Windows 7 boot manager

I have Windows 7 installed as my main operating system on my machine and recently installed Hyper V Server on a separate hard disk. Now I have realised that I don't use Hyper V as much as I thought I might and want to remove it from the machine completely.

The only thing holding me back from completely formatting that disk is the boot manager. When I try to boot from the disk with Windows 7 installed on it, I get an error telling me the boot manager can't be found. However when the machine boots from the disk with Hyper V Server on it, the boot manager loads fine.

Basically what I want to know is, if I remove the Hyper V Server and my computer begins just trying to boot the Windows 7 disk automatically, will I continue to get this error of not being able to find the boot manager? If so, what steps will I need to take prior to the Hyper V uninstallation in order to be able to boot correctly into Windows 7?

jmitch18

Posted 2009-09-28T20:28:37.370

Reputation: 55

Answers

Install EasyBCD

Run it from within Windows 7. With this program you can edit your bootloader with a GUI (which I prefer over a command line).

You can add and delete installations, so delete your Hyper-V entry and after that you can savely delete the partition. Problem solved!

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Just a note of caution: you can seriously screw up your computer if you don't know what you're doing here. Either make a backup (which I think is an option as well) or leave it be.

Ivo Flipse

Posted 2009-09-28T20:28:37.370

Reputation: 24 054

BTW the note isn't aimed at jmitch18 ;-) Anyone with Hyper-V on his computer most likely isn't a complete beginner – Ivo Flipse – 2009-09-29T06:34:20.397

This sounds like a nice solution. I will give it a go once I get home from work. Computer backups are already made online via Live Mesh, so even if I do mess it up, I can simply resinstall Windows 7 and sync with Mesh. I just don't want to do the Visual Studio install yet again :( – jmitch18 – 2009-09-29T12:51:35.520

Note that you have to use this in Windows 7 (probably) to make sure it creates the boot files on that partition. Besides worst case scenario: use Windows's backup function and backup the entire installation. Nothing will be lost that way. – Ivo Flipse – 2009-09-29T13:02:31.890

Is EasyBCD available for Windows 7? – alex – 2009-09-29T13:03:38.083

@alex I couldn't imagine why not. Unless the program explicitly checks the OS then there shouldn't be any compatibility issues if it runs in Vista. – jmitch18 – 2009-09-29T13:33:45.690

@alex: points at the image (it says Windows 7 Beta 1) – Ivo Flipse – 2009-09-29T13:37:16.497

Here's an article related to this on the Microsoft Help and Support page:

To run the Bootrec.exe tool, you must start Windows RE. To do this, follow these steps:

Put the Windows Vista or Windows 7 installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.

Press a key when you are prompted.

Select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard or an input method, and then click Next.

Click Repair your computer.

Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.

In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.

Type Bootrec.exe, and then press ENTER.

There's more info on the page, including the flags that bootrec takes.

alex

Posted 2009-09-28T20:28:37.370

Reputation: 16 172