How to Uninstall Windows Vista on a Multiboot System?



If you have a dual boot system with Windows Vista and another Windows version like Windows XP, 2000, etc and now you want to completely remove Windows Vista from your system, then this tutorial will help you.

1. Boot into other Windows version. Suppose you have Windows XP installed along with Windows Vista, then boot into Windows XP.

2. Insert your Windows Vista Setup DVD in your DVD drive. Click on "Start button -> All Programs -> Accessories". Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run As Administrator". If you are prompted to enter password, enter the password and continue. You can also open Command Prompt in Administrator mode by typing "cmd" in Startmenu Search box and press "Ctrl+Shift+Enter".

3. Now provide following command:

[DVD_drive_letter]:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt52 ALL /force

and then press Enter. Suppose your DVD drive letter is F:, then provide following command:

F:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt52 ALL /force

4. Eject the Setup DVD and restart the system. Now your system will start in Windows XP automatically.

5. Now you can safely delete Windows Vista folders to reclaim the disk space:

Program Files
Users
Windows

You can format the whole partition too if its not the boot partition. e.g. if your Windows Vista was installed on a partition other than C:, then you can safely format that partition but if it was installed on C: drive, then don't format it. Just manually delete the above mentioned folders.



This article was posted in Troubleshooting, Windows Vista.

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22 Comments

1 2 3

  • fmdahir

    the procedure provided above will work for my prob???

  • Preetesh

    Hi VG,

    Thanks a lot for your very helpful guide.

    This should've been provided by Microsoft but all they have on their site are instuctions for removing 7 from Vista.

    But Thank you for your guide.

    Regards,
    Preetesh

1 2 3

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