Deleting Dual-Boot

[Patch]

What's the best way to get rid of a dual-boot setup? I have 2 hard drives
with XP Pro on both. (long story) My C: drive is formatted NTFS the D: drive
Fat32. (if that makes a difference) Someone told me to use a boot-disk and
at the DOS prompt type "sys C:" Will that do the trick?


Thanks

 

[philo]

What's the best way to get rid of a dual-boot setup? I have 2 hard drives
with XP Pro on both. (long story) My C: drive is formatted NTFS the D: drive
Fat32. (if that makes a difference) Someone told me to use a boot-disk and
at the DOS prompt type "sys C:" Will that do the trick?

edit boot.ini
remove the entry for the OS you don't need
you can then delete that installtion

just do not format your C: drive

boot.ini is a hidden file in your root directory

if you are not sure of what you are doing...

format a floppy on your machine (NOT from a win9x machine)
then copy over boot.ini ntdetect.com and ntldr

test the floppy first to be sure you can boot from it

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Do not "sys C:", that would be a serious error. Simply open boot.ini in
notepad and remove the unwanted entry from the [operating systems] section.
(just type C:\boot.ini into a start/run prompt)

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Patch]

Hi Nutcase, long time no see. Question, since both boots are XP, how do I
know which one to remove? I want to boot to the one on my C: drive.

Hi,

Do not "sys C:", that would be a serious error. Simply open boot.ini in
notepad and remove the unwanted entry from the [operating systems]
section. (just type C:\boot.ini into a start/run prompt)

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

What's the best way to get rid of a dual-boot setup? I have 2 hard drives
with XP Pro on both. (long story) My C: drive is formatted NTFS the D:
drive Fat32. (if that makes a difference) Someone told me to use a
boot-disk and at the DOS prompt type "sys C:" Will that do the trick?


Thanks

 

[Patch]

Better yet, here is my Boot.ini, tell me how to set it for booting from C:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

Thanks

 

[johnf]

Back up your boot.ini as a safeguard if you're concerned.

Open the original & replace with -

[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 /NoExecute=OptIn



--

johnf

Better yet, here is my Boot.ini, tell me how to set it for booting from
C:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

Thanks

Hi,

Do not "sys C:", that would be a serious error. Simply open boot.ini in
notepad and remove the unwanted entry from the [operating systems]
section. (just type C:\boot.ini into a start/run prompt)

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS

Means you are not booting from the first primary drive, but rather the
second.

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

Second partition on the drive that you are booting from.

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

First partition on the primary drive.

Which one you delete depends on how you are configured. Boot.ini will not
indicate which drive is seen as "C".

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

Better yet, here is my Boot.ini, tell me how to set it for booting from C:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

Thanks

Hi,

Do not "sys C:", that would be a serious error. Simply open boot.ini in
notepad and remove the unwanted entry from the [operating systems]
section. (just type C:\boot.ini into a start/run prompt)

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

 

[johnf]

Well, I don't know what I've done then, Rick - funnily enough (old age,
probably) I've never picked up on that particular entry before.
I used to have dual boot on 1 drive a year or so ago, but now only have one
OS partition (C) - the other (D) data only on a S-ATA.
It appears XP automatically may pick up the OS drive when you only have
one - I'd be interested in your comments, then I'll change partition (2) to
partition (1) & see what happens.
My current setup is Part 1. - XP, Part. 2 Data only.
(I also have a 2nd. partitioned drive (E & F), both for data only, but doubt
if that affects the equation.

An odd one.

--

johnf

Hi,

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS

Means you are not booting from the first primary drive, but rather the
second.

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

Second partition on the drive that you are booting from.

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

First partition on the primary drive.

Which one you delete depends on how you are configured. Boot.ini will
not indicate which drive is seen as "C".

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

Better yet, here is my Boot.ini, tell me how to set it for booting
from C:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

Thanks

Hi,

Do not "sys C:", that would be a serious error. Simply open boot.ini
in notepad and remove the unwanted entry from the [operating systems]
section. (just type C:\boot.ini into a start/run prompt)

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

This is what the system will identify as the system and boot partitions in
the diskmanager:

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

The first will be the system partition (where the boot files lie), and the
latter two entries in the [operating systems] will be boot partitions (where
the OS's available for booting are). This one:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

is likely the IDE drive, I suspect the other is your SATA drive.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

Well, I don't know what I've done then, Rick - funnily enough (old age,
probably) I've never picked up on that particular entry before.
I used to have dual boot on 1 drive a year or so ago, but now only have
one OS partition (C) - the other (D) data only on a S-ATA.
It appears XP automatically may pick up the OS drive when you only have
one - I'd be interested in your comments, then I'll change partition (2)
to partition (1) & see what happens.
My current setup is Part 1. - XP, Part. 2 Data only.
(I also have a 2nd. partitioned drive (E & F), both for data only, but
doubt if that affects the equation.

An odd one.

--

johnf

Hi,

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS

Means you are not booting from the first primary drive, but rather the
second.

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

Second partition on the drive that you are booting from.

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

First partition on the primary drive.

Which one you delete depends on how you are configured. Boot.ini will
not indicate which drive is seen as "C".

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

Better yet, here is my Boot.ini, tell me how to set it for booting
from C:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

Thanks


Hi,

Do not "sys C:", that would be a serious error. Simply open boot.ini
in notepad and remove the unwanted entry from the [operating systems]
section. (just type C:\boot.ini into a start/run prompt)

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone