dual boot, changing master boot record, etc

i have one drive split into three partitions, driver letters c, d, e.....this was done a year ago.
c: installed windows xp first.
d: installed windows 7 (32 bit) second.
e: storage partition.

i am assuming partition c holds the boot info.
i no longer use windows xp, therefore i want to install windows 7 64 bit and get rid of xp.
can i do a fresh install on drive c, then fix the boot record later to show c and d? or will my fresh install of c also wipeout the d and e partitions?

**note** (i do realize that by installing windows 7 on partition c, i will essentially have two versions of windows 7 as dual boot, which is fine, eventually i will get a new drive and do a fresh install, i just need a temporary solution to install windows 7 64 bit

I use http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/ EasyBCD Free Version to control all that.


You shouldn't lose D and E unless you format them. I hope you can correctly set up all multi-boots after you format C and install new Windows 7 on it. You cannot start 64-bit setup from 32-Bit so you would have to start from DVD.

at this point i reallly just want the 64bit os, i dont care how i install it.

just to clarify, are you saying even if i mount a virtual drive and try to install win7 64 bit i still wouldnt be able to? i didnt want to burn a dvd, finding a blank dvd is another issue LOL

but ill start looking for one if your statement is including virtual drives

Connect your USB Flash drive then type this in Windows 7/Vista DOS [Windows XP DOS cannot be used for this]:

• diskpart
• list disk
• select disk #
(of USB Flash drive)
• clean
• create partition primary
• select partition 1
• active
• format fs=ntfs quick
• assign
• exit
• exit

Now copy all contents of Windows 7 ISO to the USB Flash drive, then reboot and hold F8 (on most systems) to get a boot selection menu from which you can choose to boot from the newly created USB Flash Drive.

Optionally, delete autorun.inf (because autorun.inf files are now routinely intercepted by antivirus software.)