How to remove Windows in BIOS. How to remove Windows and install a new operating system. How to remove the Windows XP operating system

Today I decided to prepare a short article in which I will talk about how to remove one Windows system from a computer on which you have installed two operating systems, for example, Windows 8 and Windows 7. I have already written an article on how to do this correctly. This article can be considered a small addition.

It is clear that if you installed two operating systems on your computer, for example, in order to test Windows 8, then sooner or later you will want to remove one of the systems. Either leave the new eight and remove Windows 7, or vice versa, remove Windows 8.

I don't see much point in having two systems on a computer. Although, now hard drives are of such capacity that you can install about ten of them :) But, for example, on my 120 GB SSD drive, this is not very correct. Therefore, when you have already checked everything and made your decision, the question arises, how to remove Windows 7 or Windows 8. Now I will write how I did it.

You probably already thought that what’s complicated here is that you formatted the partition with an unnecessary system, and that’s all. But not everything is so simple, the bootloader still remains intact. You also need to remove the system from the boot menu. There is nothing difficult about this, I’ll demonstrate it now.

Completely remove Windows (if two systems are installed)

It is best to remove it from the system that you decided to leave. I don't know how important this is, but it's better to do it this way.

For example, I decided to leave Windows 8, and I will show you how to remove Windows 7.

This means that in this case, we carry out all actions from the figure eight. First we will make our system, which we decided to keep, the main one (it should load by default), and then remove the system we don’t need from the download.

Go to your desktop and press the keys Win+R. In the Run window, enter the command msconfig, and press OK.

In the new window, go to the tab, select the operating system that we want to keep (in our case, this is Windows 8), and press the button Use as default (opposite OS, the corresponding status “Default OS” should appear).

Now, select the system that we want to delete (in our case, this is WIndows 7), and press the button Delete.

A window will appear, I advise you to select .

The computer will reboot, and without the ability to select an operating system, the system that we left should immediately boot. In our case, this is Windows 8.

What to do with files from the old system?

Yes, all that remains is to deal with the partition that previously contained the operating system. The easiest way is to format it and store files on it.

Just be careful when formatting the partition. Check its contents, there should be folders there: Program Files, Windows, Users, etc. And this cannot be drive C, it will have a different letter.

Attention! Formatting will delete all information on the local drive. If we consider our case specifically, all information that was stored on the local drive C will be deleted (desktop, folder my documents, my photos, etc.), on the operating system we want to remove.

Second way.

You can delete a partition and add the free space that appears after deleting it to an existing partition. I don’t know how much of a necessary procedure this is, because it’s much easier to just leave this section for storing files.

But, if you decide to remove it completely, then this can be done using a standard tool Disk management, which I wrote about in this article ““. Do not pay attention that the article was written for Windows 7, on eight, everything is exactly the same.

In Disk Management, right-click on the partition you want to delete and select Delete volume...“.

Then, right-click on the partition to which you want to add memory from the deleted partition and select Extend volume. Follow the instructions, everything is simple.

Afterword

Here is a proven way to remove an operating system if you have two or even more of them on your computer. I think that there should not be any problems. The main thing is to be careful not to delete something wrong or format a section with valuable information.

If anything, ask your questions in the comments, I will try to help. Share information, perhaps you did this procedure differently. Best wishes!

Also on the site:

How to remove one Windows operating system from a computer if two systems are installed? updated: February 6, 2018 by: admin

The Windows 7 removal process has many nuances and features. As well as further installation of a newer OS from Microsoft. To carry out this activity, you must not only have the distribution kit, but also have the ability to make changes to the BIOS settings.

What is needed for removal?

In order to completely remove the OS from a laptop, you must first save all important files to some kind of media (USB flash drive, portable hard drive). Since complete removal will require a formatting procedure. It involves erasing all data present in the PC's permanent memory - regardless of its type.

To perform the removal you will also need:

• ability to configure Bios;
• the presence of a USB port for running software from external flash memory;
• the presence of a drive for working with CDs for launching programs and further installation of another OS;
• software that allows you to format your hard drive.

When all of the above is available, you can begin to “erase” the seventh version from your computer’s hard drive. This is the only way to completely get rid of fragments of the old operating system on a laptop or regular computer.

Video: Uninstall Windows 7

Sequencing

The first step in uninstalling the OS is formatting the disk. In order to do this before installation, you must first edit the Bios.

This is done as follows:

• immediately after starting the PC, you need to quickly press the F8 or Delete key several times (depending on the Bios model and PC type);
• A blue screen containing a table will appear on the monitor;
• we find a list of parameters that look something like this:
  1. 1st boot device;
  2. 2st boot device;
  3. 3st boo device;
• edit 1st boot devi so that the desired device (CD/DVD-ROM or USB-FDD) appears on the right side of the line;
• We find the line “Save and Exit Setup”, click on it, agree to make changes and perform a further reboot.

After setting up the launch, you need to use a storage medium with software designed to work with a hard drive. There must be a formatting function available.

The best choice today is the Acronis Disk Director application. A version that supports operation outside the operating system is required.

