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How to remove one of the two Windows 10. Problems when using two operating systems and removing one of them

Good afternoon, friends. I think every user has noticed that after he installed a new operating system, this OS begins to work like a well-oiled clock. Everything loads quickly and correctly. It's a pleasure to work with such a system.

But time passes, and the system begins to slow down. There is a long loading time when turned on, and the system also takes a very long time to turn off. The same thing happens with programs installed on this system. They take a long time to load and do not work correctly.

Of course, the best way is to clean the system. I have written more than once about cleaning the system in my articles. I even wrote two free books about this: - “ How to speed up your computer? And " How to properly clean Windows?».

But let’s say the user has already decided to remove this system and install a new one. Although, we delete systems not only because of failures. Quite often this happens when a new OS is released. When the user simply wanted to install a new system. In both of these cases, the old system will have to be removed.

Also, the system is often removed when there is another parallel one, and the second one becomes simply unnecessary for us. So how to do it right? Today we will look at three ways to completely remove Windows 7 from your computer, although this applies not only to Windows 7, but also to other operating systems.

How to remove Windows 7 from your computer - replace it with a new system

We will do this by using the installation disk, which we will load from the BIOS. To do this, during system boot, select the BIOS settings. So, the boot disk is in your drive. As soon as you click to turn on the computer, immediately press F2. Moreover, you need to do this before loading the Microsoft logo.

You will enter the BIOS settings, from where you can select the boot order of the disks on your PC. We enter the Boot section.

To do this, click on CDROM and set the priority.

Then press F10 to save the settings. Now we can remove our system by installing another operating system on it, the one you decided to install. At the same time, you can remove a system from the BIOS using other third-party software, for example, Acronis Disk Director, but we will still consider removal by installing a new one on the old system.

This is the most common and convenient method. I will not talk about all the nuances of installing the system, especially since I already have an article on the topic of installing the system. I’ll just explain that if you already have a system installed and you decide to install another one on it, then during the installation process of the system, before choosing the partition where you will install the new system, the old one must be formatted.

To do this, being in the window for selecting a disk for installing the system, you need to click on the line at the bottom of the “Disk Settings” window.

Then, we will have a warning about deleting all information from this section. Which is exactly what we need.

Our disk has been formatted. Then, all you have to do is continue installing the new operating system.

To speed up your Windows installation, I recommend:- Computer accelerator.

How to remove a second Windows from a computer First method

Many users have two systems. We will consider the case when both of them are on the Hard Disk, but in different partitions (often people put the second system on a virtual disk in the same partition).

So, to do this, right-click on the “Computer” shortcut and select properties. A window will open with our disk partitions. Select "Advanced options" in the left column.

The “System Properties” window appears. In the “Advanced” menu, select “Options” above the “Boot and Recovery” line.

Then the most important thing begins. In the window that opens, you need to select the system that you want to leave, from which the download will occur. If you make a mistake, the system simply won't boot.

Click OK. Also, this method is suitable if you just want to remove the second Windows from the boot menu.

We need this action to eliminate surprises. For example, if the default boot is the system that you want to remove, and you do not change the system, the computer will simply not start working.

Now, close all open windows, click on the “Computer” shortcut with the left mouse button. In the window that opens, select the disk that contains the parallel system that we want to delete. In my case, this is drive D. To do this, right-click on the drive and select “Format”.

In the window that opens, select “Start”. We get a warning about the consequences of formatting. Click OK and the disk with our second system is completely formatted.

How to remove parallel Windows from your computer Second method

This method is much simpler. To do this, just enter “System Configuration” into the command line or msconfig and open the program. Select the “Download” menu. In the window that opens, we will have information about our operating systems. Since I currently have only one system, the program shows one system.

Then, select the system that needs to be removed and delete it by clicking on the “Delete” button.

After completing the procedures, it is advisable to clean the registry. The task is completed, the second system is deleted!

You now know how to completely remove Windows 7 from your computer and you shouldn’t have any problems with this. Also, I’m interested in your opinion on this issue in the comments! Good luck!

Friends, after removing Windows from your computer, I suggest you install it not on a regular HDD, but on an SSD, as I did. Disks on a page range from 120 to 960 GB, i.e., actually 1 TB. You can purchase it from the link... on AliExpress. Judging by the description, the disk is suitable for both Computers and (laptops).

