I have Windows 10 installed in a dual boot configuration with my original Windows 7 installation. I have had enough fun with Windows 10 and want to return to my solo Windows 7 setup. I see two possibilities. There is a recovery option in the Windows 10 "Update and Recovery" section that promises to restore the pre-installation factory condition of the computer. The second possibility is for me to simply restore the single system MBR I saved before installing Windows 10, then clearing the Windows 10 partition. I am confident that will work, but I'd like to try the Microsoft way. My fear is that the recovery program will clear out both systems, not just Win 10, and/or trash the boot info. Does anybody have any experience with the Windows 10 recovery option?
Step: 1 Remove Windows 10 parition. Step: 2 Done (May want to remove the W10 entry from Boot loader) Unless ofc your bootloader is on your Windows 10 partition, then you first need to re-create the bootloader with bcdboot.
First and foremost, I would be interested to know if both Operating Systems are on the same partition. In that case you would have to be very careful with removing the one you don't need and not to damage the other that you want as the only Windows OS. Technically, I have my unconventional way of doing it. I usually do it when I have different Operating systems on the same partition by going to the 'system configuration' and delete the OS boot option that I don't need and leave the other as default. Then proceed to restart the system and delete the other OS folders from my system, in your case they are the Windows 10 folders. It is drudgery but can guarantee the safety of the other important Windows files .
I have them installed on separate primary partitions on separate disks, so that would not be a problem. I know how to remove Windows 10 from the system boot, either manually or with EasyBCD, but I am curious about what the Windows 10 recovery option will do. I'll probably have to back everything up and try it myself, but I was hoping somebody had already done it.
To be quite honest, I would not have any faith in that considering your particular setup. I would almost expect carnage from that. I certainly hope the best for you, but I wouldn't trust it myself. But good that you are backing everything up first.
Backing everything up and carrying out the process to test what the outcome would be is the best thing to do. I wish you good luck!
Like others have said, back up and keep your fingers crossed. IMO, the best way to do a dual boot like this is on a separate hard drive. When I installed Win10 I disconnected all my other drives. This way setup does not detect my windows 8 installation and does not create the dual boot loader, plus this eliminates the chance of formatting a data drive by mistake. When I want to boot to a different drive I press F8 after restart and choose the drive. This makes it easy to remove the Win10 installation from my system.
That is very funny though. Only a person who is as rich as Bill Gates would dare do that - you will also encounter problem with any OS you think is best suited for your routine activities with time.
you can also open msconfig. and remove the boot entry. which inturn only allows you to boot into Windows 7. and since you say that was your Original. then not to worry. remove in msconfig then save the msconfig an reboot when ask ... then format the partition where you installed Windows 10. done done and no worries...