Discarding old files after a parallel installation

[Nick Cellino]

To solve a Windows problem, I installed Windows XP to a new folder. This
is also known as a parallel installation. I now have XP installed in two
locations, in the WINXP folder as well as the Windows folder. I want to
keep the new WINXP installation and discard the old, problem-laden
Windows installation.

How do I get rid of the old installation? I would like to get rid of the
files in the Windows folder as well as most of the files in the Program
Files folder. Getting rid of files in the Program Files folder is
necessary because many of those programs won't work now when I boot to
the new installation so it's necessary to reinstall them. I have backed
up all my documents so I don't have to worry about those.

Does anyone know the correct procedure here?

As an alternative, I would be willing to perform a clean install of
Windows XP. Can this be done with just the Windows XP upgrade CD which I
have or would I need the full installation version?

Thank you.

Nick

 

[Sharon F]

To solve a Windows problem, I installed Windows XP to a new folder. This
is also known as a parallel installation. I now have XP installed in two
locations, in the WINXP folder as well as the Windows folder. I want to
keep the new WINXP installation and discard the old, problem-laden
Windows installation.

How do I get rid of the old installation? I would like to get rid of the
files in the Windows folder as well as most of the files in the Program
Files folder. Getting rid of files in the Program Files folder is
necessary because many of those programs won't work now when I boot to
the new installation so it's necessary to reinstall them. I have backed
up all my documents so I don't have to worry about those.

Does anyone know the correct procedure here?

As an alternative, I would be willing to perform a clean install of
Windows XP. Can this be done with just the Windows XP upgrade CD which I
have or would I need the full installation version?

Thank you.

Nick

A parallel install is a great technique for grabbing data files and
anything else you want off of the drive. Once that's done, I would opt for
a fresh clean install. Then restore data files. This is actually the
recommended procedure for this situation. Many good reasons to go full tilt
and clean install. One of the more obvious is the cross-sharing of program
files and common files that you've noted.

 

[Nick Cellino]

A parallel install is a great technique for grabbing data files and
anything else you want off of the drive. Once that's done, I would opt for
a fresh clean install. Then restore data files. This is actually the
recommended procedure for this situation. Many good reasons to go full tilt
and clean install. One of the more obvious is the cross-sharing of program
files and common files that you've noted.

Thank you, Sharon.

Can I do a fresh clean install with the upgrade CD?

Nick

 

[Sharon F]

Thank you, Sharon.

Can I do a fresh clean install with the upgrade CD?

Nick

Yes, if you have a Windows disk that qualifies for the use of the XP
Upgrade version. Win95, Win98, WinME. (Win2000 if going to XP Pro.)

At one point during setup, you'll be asked to place the CD in the drive.
The CD used must have the standard windows setup files on it (cannot be a
special OEM restore disk). Once that's done, you'll be prompted to remove
the disk. Reinsert the XP disk and setup will continue.

If your qualifying disk is a special OEM recovery CD (does not plainly
display the standard setup and windows files), then install this first.
Boot to that operating system. Then run XP setup. If you choose "upgrade"
it will install over the existing Win-whatever. If you choose "new
install," follow the on screen directions carefully to remove the partition
that holds the existing Windows and replace it with clean install of XP.

A more detailed description of this process can be found here:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm

 

[Nick Cellino]

Yes, if you have a Windows disk that qualifies for the use of the XP
Upgrade version. Win95, Win98, WinME. (Win2000 if going to XP Pro.)

At one point during setup, you'll be asked to place the CD in the drive.
The CD used must have the standard windows setup files on it (cannot be a
special OEM restore disk). Once that's done, you'll be prompted to remove
the disk. Reinsert the XP disk and setup will continue.

If your qualifying disk is a special OEM recovery CD (does not plainly
display the standard setup and windows files), then install this first.
Boot to that operating system. Then run XP setup. If you choose "upgrade"
it will install over the existing Win-whatever. If you choose "new
install," follow the on screen directions carefully to remove the partition
that holds the existing Windows and replace it with clean install of XP.

