Deleting Vista setup folders

  • Thread starter Thread starter dssadsa
  • Start date Start date
D

dssadsa

I dual-boot XP and Vista. After I didn't need Vista anymore I wanted to
delete all folders created by installation (Windows, Users, etc).

I restored XP boot sector via repair disc. Then I restarted PC, but I still
couldn't delete them. I took ownership of the folders as was recommended by
someone and tried to delete again but this caused folders to enter some
strange state when they were visible in the Explorer, but the attempts to go
to this folder caused message that folder doesn't exist anymore (yes, I
refreshed folder view).

The only thing that work was deleting the partition, which I would like to
avoid in future.

Any ideas?
 
Hi, dssadsa.

All that SHOULD be required is to boot into WinXP and delete Vista's "boot
folder", which is named \Windows, by default. WinXP's boot folder also is
\Windows, of course, but on a different drive. Perhaps WinXP is in
C:\Windows and Vista was in X:\Windows. Don't worry about deleting the one
you are using - the system won't let you. Deleting Vista's \Windows folder
should also delete the entire tree of subfolders and files in that folder.
If Windows Explorer won't do the job, you can open a Command Prompt window
and use the Remove Directory command with the /s switch to include the
subfolders and files: rd x:\windows /s

Afterwards, you may also delete Vista's startup files from your system
partition (probably the first partition on the first HD - it's where you'll
find WinXP's NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM and Boot.ini). You can delete the \Boot
folder (probably Hidden and System), the bootmgr (no extension) file, and
Bootsect.bak, which is where Vista Setup stored a copy of the WinXP boot
sector, to be used when you chose to dual-boot into WinXP.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta in Vista Ultimate x64)
 
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