How to Remove and Uninstall Windows 7, 8, or 10 from Dual Boot PC Installation & Upgrade

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    How to Remove and Uninstall Windows 7, 8, or 10 from Dual Boot PC

    How to Remove and Uninstall Windows 7, 8, or 10 from Dual Boot PC

    How to Remove and Uninstall Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 from Dual Boot PC
    Published by Category: Installation & Upgrade
    20 Jan 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Remove and Uninstall Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 from Dual Boot PC


    If you have more than one operating system installed on your PC, you will see a Choose an operation system (Windows Boot Manager) screen at startup with the name (description) of each installed OS (boot loader entry) listed on the boot options menu.

    This tutorial will show you how to remove and uninstall Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 from a dual boot computer with another Windows operating system installed.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to remove and uninstall Windows from a dual boot computer.



    EXAMPLE: Boot options menu at startup for Windows 7 and Windows 10 dual boot
    How to Remove and Uninstall Windows 7, 8, or 10 from Dual Boot PC-windows_10_boot_options_menu.png



    Here's How:

    1 Boot into the Windows OS (ex: "Windows 10") you do not want to remove.

    2 Delete the boot loader entry (click on link) of the Windows OS (ex: "Windows 7") you do want to remove. (see screenshot below)

    How to Remove and Uninstall Windows 7, 8, or 10 from Dual Boot PC-delete_boot_entry_msconfig-1.png

    3 Restart the computer to verify the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") has been removed.

    4 Format the drive (click on link) of the Windows OS (ex: "Windows 7") you do want to remove. (see screenshots below)

    If the Windows operating systems are installed on separate partitions on the same disk (hard drive) and the Windows OS (ex: "Windows 7") you want to remove is on the partition just to the right of the partition of the Windows OS (ex: "Windows 10") you do not want to remove, then you could combine them by doing this below:

    1) Delete the partition of the Windows OS (ex: "Windows 7") you want to remove so it will be unallocated space on the disk afterwards.

    2) Extend the partition of the Windows OS (ex: "Windows 10") you do not want to remove into all of the unallocated space.

    How to Remove and Uninstall Windows 7, 8, or 10 from Dual Boot PC-format_drive-1.png How to Remove and Uninstall Windows 7, 8, or 10 from Dual Boot PC-format_drive-2.png

    5 If the Windows OS you did not remove should unlikely fail to load at startup next time, perform a startup repair for the Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 OS you are trying to boot.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 56,806
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       #1

    Shawn, may I make a suggestion? After deleting the boot entry in MSCONFIG, need to click "OK", and "Apply". Then should take the option to Restart. Then after you're back up in the OS to keep, do the formatting, etc.
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    f14tomcat said:
    Shawn, may I make a suggestion? After deleting the boot entry in MSCONFIG, need to click "OK", and "Apply". Then should take the option to Restart. Then after you're back up in the OS to keep, do the formatting, etc.
    Hello mate,

    Suggestions are always welcomed.

    Was there a reason to restart before formatting? I didn't need to with all the testing I did for this.

    I only ask if there may have been an issue you ran across that should be included in this tutorial.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 56,806
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       #3

    Brink said:
    Hello mate,

    Suggestions are always welcomed.

    Was there a reason to restart before formatting? I didn't need to with all the testing I did for this.

    I only ask if there may have been an issue you ran across that should be included in this tutorial.
    Restart before doing anything else is what I normally do, only to make sure the BCD data has been updated correctly and the OS not wanted is not referenced anywhere, just partitions with data.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    f14tomcat said:
    Restart before doing anything else is what I normally do, only to make sure the BCD data has been updated correctly and the OS not wanted is not referenced anywhere, just partitions with data.
    Sounds like a good precaution. I updated the Delete the boot loader entry tutorial linked in step 2 to restart the computer.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 56,806
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       #5

    Brink said:
    Sounds like a good precaution. I updated the Delete the boot loader entry tutorial linked in step 2 to restart the computer.
    tks
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 104
    Win10 Pro
       #6

    If i remove the Win 10 entry from the boot menu keeping only single os but i left the installation partition untouched(without formatting) , is it possible to add that deleted entry again to MSCONFIG so that the second os can be used again ?
    Any easier options to add that entry for a novice ?

    Thanks . Take care and stay safe.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 56,806
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       #7

    inwell said:
    If i remove the Win 10 entry from the boot menu keeping only single os but i left the installation partition untouched(without formatting) , is it possible to add that deleted entry again to MSCONFIG so that the second os can be used again ?
    Any easier options to add that entry for a novice ?

    Thanks . Take care and stay safe.
    For a novice (bet you aren't really that novice ), go get a copy of EasyBCD. Freebie that will allow you to put that right back in. Just ask for help with it if it's not real clear.

    There are DISKPART commands to do the same, but if you would like a GUI approach and see what it's going to do, try the app.

    EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 104
    Win10 Pro
       #8

    should i post a query here or start a new thread?
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #9

    inwell said:
    should i post a query here or start a new thread?
    Hello,

    If it's related to the tutorial, it'll be fine to post it here.
      My Computers


 

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