Photo: Acronis Disk Director application

Formatting is done as follows:

After completing all the above steps, the formatting process will start. When finished, the application must be closed. All data on the hard drive is permanently deleted. And you can safely start installing the new version.

Removing Windows 7 from a laptop during the installation of Windows 8

This requires the skills of an experienced user. As well as basic knowledge of the internal structure of a PC. Since otherwise, deletion can lead to disastrous consequences, damage to the laptop and the need to call a repairman.

A safer and easier way to remove Windows 7 via BIOS on a laptop is to format it during the installation process of the eighth version of the operating system from Microsoft.

To perform this action you must do the following:

This way you can format and remove the old version of the OS from your computer with minimal risk. This method also makes it possible to save some time - there is no need to remove a disk with additional software, configure the BIOS, and perform other similar actions.

Installation

The installation itself of the new version of the operating system from Microsoft is quite simple and takes a minimum amount of time. Especially if installed from a USB flash drive.

The installation is performed in the following order:

1. update;

OS setup

When installation is complete, the system will provide the opportunity to perform initial setup.

This is done in several stages:

• protection and privacy: enable or disable the Do Not Track system (prohibiting tracking of visited pages) and Smart Screen (protection from potentially dangerous programs and data).

It is also very important to pay attention to the settings section called “sending data to Microsoft and other services.” Since the level of confidentiality of use depends on this.

This page allows you to enable or disable:

• automatic use of the Bing system;
• automatic loading of predicted pages;
• permission to use personal personal data (name, avatar);
• requesting information about the location of the device.

The last step is to set up your account..

Three options are available:

It is very important to choose the original distribution - the success of the subsequent installation greatly depends on this. Since various kinds of pirated assemblies are often simply non-working. You can purchase the OS at any computer store.

If possible, it is necessary to carry out a “clean” installation of the operating system - format the hard drive before starting installation. Because otherwise, there is a high probability of all sorts of errors, as well as the appearance of difficult-to-delete files.

Installing a new operating system is not a difficult process; it is only important to be as careful as possible when setting up the BIOS.

Every day Windows XP becomes more and more outdated and is increasingly used only on low-power computers. Microsoft updates operating systems to provide improved security and the latest features for users quite frequently. Each updated system is almost always poorly compatible with previous software for various reasons: lack of free hard drive space, lack of RAM, etc.

There are different cases when you need to remove Windows XP:

• If you want to install a newer system or, conversely, return to the familiar old one;
• When a computer has several operating systems at once. They can be the same or different, located on the same disk or in different partitions.

Removing Windows XP and installing a new Windows 7

You can remove unnecessary Windows XP without installation, during or after installing another version. If you have a boot disk with any OS, you can completely remove Windows XP through the BIOS. To do this you need to complete the following steps:

In the “BOOT” section, select the “CD-ROM” boot priority and press “F10” to save the settings.

After a few seconds, system files will begin copying from the disk. After installing temporary files, the system will prompt you to select a partition to install the OS.

At this moment, you can delete unnecessary partitions, change their size and number, and format the disks. For each action, the system will prompt you to press the corresponding letter. Formatting will allow you to demolish Windows XP clean.

How to remove extra Windows XP

The easiest way to remove Windows XP is to format the partition containing the operating system. Only if the version is not installed on hard drive C - in this case, formatting can only be done through the BIOS system.

If two or more Windows were installed on your personal computer, and you do not know where the one that needs to be removed is located, you can find out the partition in several ways:

• Open “My Computer” → in the address bar we type: %SystemRoot% → press Enter → we get to the section containing the folder with our working OS;
• Click “Start” → Run → Paste into the address bar or write: %SystemRoot% → OK → look at which section you are in.

To remove an unnecessary OS version, we perform formatting. To do this, open “My Computer” → hover over the partition with the system that you want to delete, right-click → Format

Confirm deletion → Start

Removing unnecessary Windows XP without formatting

If you only need to delete system files without formatting, you can use the following option.

Files related to Windows XP:

• Section letter: Documents and Settings – contains profiles of all users of the system;
• Section letter:Program Files – programs installed in the OS;
• Section letter: RECYCLER – basket;
• Section letter: System Volume Information – various files for system recovery;
• Partition letter:WINDOWS – Windows;
• Partition letter: Temp – various temporary files;
• Partition letter: Temp – pagefile.sys – used by the operating system when there is insufficient RAM;
• Section letter:Temp – hiberfil.sys – carries out the “Hibernation” process.

In almost all cases, some or all of these files are hidden. To be able to see them, you need:

Open “My Computer” → At the top of the window, click “Tools” → Folder Options

If you are currently working with Windows 7, then click Start → Control Panel → Select “Appearance and Personalization” → Folder Options

Click the “View” tab → Uncheck “Hide protected system files” → Click the “Show hidden files and folders” button

Now we go to the section with Windows XP and delete all of the above files, except for System Volume Information. Removing it gives an error.

To delete this file when working in Windows 7, you need to additionally go to “Folder Options” → uncheck the box “Use simple file sharing”

Right-click on the “System Volume Information” folder → Properties → Security → Add → Check the “Allow” checkbox

In the “Enter names of selected objects” window, write the user name. Click OK.