A more detailed description of this process can be found here:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm

Thanks again, Sharon. I have chosen to do a Clean Install. Since my XP
CD is the upgrade version and my OEM Restore CD may not qualify for the
upgrade, I've decided to use the procedure recommended in the page above:

"So what do you do if your OEM CD or Restore disk does not work as
qualifying media? One neat new feature of XP allows one to get around
this problem. First, start the XP clean install from within an existing
qualified install rather then from the XP CD or from a DOS prompt. When
you see the screen that ask what type of install to do, change “Upgrade
(Recommended)” to “New install.” You can then select the existing
partition, format it, and do a Clean Install, never having to insert
your qualifying product CD."

However, I've encountered a problem. On the Setup page which shows the
only existing partition, I'm presented with 3 choices:

1. To Setup XP on the selected item, press ENTER
2. To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C
3. To delete the selected partition, press D

The third choice is the one I selected but I encountered the following
warning:

"Setup is unable to perform the requested operation on the selected
partition. This partition contains temporary Setup files that are
required to complete the installation".

The only other viable choice is 1 but for that choice I encounter the
caution against installing multiple operating systems on the same partition.

What should I do?

Nick

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

All you should need to do is delete the old Windows folder. As for the Programs Files folder, since nothing is actually "installed", from your old stuff, you should be able to just re-install the apps. You could delete the specific application folders if you want.

As for a clean install from the upgrade disc, yes. Just have a Win95/98/Me/2k disk handy for proof of eligibility for the upgrade. A 2K disk may not work if you're installing XP Home.

 

[Sharon F]

Thanks again, Sharon. I have chosen to do a Clean Install. Since my XP
CD is the upgrade version and my OEM Restore CD may not qualify for the
upgrade, I've decided to use the procedure recommended in the page above:

"So what do you do if your OEM CD or Restore disk does not work as
qualifying media? One neat new feature of XP allows one to get around
this problem. First, start the XP clean install from within an existing
qualified install rather then from the XP CD or from a DOS prompt. When
you see the screen that ask what type of install to do, change ´Upgrade
(Recommended)¡ to ´New install.¡ You can then select the existing
partition, format it, and do a Clean Install, never having to insert
your qualifying product CD."

However, I've encountered a problem. On the Setup page which shows the
only existing partition, I'm presented with 3 choices:

1. To Setup XP on the selected item, press ENTER
2. To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C
3. To delete the selected partition, press D

The third choice is the one I selected but I encountered the following
warning:

"Setup is unable to perform the requested operation on the selected
partition. This partition contains temporary Setup files that are
required to complete the installation".

The only other viable choice is 1 but for that choice I encounter the
caution against installing multiple operating systems on the same partition.

What should I do?

Are you installing from the XP CD or did you copy the CD to the hard drive?
Use the CD.

It's been a long time since I've done a clean install from an older version
of Windows. The steps for getting XP setup to "see" the old Windows so that
it does not ask for the CD are a little vague in my recollection and, like
you, I rely on web articles. I have done those installations. It's just
been a long, long time. Sorry.

Try this. Keep the XP setup CD in the drive at all times. Boot to the old
windows. Cancel the setup screen. Choose Restart. On the restart change to
Boot from CD. And then follow the steps you were using before.

NOTE: When booting to the old Windows again, you may get a boot option
screen that offers to continue XP setup. Try that option and try the
partition delete again.

Or upgrade the existing older Windows. Almost all of it will be replaced
because of the great diversity between XP and previous 9x versions.

 

[Nick Cellino]

All you should need to do is delete the old Windows folder. As for the Programs Files folder, since nothing is actually "installed", from your old stuff, you should be able to just re-install the apps. You could delete the specific application folders if you want.

As for a clean install from the upgrade disc, yes. Just have a Win95/98/Me/2k disk handy for proof of eligibility for the upgrade. A 2K disk may not work if you're installing XP Home.

Thanks, Doug. I explained further along in the thread that I have the
OEM Restore CD for Windows 98 which probably won't qualify as
upgradeable media. I think I'll follow your instructions and just delete
the old Windows folder.

Sharon, the "neat feature" I mentioned is on the first page of the link
you provided:

http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm

I'm still curious why I encountered a problem with the clean install.
The caution read:

"Setup is unable to perform the requested operation on the selected
partition. This partition contains temporary Setup files that are
required to complete the installation".

Thanks to all.

Nick

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Nick,

You're correct, the OEM Recovery CD won't work. The only reason that I can see that XP would be concerned about temporary setup files is if you tried to format the partition you were installing to, and that's where XP's setup had copied its temporary files to.