive & choose "Format".
Then use VistaBootPRO to remove the boot menu entry for (2).
- shreader
- Software Director
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- Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Re: Format Hard Drive
Shreader, I have tried that from all 3 operating systems and it (the computer) will not let that happen.
Jerry Haley
Re: Format Hard Drive
What errors/ warning did you get?
I just tried using Win7 RC x64 & it worked doing a quick format.
I did receive 2 warnings though, but completed the format.
I just tried using Win7 RC x64 & it worked doing a quick format.
I did receive 2 warnings though, but completed the format.
- shreader
- Software Director
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- Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2002 2:25 am
- Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Re: Format Hard Drive
It simply said that it was un-able to reformat. I will try again; then report back.
Jerry Haley
Re: Format Hard Drive
No can do! The error message says it can not reformat the operating system partition! Can I reormat (2) by claiming I want to install a clean W7 and then stop the process after it reformats the drive?
Jerry Haley
Re: Format Hard Drive
The trouble is that (2) is a boot partition and therefore can only be formatted by reinstalling Windows -- which would hose your current multi-boot.
A possible workaround might be to edit your boot options so that the 32-bit option no longer appears, then reboot and go to whichever 64-bit -- then instead of formatting, just delete the contents -- making sure you don't delete the necessary boot files and folders that are located in (2). MAKE SURE you do not delete the boot files, because doing so would make your computer unbootable.
Just delete the folders (NOT the other files) except for the "Boot" folder, which is hidden btw -- and leave all other root content on the drive intact
This should ensure that you would be able to boot, and yet keep your current configuration intact, and yet use (2) for data storage instead of 32-bit Vista...
A possible workaround might be to edit your boot options so that the 32-bit option no longer appears, then reboot and go to whichever 64-bit -- then instead of formatting, just delete the contents -- making sure you don't delete the necessary boot files and folders that are located in (2). MAKE SURE you do not delete the boot files, because doing so would make your computer unbootable.
Just delete the folders (NOT the other files) except for the "Boot" folder, which is hidden btw -- and leave all other root content on the drive intact
This should ensure that you would be able to boot, and yet keep your current configuration intact, and yet use (2) for data storage instead of 32-bit Vista...
- JabbaPapa
- Posts: 9538
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- Real Name: Julian Lord
Re: Format Hard Drive
If you give us a screenshot of Disk Management (top listing and bottom depiction), and indicate which OS is on which drive, we'll better understand your current drive structure I think.
You should be able to delete the drive/partition from your Windows 7 DVD and then run a Startup repair using the Windows 7 DVD and manually add an entry for Vista 64 using VistaBootPRO. I guess you could try copying the folder Boot and the file bootmgr to your Windows 7 drive and perhaps Startup repair will find the current BCD store.
Also, if you change the HDD drive priority and structure in your BIOS, so that the Windows 7 drive is the first HDD and the first boot HDD, that should change the drive tagged (System) in Disk Management and after a startup repair you should be able to boot to all OS's and then delete the partition and format the Vista 32-Bit drive from Disk Management as it will no longer be the drive tagged (System)...I'm guessing that it is that at present which is why you haven't been able to format it.
You should be able to delete the drive/partition from your Windows 7 DVD and then run a Startup repair using the Windows 7 DVD and manually add an entry for Vista 64 using VistaBootPRO. I guess you could try copying the folder Boot and the file bootmgr to your Windows 7 drive and perhaps Startup repair will find the current BCD store.
Also, if you change the HDD drive priority and structure in your BIOS, so that the Windows 7 drive is the first HDD and the first boot HDD, that should change the drive tagged (System) in Disk Management and after a startup repair you should be able to boot to all OS's and then delete the partition and format the Vista 32-Bit drive from Disk Management as it will no longer be the drive tagged (System)...I'm guessing that it is that at present which is why you haven't been able to format it.
Re: Format Hard Drive
When I bought this computer it came with only 1 hard drive that had 3 partitions--55MB, healthy(oem partition); 10 GB Recovery Partition; 455.71 GB, System,Active, Primary partition (Vista Ultimate 32-Bit OS installed). This labeled Disk 0. Vista 64-Bit is on Disk 1, and Windows 7 is on Disk 2. I don't know how to upload image, but that should show my hard drive set-up.
Jerry Haley
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