Select the user name in the “Groups or Users” window with full access allowed and click “Advanced”

Click the “Extensions” tab → put 2 checkboxes at the bottom → OK

Now the folder can be deleted. All that remains is to remove the remote OS from the boot.

For Win 7: press 2 buttons on the keyboard “Windows” and “R” at once → in the address bar of the window that appears, write: msconfig → click OK.

In the “System Configuration” window, click the “Boot” tab and delete the line of the unnecessary system.

For Windows XP, you need to edit the system file “boot.ini”. You can find it on the system disk or follow these steps:

1. Right-click “My Computer”;
2. Select “Properties”;
3. Click the “Advanced” tab;
4. Click “Options”;
5. “Edit.”

timeout – time in seconds to select the OS;

- operating system;

default – the system set to boot by default is indicated by the number in:(0)partition(Number)WINDOWS.

We remove unnecessary Windows XP and put the required OS to boot into the “default” line.

We remove the system through the “Control Panel”

You can uninstall Windows XP through the Control Panel. To do this you need to take the following steps:

1. We restart the computer by quickly pressing “F8”, thereby entering safe mode;
2. Click “Start” → “Settings” → “Control Panel”;
3. Select the line “Add and remove programs”.
4. In the menu, select and click “Remove Windows XP”.
5. We confirm the removal of Windows XP.

Remove from the command line

You can also uninstall the Win XP operating system from the command line. To do this you need to complete the following steps:

• We restart the computer by pressing “F8”, thereby entering safe mode. After the computer boots, select “Start” → “Run” → enter “CMD” without quotes → then press “Enter”;
• Next, enter “Enter” on the command line – CD. Then we write: cdwindowssystem32, then confirm – “Enter”.
• Enter the command: osuninst.exe → press “Enter”.

Quite a lot has been written about how to install Windows:



.

and others...
But there is still little written about how to remove Windows, and there is no such article on my website yet. We will correct this oversight.

I won’t go into why you needed to do this, but to the question “ Is it possible to uninstall Windows?"I will answer in the affirmative.

I warn you in advance that if you just want to delete the Windows and Program Files folder, and that’s it, then this will not be correct!
Correct removal of the Windows operating system involves formatting the disk () with the system installed on it.
The fact is that if this is not done, then in the future such situations may arise that there will be OS conflicts. For example, the keys will conflict.

Therefore, before you start deleting, make sure to save all important files and data on another partition of your local disk or on an external one.

This instruction can be divided into two subcategories: when you have an operating system on one disk partition () and when there is another local disk with data and without an OS.

The removal process in this case goes like this.
If you boot under a boot disk (Live CD), then format the partition using standard Windows tools (the link is given above) from under the loaded OS.
If you boot from the installation disk, then there will be a window with a choice of the disk where to install Windows. This is where you need to choose Formatting:

Well, then either install or cancel - it’s up to you.

How to remove the second (old, unnecessary) windows?
This applies to the case when you have more than one local disk, and one already has the OS installed. Here the actions are similar to the previous deletion. Format the disk with the “unnecessary” Windows installed using standard tools of the system itself or using additional programs. After this, neither the old Windows nor all the files will remain. Formatting is what it is...

In conclusion, I would like to add the following.
Yes, you can take the lazy route - delete Windows files and all folders, and you can also install a new OS on top of an existing one (this is also possible) or install it on the same disk, but then there will be a lot of problems. Therefore, think carefully about whether you want a fresh new system and start from scratch, or whether you leave the old one and then suffer from conflicts.

Sometimes users forget to delete the old one. There is nothing critical about this, but old Windows takes up a lot of space.

This article contains information on how to remove old Windows 7 from your computer.

There are several ways to remove unnecessary Windows:

1. Removing old Windows using Disk Cleanup

You need to run the Disk Cleanup program. You can find it through “Start”. Click “All Programs”, then “Accessories”, then “Utilities” and find the required component in the list.

It is the “Previous Windows installations” item that we need. Select the checkbox if it is not there and click OK. When asked about permanent deletion, answer “Delete files.” After some time, the old Windows 7 files will be deleted.

2. Removing old Windows without programs

If for some reason the program cannot be found or there are problems with it, you can remove it from Windows manually. To do this, find the Windows.old folder and set the rights necessary for deletion.

Go to the folder properties (RMB – Properties) and go to the “Security” tab

Click on “Advanced”. On the “Owner” tab, select the current user and check the “Replace owner of subcontainers and objects” checkbox and click “Apply”.

Now on the “Permissions” tab, select the account that was made the owner of the folder and change it (the “Change” button)

A window appears with the Resolution Element, where we check the boxes where highlighted in the screenshot below. Then click OK and with a safety warning.

After the manipulations have been done, it will be possible to delete the Windows.old folder without difficulty and the question of how to remove old Windows 7 is resolved.

3. Removing old Windows by formatting the disk

This method is more drastic, but as they say, “fail-safe.” The bottom line is that you need to boot from the installation disk or flash drive and start installing clean Windows.

At the time of selecting a disk, you will need to delete all partitions, partition the hard drive again and format all partitions. This way we get a clean system, without any signs of old operating systems.