From the screenshot you can see the disk volumes. If you need to install the system, it is enough to purchase a disk with a capacity of 120 GB. If it’s a full-fledged hard drive, then, at your discretion, from 480 to 960 GB. Why do I recommend installing Windows on a solid-state hard drive? Your system will boot in seconds! If you purchase a 1TB disk, all your programs will work!

Not long ago I installed two operating systems on my computer, on disk WITH: Windows 10 version 1803 is installed, and on the disk D: Windows 10 version 1809. Since this solution did not pay off, plus there was not enough free space on the hard drive, when you turn on the computer you need to choose which of the two systems you want to boot into or wait a few seconds to log into the system, it was decided to delete the second system. In any case, only one system is used, so we can remove the unnecessary one.

Today we will share with you an easy way to remove a second operating system.

First, you need to remove dual boot Windows 10.

  1. Press the key combination win + R, and enter in the Run dialog box: , click “OK”
  1. In the window that opens "System Configuration", go to the tab, then select the operating system you want to keep, and then click the button, "Use as default", see picture below:

In my case, the system I want to keep is on disk C:

  1. Now select the system you want to remove with your mouse and click the button "Delete" and restart your computer:

After completing the above operations, all that remains is to delete all folders of the second operating system.

  1. Go to the disk on which the system we do not need is located, in my case this is the disk D: and delete the following folders:
  • Program Files
  • Program Files (x86)
  • ProgramData
  • Windows
  • Users

Since deleting these files is not an easy task, you have choices A, B, C:

A. If this disk does not contain the information you need: open "This computer", right-click on the disk where the system you want to delete is located, and select "Format".


WITH. Create a new folder and rename it to Windows.old, now move the folders indicated above into it, open "This computer", right-click on the disk where the system folders you want to delete are located, and select "Properties".

  1. On the tab "General" click the button "Disk Cleanup":

  1. In the next window, click

  1. Check the box next to it and click the button "OK".

Be patient, deleting files from the second system will take some time.


A pressing question for many, from the computer. Its presence is indicated by the operating system selection window when the computer starts. When only one system is used, it is better to remove the other to free up space.

A computer may contain 2 or more operating systems; the choice from the available ones is made before starting. Quite often, maintaining several systems, especially on one logical drive, provokes problems, so the computer can slow down, and sometimes there are problems with user profiles. In general, the stability of such an OS is much less than a single installation of Windows.

How to remove a second Windows system?

The key method, provided by the manufacturer, of how to remove a second Windows 7 or 8 is to use a special tool located in the system configuration. This will remove the choice when turning on the PC, that is, the boot record will be erased, although personal data will still remain.

  1. Press Win + R and type the word msconfig, then Enter;

  • Among the listed systems, select the one that should remain and click on “Use as default”;
  • Select the unnecessary system and click on “Delete”;
    1. The computer must be restarted.

    After turning it back on, the option to select a different OS will disappear. If the problem is only the inconvenience of choosing a system, then you should specify a minimum waiting time, then the system itself will select the default version. You can configure this function by going to:

    1. RMB on “Computer” and “Properties”;
    2. Click on the “Advanced options” link;

  • Select standard Windows and set the selection time to about 3 seconds.
  • How to completely remove a second Windows operating system?

    In the previous version, we only eliminated the ability to start the OS, but the question of how to remove a second Windows from a computer was not fully resolved, since all the system files remained. Now you need to clean the system to free up a lot of free space.

    To format a disk, you must first make sure that the target partition is selected. Its structure is identical to the system disk; it also contains the basic Windows folders, Program Files, etc. Usually the letter C is reserved for the main system, so the second OS will have a different identifier.

    1. Click on Start, then “Computer”;
    2. RMB on the target partition and click on “Format”;

    1. If there is no special need, then leave the parameters as standard.

    How to remove a second Windows 10?

    You can remove the second operating system Windows 7, 8, 10 using the “Disk Management” section. The principle remains the same, the remaining OS activity should be cleaned up and the freed memory should be returned to an active state.

    1. Click on Start and “Control Panel”;
    2. Click on the “Administration” tile;

    1. Now you should select “Computer Management”;
    2. Among the list on the left side is the item “Disk Management”;
    3. RMB on the partition that contains unnecessary Windows;
    4. Select "Make partition inactive";
    5. Again RMB and “Delete volume”.

    Now the partition is completely deleted, and the remaining space after the volume remains unallocated. Therefore, it cannot be used for now. To gain access to the space, you need to create a volume; this is done by right-clicking on the unallocated space and selecting “Create a simple volume.”

