Install Win7 Over a Dual Boot?

I have Win7 Ultimate, and I want to install it on my MSI-1722, which is currently set up with XP Pro 32 bit, and Vista Ultimate 64 bit, in dual boot format. I would like to use the entire Hard Drive with Win7. I know I will need to do backups of any data and programs I wish to save. My question is whether Win7 will automatically overwrite both partitions if I do the Custom Install, or will it only overwrite the Vista portion? Or can I have it just do an update of the Vista portion and have it re-partition the Hard Drive? The HD is a 320 GB split evenly 160 GB/160 GB.

This is to be an "Update Install" over Vista, and removal of XP and its partition. I did not understand the correct terminology at the time I made the original post. Please refer to my last post in this thread.

 

Virtualization would make more sense? Just a suggestion.

 

I think so, but it's a long time since I did this. Usually if I have any problems doing things like this I use GParted to create any partitions I need and install an OS to that.

 

Windows 7 will give you the opportunity to delete any existing partitions during the initial setup. At the screen where it asks you "Where do you want to install Windows?" click "Drive options (advanced)" and you go to a screen where you can delete the existing partitions.

 

I am not up on the new terminology. What is Virtualization and how does it work?

 

Virtualization allows you to run multiple OS on one physical machine. You don't have to set up dual boot with all complicated step. I assume you are running Windows 7, so you can try to download VirtualPC or VMWare or Virtualbox. I do prefer Virtualbox.

Dual boot is the thing of the past now.

 

That sounds interesting! I'll check it out when I get the Win7 installed. Thanks.

 

Virtualbox is a very nice tool. use it !

 

This sounds like what I was looking for. Does it ask this when you do the Update Install, or only if you do a Clean Install? Or both?

Anyone? I want to do an Update Install so I don't lose my Vista program settings, so if this will only give me this option under a Clean install, it won't do me much good.

 

How about this option. Can I use Vista to erase the XP Partition? Or use a Partition program to do this while in Vista? Potential problem being XP was installed first and has Control Rights over Vista. I know this because, even though I am Owner and Administrator, I cannot access the C:\Documents folder while in Vista. It states I do not have access rights. RK Computers (builder) says it is because XP was installed first on the Dual Boot. They gave me no specifics as to how to change this, even though I asked.

 

When you install Windows 7, it should set up the dual boot automatically. The problem comes in when you do it the other way, such as installing XP after 7. I used to do this with Vista.

If you do have issues, the bootloader can be repaired with the Windows 7 DVD, and EasyBCD can be used within Windows 7 to set up the XP dual boot if it doesn't make it automatically:

Download EasyBCD 2.0.2 - NeoSmart Technologies

 

I'm sorry. I think you misunderstood me. I currently have a dual boot with XP and Vista. I wish to do an Update Install of Win7 on the Vista side, but I want to remove the XP side first so the Win7 can install on the entire Hard Drive. So my question was whether I can use Vista to remove XP and re-partition the HD with just a single partition, or do I need to use some aftermarket program to do this job? I know I can do it with Win7 by putting the installation disk in and powering up the machine, but this does a Clean Install and would wipe out the Vista desktop and settings that I wish to keep.

Or would it be better to do the Update Install of Win7 on the existing Vista Partition and then remove the XP Partition after Win7 is running? I presume I would need something like GParted (regardless of when I remove the partition) that I have seen mentioned here in other threads. What might I need to do in the XP Partition prior to removing it?

 

All you need to do is:

1. Back up your files.
2. Boot into the Windows 7 disk and delete all partitions. This will create one 320GB partition.
3. Install Windows by clicking next.
4. Put all your files back on.

 

I'm sorry, but I must be leaving out some detail of my explanation since everybody keeps giving me advice about how a "Clean Install" will do the job. Thank you for responding, but this is what I stated above that I do NOT want to do as this will erase the Vista settings. The Win7 instructions are most specific about this. If you want to save your settings you must do an "Update Install" from within Vista. Any "Clean Install" will remove all settings and reformat the hard drive. Whether it is from inside Vista, or XP, or from a Boot-up. The difference being that if you do it from within XP or Vista, you can choose to reformat that partition only.

So my question remains: In order to "Update Install" Win7 Ultimate on my notebook in place of the current Vista Ultimate, AND remove the Dual Boot Partition of XP Pro, AND migrate the current Vista settings into Win7, so that Win7 Ultimate is the only OS AND has the Vista settings intact, what must I do to accomplish this. My options, as I understand them, are:

1. Get a program like GParted to remove XP and its Partition before I do the "Update Install" of Win7. Unless this is possible already from Vista.

2. Do the "Update Install" of Win7, and then use something like GParted to remove XP and its Partition.

Is there something else I may be missing here? The Back-up has already been done on both Partitions. Does Vista have this capability to remove a Partition? Does Win7? Or would GParted be a better choice? And would it be better to use GParted before or after the "Update Install" of Win7?

 

Well, the fact that you didn't mention wanting to do an "Update Install" in your original post probably contributed to the confusion. It looked like you wanted to remove both your XP and Vista partitions and do a clean install of Win 7.

You should be able to perform an upgrade installation from within Vista, on to the Vista partition. Then, from within your new Win 7 installation (using the Disk Management tools), delete the XP partition and reclaim the newly freed space for Vista.

 

Yes, it probably did contribute to the confusion, which is why I tried to clarify myself in #9, and each post I made after that.

So Win7 will do its own Partition Management. Am I understanding you correctly? I looked in many other threads about Dual Boot changes and I didn't see any indication that Vista would do it, nor any indication that Win7 would do it. Everyone kept refering to GParted, EasyBCD, and Vista Boot Pro (or something like that) which has been changed to something else now. If Win7 does its own partitioning now without a bunch of complicated procedures, then that sounds like exactly what I am looking for. Thank you go_ahead_ed!

 

Both Vista and Win 7 have good disk management tools:
Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Computer Management/Disk Management

My only worry is what might happen to your dual-boot menu/MBR when you remove the XP partition. I think the best case will be that after you do the upgrade install your menu will show 2 choices, Win 7 and XP, and the Win 7 choice will work but the XP one will simply fail. Worst case, Win 7 won't boot up.

I think the best thing to do would be to NOT remove the XP partition until you have removed any references to it in your MBR and/or Boot Configuration Data (aka BCD). You can do this easily by installing EasyBCD in your Windows 7 installation and using it to restore the Vista/Win 7 bootloader BEFORE removing the XP partition.

Check this out for info: Recovering the Vista Bootloader with EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

 

Thank you go_ahead_ed. I will give it a shot and see what happens! Fortunately I have another laptop available to come back here if it fails. LOL

 

Win7 running fine. EasyBCD removed the XP Boot. But I am unable to re-partition the hard drive. I will open a new thread for that. This thread may be closed. Thank you all who responded.