How to undo Vista from multiboot

H

htw

Member
I want to undo Vista from my multiboot, so that I’m left with XP.
From below warning note I learned that the OS booting is done via BCDEDIT.exe under Vista.
As this file is working under Vista, I’m afraid that when I format the Vista partition I cannot get into Xp anymore.
What is the solution for this. Formatting all and re-installing XP is no option

Regards: HtW


Warning: Boot.ini is used on Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECTWindows XP and earlier operating systems.

 
Hi htw, welcome to NST.
To remove Vista from the multiboot, so you only have XP and can boot into XP, the easy method would be to go into EasyBCD, and in the "Manage Bootloader" section, click on "Write MBR" with the "Uninstall Vista bootloader option to write XP's bootloader to the MBR. But before you do that, first you need to run the following command from EasyBCD's Power Console in the "Useful Utilities" section:

Code: 
bootsect.exe nt50 /force C:

where the "C" is replaced with whatever drive letter the XP partition is seen as from Vista. This will put XP's partition boot record on the XP partition, just in case it was replaced by Vista's by when you installed Vista, which will search for "ntldr" (the bootloader for XP) instead of "bootmgr" (the boot manager that Vista uses). Next go into Disk Management, and set your XP partition to "active" if it is not already. Now when you reboot, you should boot straight into XP providing of course the boot files (boot.ini, ntldr, and ntdetect.com) are in the XP partition root as they should be, and the boot.ini is configured correctly.
Then once you're in XP, you can delete your Vista partition, and then resize your XP partition to use up the remaining free space, if you want, and then you will have a system that only has XP and not Vista. :smile:

Cheers,

Jake
 
Cool, there is no need for him to do that manually. Uninstalling the Vista MBR with EasyBCD includes that command.

htw, just go to EasyBCD | Bootloader Mangement | Uninstall Vista MBR
 
Computer Guru said:
Cool, there is no need for him to do that manually. Uninstalling the Vista MBR with EasyBCD includes that command.

htw, just go to EasyBCD | Bootloader Mangement | Uninstall Vista MBR
Click to expand...

Oh...:S I thought that feature only installed the XP bootloader to the MBR, and that was it. :wink: Its nice that it includes that feature too, to automate the whole process.

-Coolname007
 
Thanks for the help guys. One last question though; I'm unfamiliar with easybcd. When I have downloade it do I introduce it to the system under Vista or XP or does it not matter?
When I am finished with forcing XP boot up according to your instructions, I like to erase the partion with Vista al together.
Is that possible?
Regards: HtW
 
The boot files for Vista and XP are both on the partition marked as "system" in disk management.
As long as that's not the Vista partition, you can delete Vista after you've put NTLDR back in charge of the boot.
If Vista is "system" you'll stop the boot process from working if you delete it. You'll need to transfer the boot to the XP partition and make it the "system" "active" partition before you can delete Vista. Check which is "system" before you do anything and we'll advise if necessary.
You can run EasyBCD on Vista or XP (XP needs NET 2.0 framework installed as a pre-req)
 
Last edited:
I've done as was suggested. And indeed I can now start up under XP without the dual boot menu. But as yet i've no results in trying to format the vista partion. When I do I get the message that formatting cannot be performed as it is in use.
Suggestions anyone please?
Regards:
HtW
 
You should be able to use either the XP reinstallation DVD, or the Vista one, to format the partition. :wink: I'm not sure why it would be saying the partition is in use though...
Is your XP partition "active" in Disk Management?
 
Ok, so I have literally no clue on why formatting the Vista partition from XP is not working then...:wtf: Since your XP partition is "active" and boots XP fine, it means your boot files are on that partition, so there is no reason why it should be saying the Vista partition is in use. :wink:

Cheers,

Jake
 
I have now deleted some files from Vista and tried to format again and now it worked.
So all is well.
Thanks to all your input and easybcd
Closed
Regards:

HtW
 
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