Annoying MS Windows Setup screen on startup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Scott
  • Start date Start date
S

Scott

I was attempting to do a repair install from my XP Pro CD recently and
got a little confused when I initiated the OS install from my XP Pro CD
(thinking the "repair" option would pop up ay some point) . Well the
"repair" option didn't appear in the beginning stages of the install so
I just got a little scared and bailed on the install.

Now whenever I startup my computer I get a black and white screen that
asks me to choose between Microsoft Windows XP Professional OR
Microsoft Windows SETUP or some such thingy. I select MS XP Pro of
course and everything loads up fine but I would really like to find a
way to elminate that black and white selction screen.

I am a bit gun-shy to frig around anymore without some more expert
advice.
Thanks in advance!
 
Right click My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Startup and Recovery, Settings. In the System Startup section click Edit. This opens the BOOT.INI file. Remove the erroneous entry. If you're unsure of what to remove, post back with the contents of BOOT.INI
 
Hi Scott,
You need to edit the boot.ini file in the c: directory.
Be carefull to only elimiate the line that has the setup on it.
Normally when doing a repair install The first screen you will have to
choose setup. then you have to accept the ULA.(F8). Then you get to choose
repair the existing installation.
Loretta
 
Hi Doug,
Did what you suggested and removed the Microsoft XP Professional Setup
string and restarted...unfortunately the same black and white screen
came up except this time my choices were Windows Default OR Microsoft
XP Professional. Rats!
Here are the contents of the BOOT.INI now:
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

Thanks
 
You need to change it to this:

[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

Make sure you watch for line wrapping.
 
I believe that you need to set Timeout to 0. Since it has been a few
years since I have edited the boot.ini file, wait for confirmation on
this, I definitely don't want to make things worse! :-)

Good luck!
Saga
 
Thanks for that Doug.
I changed the boot.ini to what you suggested but on restart, I still
get the black and white screen that offers Windows default OR Microsoft
XP Professional??
 
Yes, that will cause it to immediately go to the default OS.

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Saga said:
I believe that you need to set Timeout to 0. Since it has been a few
years since I have edited the boot.ini file, wait for confirmation on
this, I definitely don't want to make things worse! :-)

Good luck!
Saga


Scott said:
Hi Doug,
Did what you suggested and removed the Microsoft XP Professional Setup
string and restarted...unfortunately the same black and white screen
came up except this time my choices were Windows Default OR Microsoft
XP Professional. Rats!
Here are the contents of the BOOT.INI now:
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
WRONG oh Doug!

Did as you suggetsed and got a black DOS screen saying it couldn't find
something or other in Windows
...rebooted is safe mode..changed the timeout back to normal.
On startup it still lists two choices:
1) Windows [default]
and
2)Microsoft XP Professional

I guess the question here seems to me to be...how to change the Windows
[default] back to Microsoft XP Professional so IT is the [default] OS?
 
This is the default BOOT.INI configuration on my sytem:

[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Media Center Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

You can right click on My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Startup and Recovery, Settings, and adjust the timeout there. And no, I'm not wrong. I've been setting the timeout value to 0 for years.
 
Have you tried to do the Repair Install thru to completion. Then check your
boot.ini to be sure it look like:

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

JS
 
Doug you told me to change boot.ini to this:

[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows
XP Professional" /fastdetect
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

Incorrect.

JS suggest changing it to this:

[Boot Loader]
Timeout=15
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

CORRECT!!
My system loaded as normal again...finally.

Anyhow thank you both for helping me out!!
 
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