Windows 7 My own idiocy comes to light

[AgentLambda357]

This is all because I had to try to go putting Ubuntu on my PC. X(

Here's the order of events:
I installed Ubuntu 12.10 as a dual boot, and everything was going swimmingly until I tried to install my video drivers, and I couldn't get into Ubuntu, so I go back to my Windows x64. In my infinite wisdom, I decided to go into my hard drive from System Management or something like that and simply format the part of the hard drive that has Ubuntu on it, so now it's listed as free space. I decided to restart the computer, and I get something like "error, grub rescue" or something like that. I can't access anything.
I put in my Windows disk, and completely formatted the C:/ drive and everything on it. Still have this problem. I hit it with Hiren's Boot and Nuke. Now, if I just let the computer boot to the HDD, it says "BOOTMGR not found. Press Ctrl + alt + del to restart". I can use the Hiren boot CD to boot Mini Windows XP, so I guess that's a start.

Here are my supplies:
x64 Windows 7 Laptop (Broken software as described above)
x64 Windows 7 Disc
Hirens Boot CD

PLEASE help me forum!!!

 

[patcooke]

You should be able toboot from the Windows 7 Disk. Switch and, go into bios and set first boot device to cd/dvd drive.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

What caused your problem is the fact that you can't remove an operating system from a dual boot set up without removing it from the boot menu first.

I learned this the hard way.

The Boot Manger looks for the OS and can't find it so everything goes to hell.
It would seem that it would be nice it not finding the OS that it's set to boot to it would look for an alternative but it doesn't work that way.

I'd use your Ubuntu DVD to boot your computer and back up everything important.
Before you go any further.

Then try and do a full fresh install of Windows 7, from your Windows 7 DVD on the existing C:\ drive.

If you ever do this again use EasyBCD (a free download) to remove the OS you want to remove from the boot menu first, reboot your computer to make sure that it boots into the correct OS with out asking you, and then you can just delete the old on with no problems.

I've never been able to save the OS when this happens, maybe someone who can really get into the basic stuff could fix it but it's beyond me.

Mike

 

[AgentLambda357]

Thank you, both of you for your help. I've gotten Windows 7 back up and running, however, the problem still remains that I have a 250 GB partition labelled "Unallocated Space" just sitting there. How do I fix this?

 

[patcooke]

You could do one of two things - merge the space in with your drive C or create a second partition to start storing your data there. If you let us know what you think you'd prefer and also show us an image of your drive as it shows in control panel, administrative tools, computer management, storage disk management we can help you sort it.

 

[AgentLambda357]

What you'll see in the image is that there's a four-hundred-something GB partition, and a two-hundred-something GB partition. The 400-something GB partition is the primary partition, while the 200-something partition is "Free space". I want to merge the free space with the primary, yielding a slightly-less-than-700-ish GB partition, instead of 2 smaller ones. Thanks again for everything you're doing

 

[Jimbo22]

Have a look at this.....

Join Two Partitions Back Together in Windows - YouTube

 

[AgentLambda357]

bassfisher, that was a good try, but when I click "Delete Partition", a message comes up saying, "There is not enough space on the disk(s) to complete this operation."
Soooooo... What now?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Go to control panel and run a search for Disk Management.
Make a snip of your Disk Management page.

It should look something like this....



And post it here, it will let us see what's going on.
It may be that you are doing something wrong in the procedure to restore the drive.
But it's hard to see what with out a visual.

Mike

 

[AgentLambda357]

Here's my full disk management screen. When I right click on the green portion, the options "Create Simple Volume" and "Delete Partition" are available. When I click "Delete partition", I get the error message I mentioned above. Basically I just want to merge the green section with the blue section directly to its left.

 

[patcooke]

Jusr right click in the blue section to the left and select the option to extend and use all the available space.

 

[AgentLambda357]

Problem resolved here: http://windows7forums.com/windows-7-support/88974-issue-partitions.html

That's it for me, everybody. Thanks for all your help!