How to remove Vista (beta) without formatting?

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G

Guest

I installed a Vista beta on my D:\ partition and have been dualbooting for a
while.

Now I'd like to remove Vista without formatting my D:\ partition. I have
200GB of stuff in there that I do not have space to backup anywhere else.

Does anyone know how to do this?

Thank you for your time,

/gozu
 
Hi
to install vista without formatting just install as usual but dont click on
format. I have done this and it save a folder in the C:// named
C://Windows.Old

This is where you will find all your documents/programs and everything else.

Alan
 
There is no easy way to do this. The best that I can think of would be to
move all files you need to keep into safe folders on the drive, then delete
the Windows, Program Files, Users etc folders (after fighting with UAC,
permissions etc).
 
No clean/easy way to do this.

Back up the data files to an external HDD, then go through the process of removing Vista.

Think before jumping next time...
 
it may not help you ...

but there are several ways of running a live version of Windows off a disc.

that would allow you to boot the disc, get to a Desktop, and then rename or
delete the folders from the unwanted Windows install.
 
Practical Student said:
I installed a Vista beta on my D:\ partition and have been dualbooting for
a
while.

Now I'd like to remove Vista without formatting my D:\ partition. I have
200GB of stuff in there that I do not have space to backup anywhere else.

Does anyone know how to do this?
Click to expand...

Move all data files you want to keep to your C partition.
Assuming you are using XP, boot from your XP media.
When you get to setup screen, press R for Repair.
You will get to a command prompt.
Press 1 to repair XP. If you have no password leave it blank and press
enter.
type in fixboot and press enter.
then type in fixmbr and press enter
Remove the disc then reboot.

You should now have your XP booting by itself. Once back on the XP desktop,
right click your D drive and choose format. Once formatted you can bring
your saved files back to D.
If you don't have the room on C to transfer everything over, just do the
fixboot and fixmbr and that will at least remove vista from bootup. You can
then manually delete the files from D that you do not want.
 
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