    After assigning a logical drive letter, you can write the necessary information to it without any restrictions.

    You should know that if you uninstall the main Windows, the mbr will also be removed with it. This entry is required to start the OS and will need to be overwritten. The process of transferring an mbr partition has already been described earlier, so it will not be discussed in detail. We only note that you need to have installation media with the system. Then, after starting from it, select “System Restore”, the problem will probably be automatically found and fixed, otherwise you will have to manually transfer the entry.

    Sometimes it becomes necessary not only to form the resulting space in a volume, but to add it to another section. Alas, this procedure, within the framework of standard Windows tools, will certainly affect the information, that is, the disk will be formatted. But if you use third-party programs, such an opportunity is present. A good example of a profile application is AOMEI Partition Assistant. The program is also capable of moving free space between already formed volumes without losing data.

    This completes the removal of the second Windows, and after clearing the traces, it will remain only in memories. You can delete an unlimited number of systems in exactly the same way.

    If you still have questions on the topic “How to remove a second Windows from a computer?”, you can ask them in the comments


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    If you installed a new Windows operating system (any version), now when you try to turn on your computer, you probably first see a menu with the choice of the desired OS. This occurs if the hard drive has not been formatted. To prevent this from happening again, just remove the unnecessary version and only one version of Windows will remain on your computer.

    Formatting a partition is the simplest and most obvious way

    This is an easy way to remove a second operating system that you no longer need. The point of the procedure is to format the partition containing the extra operating system on the hard drive.

    Before starting any actions, download information that is important to you onto removable media or one of your hard drives.


    How do you know which Windows folder to leave and which to keep? For these purposes, go to the Start menu and select “Run” there. You need to enter the following command into the line - %windir%. Now click "OK". As a result of your actions, a folder will appear. You need to remember it - this is exactly the folder that cannot be deleted. It may look like this: “C: Windows”. This working folder cannot be deleted or moved to other partitions, otherwise the operation of the entire system will be disrupted and you will have to roll back.

    Reboot the system and make sure that the second OS is no longer there. If, when trying to format a disk, the system gives an error, then you can try using additional utilities for such operations, for example, the Acronis Disc Director program. It needs to be downloaded, installed and launched. It will delete everything itself, and then automatically reboot the system.

    How to remove unnecessary OS from boot

    This instruction is suitable if you have seven or eight installed. It happens that the second operating system, namely its files, no longer exists, but it appears in downloads. To remove Windows from boot, follow these steps:



    Now the download will begin with the version of Windows that you decided to keep.

    How to remove seven or eight if you upgraded to ten

    If you decide to upgrade to the latest version of Windows, then at the same time you need to clear the disk space. But do this only if you are completely satisfied with the new version of the OS and do not intend to return to older versions.

    Usually, a standard utility for deleting old (temporary or junk) files is sufficient for these purposes. For example, CCleaner. But if the previous version is still taking up space, then follow the steps that will remove the remnants of the old OS completely.

    1. Go to the taskbar and search for “Disk Cleanup”. Select the desired shortcut.
    2. In the tab, mark all temporary data and enable the clearing function.
    3. To delete data from the previous system, click on the “Clean up system files” option. It is located at the bottom left.
    4. You will need to select the disk on which the old operating system is located.
    5. When you see all the files you need to delete, there will be a “Previous Windows installations” item. This is the item you need to select.
    6. Clean and reboot the computer.

    After these steps, it is already very difficult to roll back to the previous version of Windows, so make sure that you decide to permanently leave Windows 10.

    How to remove old Windows without programs

    Let's say you have Windows XP, and you are happy with it, but Windows 7 is interfering. Maybe it’s the other way around - we’re happy with Seven, but we don’t like XP. In any case, how to remove an old, unnecessary operating system?

    This method will allow you to remove the old version without using programs - manually.



    After this, Windows.old will be deleted as a regular file folder.

    How to edit boot.ini

    If we are not talking about Windows Vista or seven, then loading the operating system begins with the boot.ini file. It is written in it:
    • information about the wait when a download option is selected;
    • information about the operating system that is turned on first by default if the user does not make a choice:
    • additional parameters.
    Thus, one of the ways to remove the old operating system is to change the boot.ini file.

    As always, we start by loading into the version of the operating system that should remain the only one on the computer.

