Trying to format Vista partition but 7 isn't letting me

Hi

I want to format my vista partition while in 7 but the os isn't letting me. After doing some research is looks like it is because the bootmgr is on the vista partition. How can I move the bootmgr to the 7 partition so I can format the vista drive?

thanks

 

read this it may help...http://hubpages.com/hub/Using-Disk-Management-in-Windows-7-Vista

 

It's a consequence of the way the MS dual boot works and there is no simple way around it. Although written for an XP/Vista setup you might find this article informative and helpful. I used it some years ago to isolate my OSs from each other so that I could use a third party boot manager and do whatever I like with any partition whenever I like.

 

Earthling, I apologize for thread jacking but noticed you mentioned a third party boot manager. What are you using.
I'm just finishing a new build and have XP pro on a 20 GB partition with the other partition ready to go with the remaining 50 to add Mandriva Linux. I also have an additional 80 GB HD installed that I plan on partitioning for storage for each OS. (I'm using EASEUS Partition Manager). Made the mistake the first time, letting Mandriva Linux set the partition and was not able to log into my Windows OS.

Thanks

 

I'm puzzled as to why you think it was a mistake to let Mandriva handle the setup as it installs Grub as boot manager and automatically recognises your Windows installation and adds it to the boot menu. You would be quite safe going down that route again, but there is a better solution which is to use a little known boot manager called Grub4DOS. Grub4DOS is incredibly easy to set up and manage and gives you total control going forward over what OS is to live where. It will even boot bootable ISOs for you, so rescue CDs for programs like Acronis can be booted straight off the hard disk, no CDs churning endlessly away.

If you are interested HERE is a superb guide to setting it up, either on a flash drive or a hard drive. I promise you, once you have it you will never want another boot manager or even remotely consider booting the Microsoft way. btw I applaud your decision to maintain a separate data partition. It's the way to go!

 

Well, what happened, after I used Mandriva to set the partition, I installed Mandriva with no problem. But when I attempted to boot into Windows on the next start up, I got "unable to find NTLDR" which with out that, we all know Windows won't boot.
I spend a lot of time on MG reading post and found one that mentioned that you should use a 3rd party partition manager to set your partitions when wanting to duel boot and I DL (The Free until Friday) EASEUS Partition Manager.

I'm DEFINITELY interested in trying out Grub4DOS and thank you for providing the documentation. I am partial to the Ultimate Boot CD which I have used many times with great results and using the bootable ISO from the HD is most definitely a plus.

 

OK, well something must have misfired with Mandriva as it definitely does set up an XP/Mandriva dual boot that works.

Bad luck! While Grub4DOS can boot MOST ISOs from the HDD you have picked the only one I've come across that it can't! BSoD for me, though you may have more success

 

LOL, of course. But being the "Hard Head" that I am, of course I am going to try. :-D
Maybe this will be a good excuse to take a look at Acronis.

 

This capability is adored by the experts on the Acronis forum because Acronis issue a new version every year and each new one throws up a new set of problems, quite apart from issues arising from Windows itself. So the experts load an iso for each new version and can be testing it in no time using this 'boot ISO' feature. But as well as Acronis True Image I use it to boot Acronis Disk Director, VistaPE, WinPE and a memory tester.

But this isn't the key benefit from using Grub4DOS. Unlike dual booters who have done it the MS way, users of Grub4DOS can remove OSs and substitute others as the need arises, no constraints at all, and the syntax required for each new entry in the boot file is a simple text entry. It's just brilliant.

 

Earthling,
I am very excited about trying this out. Wow, most guys get excited about fast cars and fast women. I get excited about Boot Managers. LOL

Thanks again for the tip and once again I apologize to bakwoiz for pretty much thread jacking his/her post.

 

I do hope it works for you, it would be nice to have another convert to the cause It's understandable that it's so little known, as everyone just does it the 'easy' way, the Microsoft way, and it isn't until they want to remove XP from in front of Win 7 or whatever that they find out they are locked in and are unable to do what they would like to do - like the OP in fact!

Do make sure you have a good disk image and a rescue disk because Grub4DOS will rewrite your boot sector and if anything should go wrong you won't have a bootable system. The main other consideration is where to store your stuff, because Grub4DOS hides OSs from each other, so you wouldn't be able to access your music say from Mandriva if you store it in the XP partition. That's why you need a separate data drive/partition.

I'm usually around should you need any help getting going. Good luck with it

 

no worries with the hijack, I have been extremely preoccupied and just got back to the post.

I read over the website that Earthling posted and for one, I can't find the files in the Vista OS so I'm guessing they are different, and 2 I don't have my Windows 7 CD with me to do a repair install. I'll keep looking for a fix.