how to delete windows from second internal HD

[dante1092]

Hello Everyone,

I recently bought a 500gb drive and have installed windows 7 on it and now have an 2tb additional HDD in which i have a windows 8.1.
I want to use windows 7 in the 500gb as primary OS and want to get rid of that windows 8.1 installed in the 2tb one. could someone please tell me how to save all the data in the 2tb drive by also deleting the windows 8.1 from it

 

[Richard Ricardo]

First you get an external hard drive and back up all the data you want to save from your 2tb into the external hard drive. Then when you're done, go into windows 7 and open disk manager (type diskmgmt.msc into search and press enter). From there you can right click on the 2tb hard drive and click format. Then your 2tb should be completely empty with the data safely stored on another drive.

 

[Ck1_13]

If you don't have the availability to backup all that data (sounds like you have a lot), there is another options but it requires some knowledge or research on your part. I've ran into the same problem installing Win7 to my 'D' drive to test my current OS vs a clean install on some issues I had. Once back to normal, how do i delete the windows , program files, etc folders as when you try you will get 'access is denied' .

You just have to take ownership of each folder and subfolder you want to delete, once you have permissions you can delete anything from the old install you want.

If you are up to it, try searching for how to set permissions on folders windows 8

 

[dante1092]

First you get an external hard drive and back up all the data you want to save from your 2tb into the external hard drive. Then when you're done, go into windows 7 and open disk manager (type diskmgmt.msc into search and press enter). From there you can right click on the 2tb hard drive and click format. Then your 2tb should be completely empty with the data safely stored on another drive.

thanks for your response....so currently is there any way to save the data because i don't have external HD...so without backing up the complete format has to be done in order to completely remove windows 8.1...correct me if i am wrong

 

[dante1092]

If you don't have the availability to backup all that data (sounds like you have a lot), there is another options but it requires some knowledge or research on your part. I've ran into the same problem installing Win7 to my 'D' drive to test my current OS vs a clean install on some issues I had. Once back to normal, how do i delete the windows , program files, etc folders as when you try you will get 'access is denied' .

You just have to take ownership of each folder and subfolder you want to delete, once you have permissions you can delete anything from the old install you want.

If you are up to it, try searching for how to set permissions on folders windows 8

thanks for the reply....so is there any possibilities to format the windows drive alone on that 2tb hard drive

 

[Ck1_13]

Yes, there is..but I am reluctant to explain due to the risk of data loss. First of all, just to be clear you can't save the 'software' on that drive, it almost all likely needs to be reinstalled on your new 500gb drive. 'Data', is pictures, music, videos, bookmarks, etc. These are what you want to save.

Now, there is a way, you need to get partitioning software, and partition that 2tb into 2 parts. The software will take 'free space' and make an entire new hard drive , so to speak, out of it. This can be used to copy all the data you need to, and the other partition that is left, will have old windows, and can be fully formatted without losing any data.

Personally, If you don't have much experience with partitioning software, or your data is too valuble to risk losing, I'd try to learn how to get permissions so you can delete what you want.

Other than gaining permissions, or partitioning the drive, the only other things I can think of, would be to upload your data to a skydrive, or network the pc to another pc, and backup data on its hard drive.

Good Luck!

 

[dante1092]

Yes, there is..but I am reluctant to explain due to the risk of data loss. First of all, just to be clear you can't save the 'software' on that drive, it almost all likely needs to be reinstalled on your new 500gb drive. 'Data', is pictures, music, videos, bookmarks, etc. These are what you want to save.

Now, there is a way, you need to get partitioning software, and partition that 2tb into 2 parts. The software will take 'free space' and make an entire new hard drive , so to speak, out of it. This can be used to copy all the data you need to, and the other partition that is left, will have old windows, and can be fully formatted without losing any data.

Personally, If you don't have much experience with partitioning software, or your data is too valuble to risk losing, I'd try to learn how to get permissions so you can delete what you want.

Other than gaining permissions, or partitioning the drive, I don't know of any other way you can accomplish this.

to be more specific...the 2tb drive which is having windows 8.1 has five partitions C; D: E: F: G: on it and the windows is in C: drive...so if i try to gain permission...can i save the data present in all the other drives by just clean formatting the windows drive C: alone

 

[dante1092]

guys i have attached the clear screenshot now...i just wanna know whether i can remove the circled system reserved memory or not....i have installed windows 7 by unplugging the 2tb hard drive as you can see that the first drive has its own system reserved memory with it for windows 7

coming to the second drive ...the windows 8.1 was previously installed in the L: drive and now i have formatted it like a normal drive....also tried booting the system once...booted up straight away to windows 7 without issues...my only concern now is about the circled reserved partition...how to merge it with the L: drive or do i need to leave it as it is..help needed at this point!!..