Help with: dual boot win7 system and I want to format the old C: drive

[lezapper]

I recently got a new SSD, installed it and put win7 on it. I chose to install it to z: since the c: was taken by the old hard drive boot install. Now I'm unsure of what is the best way to format the old drive so I can free up the space. I tried a few moves in the cmd window, but logged in from the new OS, I apparently am not allowed to format a system partition.

Main question: What should I do to free up the c: system HDD?

Secondary: Will everything work fine just booting the OS from the z: drive?

Yes, I admit, I didn't think the whole process through.

 

[noise]

Driver letters are relevant to an OS, so your SSD may appear as letter Z: under your HDD OS but should appear as C: to an OS install on itself.

To prove whether you have have a working OS on your SSD, unplug your HDD power cable and boot the PC. If it boots into an OS okay then you know the OS is self contained on the SSD. You should then modify your boot order in your BIOS/UEFI to make sure the SSD has priority over the HDD. You can then format your old HDD.

Hope that makes sense. Scream if it doesn't.