Can I delete a redundant Windows 2000 operating system
from my system?
In trying to correct a drive letter problem (previously
posted, and corrected, thank you very much), I ended up
installing an additional W2K . I now have two W2K
operating systems on my computer, named WINNT & WINDOWS.
Can I remove one of them? I did not partition my Hard
Drive during the installation.

I found this post:
--- "There's no way to "clean" remove one of the two
Windows 2000 installations if you installed to the same
partition (drive).
You can delete the appropriate systemroot folder (i.e. if
you've installed to \winnt and \winnt2, you can delete
\winnt2 and keep winnt) and modify the boot.ini to remove
the extra entry.
--
Daniel Chang
Server Setup Team" ---

Is there is something else I can do, if not, then how do I
modify the boot.ini to remove the extra entry? Now every
time I boot up it asks me which system I want.

Thanks, Tom G

"teejg" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:497701c4738a$e106b210$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Can I delete a redundant Windows 2000 operating system
> from my system?
> In trying to correct a drive letter problem (previously
> posted, and corrected, thank you very much), I ended up
> installing an additional W2K . I now have two W2K
> operating systems on my computer, named WINNT & WINDOWS.
> Can I remove one of them? I did not partition my Hard
> Drive during the installation.
>
> I found this post:
> --- "There's no way to "clean" remove one of the two
> Windows 2000 installations if you installed to the same
> partition (drive).
> You can delete the appropriate systemroot folder (i.e. if
> you've installed to \winnt and \winnt2, you can delete
> \winnt2 and keep winnt) and modify the boot.ini to remove
> the extra entry.
> --
> Daniel Chang
> Server Setup Team" ---
>
> Is there is something else I can do, if not, then how do I
> modify the boot.ini to remove the extra entry? Now every
> time I boot up it asks me which system I want.
>
> Thanks, Tom G

A Win2000 installation consists of these items:
a) The Win2000 boot sector
b) The files c:\boot.ini, c:\ntldr, c:\ntdetect.com
c) The Win2000 system folder

If you have several Win2000 installations on your PC
then they all share items a) and b). Item c) is separate
for each installation.

It follows that you need to delete the redundant Win2000
system folder in order to reduce the number of installations
on your PC. Rename it at first, then delete it when you're
sure that you've renamed the right one.

You can also modify the hidden file c:\boot.ini in order
to remove the unwanted menu line.

By default Windows 2000 installs in the \winnt directory. First Control
Panel|System|Advanced|Startup and Recovery, choose the correct System
Startup option as default, then you'll need to delete the options you want
removed from the boot.ini, it's a system, hidden file in the root of the
system partition. So you'll need to show-all-files, hidden, system in
Explorer. You should end up with something like this (below). The timeout
value is not functional when there is only one startup choice. Then you can
remove the %windir% directory that your currently not using from drive. By
default Windows 2000 installs into the \winnt directory and this is the
%windir% From a command prompt
echo %windir%
will reveal the one your using (possibly \winnt2), then you can delete the
other one not in use. To be sure you can rename it, then later delete it.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect


--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"teejg" wrote:
| Can I delete a redundant Windows 2000 operating system
| from my system?
| In trying to correct a drive letter problem (previously
| posted, and corrected, thank you very much), I ended up
| installing an additional W2K . I now have two W2K
| operating systems on my computer, named WINNT & WINDOWS.
| Can I remove one of them? I did not partition my Hard
| Drive during the installation.
|
| I found this post:
| --- "There's no way to "clean" remove one of the two
| Windows 2000 installations if you installed to the same
| partition (drive).
| You can delete the appropriate systemroot folder (i.e. if
| you've installed to \winnt and \winnt2, you can delete
| \winnt2 and keep winnt) and modify the boot.ini to remove
| the extra entry.
| --
| Daniel Chang
| Server Setup Team" ---
|
| Is there is something else I can do, if not, then how do I
| modify the boot.ini to remove the extra entry? Now every
| time I boot up it asks me which system I want.
|
| Thanks, Tom G

Thanks Pegasus,
I was able to delete the correct redundant Win2000.
I am not sure of the procedure you mentioned to modify the
hidden file c:\boot.ini in order to remove the unwanted
menu line.
Tom G

Thanks Dave,
Your computer language is a bit too advanced for me. as I
mentioned to Pegasus, I was able to delete the correct
redundant Win2000. After that I am not sure what to do
next. I think my main issue is to stop my computer from
asking me which W2K I want to start. I assume that's what
you are referring to as the "time out" function, (because
of the two OS systems).

I am not sure of the procedure you mentioned to remove %
windir% directory. And Pegasus said to modify the hidden
file c:\boot.ini in order to remove the unwanted menu
line. So I think I need a little extra guidance in this
complicated procedure.

These Newsgroups have been a valuable asset to me, now and
in the past.
Thanks again, Tom G

"teejg" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:4adc01c473a1$f522bd40$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks Pegasus,
> I was able to delete the correct redundant Win2000.
> I am not sure of the procedure you mentioned to modify the
> hidden file c:\boot.ini in order to remove the unwanted
> menu line.
> Tom G
>

- Launch "My Computer"
- Navigate to C:\
- Click Tools / Folder Options / View
- Click "Show hidden files and folders"
- Click OK a few times
- Double-click "c:\boot.ini"
- If prompted for the tool to be used, select "notepad"
- Remove the unwanted line
- Save the file

Much of what I wrote here was already right at your fingertips:
- Click Start / Help / Search tab
- Type hidden
- Have a good look at "Common Tasks: Folder Options"

There is a wealth of information hidden in Windows Help!

<snip>
There is a wealth of information hidden in Windows Help!
</snip>

The operative word is *hidden*. It can be very difficult to find
information. Once you do find it, as with your helpful tip, there is a lot
that can be learned.

--
Walter Donavan, Author
Revelation: The Seven Stages of the
Journey Back to God
www.revelation7stages.com
www.1stbooks.com/bookview/15479

You'll find it always in the root of the system partition.
Start|Run|edit C:\boot.ini

(assumes C:\ is the system partition)

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"teejg" wrote:
| Thanks Dave,
| Your computer language is a bit too advanced for me. as I
| mentioned to Pegasus, I was able to delete the correct
| redundant Win2000. After that I am not sure what to do
| next. I think my main issue is to stop my computer from
| asking me which W2K I want to start. I assume that's what
| you are referring to as the "time out" function, (because
| of the two OS systems).
|
| I am not sure of the procedure you mentioned to remove %
| windir% directory. And Pegasus said to modify the hidden
| file c:\boot.ini in order to remove the unwanted menu
| line. So I think I need a little extra guidance in this
| complicated procedure.
|
| These Newsgroups have been a valuable asset to me, now and
| in the past.
| Thanks again, Tom G
|

Thank you Pegasus,
I have always had that option on (show hidden files). I
just wasn't sure what you wanted me to do.
Double-click "c:\boot.ini"
- If prompted for the tool to be used, select "notepad"
- Remove the unwanted line
- Save the file
I have deleted the extra W2K in c:\boot.ini, and I am up
to speed.

Thank you very much,
Tom JG

Ok, I will try that.
Thanks
Tom