    1. Find “My Computer” on the desktop and click to open the characteristics.
    2. Select “Properties” - look for the “Advanced” option.
    3. Next we find “Download and Recovery”. Click on “Parameters”.
    4. In the new window, select “Edit”. The boot.ini file will open using Notepad. It is very advisable at this stage to save a copy of this file just in case and put it on one of the disks. Don't forget to rename it - Boot.old. Now you can forget about the copy and return to the boot.ini file for editing.
    5. Find a line in the file indicating that the menu displays two operating systems to choose from. It needs to be removed.
    6. Now let's save the changes we just made. Click “Save As”, keeping the name as it was originally.
    Close all tabs and restart your computer. Now there will be only one operating system.

    How to remove unnecessary Windows XP?

    Windows XP has its own characteristics, which must be taken into account when uninstalling.

    We boot into the operating system that we plan to keep.

    1. On the “My Computer” icon, look for the “Properties” option using the right mouse button.
    2. Now find “Advanced”. There will be a “Options” function.
    3. We mark the operating system that we plan to remove and confirm our actions.
    4. Let's go to the section where the old Windows is located.
    5. We delete the Windows folder, editing with program files and Documents and Settings. There will be pop-up warnings indicating that these are system files and that they are read-only. You can safely ignore them and continue deleting.
    Now all that remains is to edit the boot.ini file, because when you boot your computer you may still see two operating systems to choose from.

    Windows.old removal video

    If you still have any questions about deleting this impressive folder, watch the video.


    As you can see, the old interfering operating system, if it is no longer needed, can be removed. Depending on which OS is installed, the removal operation has its own characteristics, but in general, almost all methods are suitable. You just need to understand the nuances and carefully follow all the steps. After rebooting, you will successfully get rid of the problem.

    It happens that users install two operating systems on their computer at the same time. But over time, one of them ceases to be needed. And then the question arises of how to remove the second operating system Windows 7, XP or another version. For example, you can find out how to remove Windows 7 from a laptop by following this link. Well, now let's return to the process of removing the second operating system.

    Editing boot.ini

    The boot.ini file is responsible for loading the OS. It contains information about windows settings, boot timeouts, and much more. If you edit this file, you can remove the unnecessary operating system from the boot menu.

    In order to do this, you need to go into the OS that you are going to leave. Next, find the My Computer icon. You need to point at it and right-click. From the drop-down list, select Properties. In the window that opens, we need the Advanced tab. Now select Download and setup, and click on the Options button.

    After this, a new dialog box appears in front of the user. In it you need to select the Edit item. Now boot.ini opens in front of us. It will appear in the Notepad application. First, let’s save a backup copy of this file by clicking Save As and renaming it to Boot.old. Close the resulting document and re-open boot.ini following the steps described above.

    Now you need to remove the line that contains information so that two systems to choose from appear in the boot menu. Next, save the changes. To do this, click Save As. We leave the original name. Now close all windows and restart the computer. After this, there should be only one system in the menu at boot.

    How to remove windows xp

    Each version of the operating system has its own characteristics. Therefore, how to remove a second Windows 8 operating system will differ from manipulations with XP. Let's take a closer look at how to perform this operation in Windows XP. In case you need it again, then .

    So, we boot into the OS that we want to leave on the computer. Next, you will need to change the settings so that the operating system that we will still have will load. To do this, right-click on My Computer. In the menu, click Properties. As for previous manipulations, we go to Advanced - Parameters. Here we mark the desired operating system and click OK.

    Now we go to the directory of the partition where the operating system that is planned to be removed is installed. Here you need to delete the Windows folder. In addition, select Program Files and Documents and Settings, and press Delete. In this case, a warning may appear several times stating that the files are system files, are open only for reading, etc. If you still decide to get rid of the second operating system, then feel free to delete them. Problems can arise if you select the wrong partition, but they are easily fixed. To ensure that the name of the remote OS no longer appears in the menu when booting, edit boot.ini as indicated above.

    As you can see, how to remove a second Windows xp operating system is not as difficult as it seems. Please note that sometimes users accidentally mark the OS that they deleted in the boot parameters. Accordingly, it will not be possible to enter the remaining one in the usual way. In this case, you will need to resort to a boot disk. You can read about how to create a boot disk yourself. You can also use any file manager. Don’t forget to edit boot.ini after you boot the system. After you finish all the manipulations, you should definitely restart the computer, only after this the changes will be saved in the settings.



     


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