Double installation of XP

[Nolan]

During startup, when I hit the key (I can't remember which one it is at the
moment) to do a step-by-step startup, my computer goes to the 'select
operating system' screen, which shows TWO installations of XP.

This evidently happened when I took it to the shop a few years ago for an
upgrade from ME. I don't know what the &*^$# they did, but evidently they
managed to install both a valid and a non-valid copy. I just recently
discovered this, and that shop (surprise) is no longer in business.

I can't get any upgrades, because the MS website is detecting a non-valid
copy of XP, which I suspect is the one that is not the default, which the
machine normally operates on.

Anyone have an idea how I can (1) determine which installation is the one
that's normally loading, and (2) how to get rid of it without (3) having to
pop for $150 for an all new installation and possibly lose all my
data/settings, etc.

Help?

 

[philo]

During startup, when I hit the key (I can't remember which one it is at the
moment) to do a step-by-step startup, my computer goes to the 'select
operating system' screen, which shows TWO installations of XP.

This evidently happened when I took it to the shop a few years ago for an
upgrade from ME. I don't know what the &*^$# they did, but evidently they
managed to install both a valid and a non-valid copy. I just recently
discovered this, and that shop (surprise) is no longer in business.

I can't get any upgrades, because the MS website is detecting a non-valid
copy of XP, which I suspect is the one that is not the default, which the
machine normally operates on.

Anyone have an idea how I can (1) determine which installation is the one
that's normally loading, and (2) how to get rid of it without (3) having to
pop for $150 for an all new installation and possibly lose all my
data/settings, etc.

Help?

Though the old copy of Windows can be deleted and the entry removed from
boot.ini

there is a chance the Windows update is simply detecting the copy of Windows
you are booted to

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was 10/23/2008 2:06 PM, and on a whim, Nolan pounded
out on the keyboard:

During startup, when I hit the key (I can't remember which one it is at the
moment) to do a step-by-step startup, my computer goes to the 'select
operating system' screen, which shows TWO installations of XP.

This evidently happened when I took it to the shop a few years ago for an
upgrade from ME. I don't know what the &*^$# they did, but evidently they
managed to install both a valid and a non-valid copy. I just recently
discovered this, and that shop (surprise) is no longer in business.

I can't get any upgrades, because the MS website is detecting a non-valid
copy of XP, which I suspect is the one that is not the default, which the
machine normally operates on.

Anyone have an idea how I can (1) determine which installation is the one
that's normally loading, and (2) how to get rid of it without (3) having to
pop for $150 for an all new installation and possibly lose all my
data/settings, etc.

Help?

Hi Nolan,

First thing to do is try both by selecting one, seeing if it's the
"correct" one, rebooting and then selecting the other. Make note which
is the correct one. Maybe the other one won't even boot, you never
know. If so, just turn the machine off, wait 5-10 seconds and start it
again.

Then boot into the default (if you make no selections and let it load by
itself). From there, right click on My Computer, and select Manage,
then click on Disk Management which is under Storage. How many disks do
you have (describe here)? How many partitions are listed (name them all).

Next right click again on My Computer and select Properties, Advanced
tab, click the Settings button under Startup and Recovery. Click the
Edit button under System startup. Press Ctrl-A to select everything and
then Ctrl-C to copy the info. Paste it into a reply here and report back.


--
Terry R.

***Reply Note***
Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

 

[Ronaldo]

The Windows Update website is probably detecting the copy you are loged on
as the non-valid copy... same copy that boots automatically and is set as
the default. You could log on the valid copy and rescue the licence code
number in case it is different from the licence code on the sticker. You may
try to logon in the other OS, retrieve the licence with "Keyfinder" and use
the key on the un-valid copy, that's if can manage to logon which is worth
making an effort before you delete the OS, But, you don't have to delete
that copy... if it runs w/o problems you can keep it for emergencies.

To identify which OS you are using:
Right click on the start Button and select Explore, the Windows Explorer
should open on the drive you are running. That should help determine which
OS is used by default... so take notice of which partition it is installed
on, next go to Control Panel \ System \ Advanced Options \ Startup and
Recovery \ Settings \ Edit \ the Boot.ini file will open so check the first
& second lines, it should help determine which OS is by default (and boots
automatically), which is probably the un-valid copy.

Boot.ini file:
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(#)\WINDOWS (partition # indicates
location of the default OS on the HD.
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(#)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional " (firs in the OS list is the default)
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(#)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional "

 

[Nolan]

Sheepish and more than a bit puzzled, Nolan replied:

Um, well, somewhere along the way the errant installation disappeared....
When I went to OS selection, XP Pro was the only one there ....?

But the one that's left still fails validation.

Just for the record, there are two drives listed (correct): Disk 0, C:,
37.26 GB, NTFS, 1 partition,(System); and Disk 1, D:, 9.56 GB, NTFS, 1
partition, (Active).

System startup is:
[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

When I attempt validation on the MS website, I put in the key that Keyfinder
returned (the doofi at the now-defunct shop didn't put a key sticker on when
they installed it) but the site times out without giving me a reply.

So did I just get sold a pirated copy and am now in S.O.L. mode, or are
there other steps I can take??

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was 10/24/2008 9:22 AM, and on a whim, Nolan pounded
out on the keyboard:

Sheepish and more than a bit puzzled, Nolan replied:

Um, well, somewhere along the way the errant installation disappeared....
When I went to OS selection, XP Pro was the only one there ....?

But the one that's left still fails validation.

Just for the record, there are two drives listed (correct): Disk 0, C:,
37.26 GB, NTFS, 1 partition,(System); and Disk 1, D:, 9.56 GB, NTFS, 1
partition, (Active).

System startup is:
[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

When I attempt validation on the MS website, I put in the key that Keyfinder
returned (the doofi at the now-defunct shop didn't put a key sticker on when
they installed it) but the site times out without giving me a reply.

So did I just get sold a pirated copy and am now in S.O.L. mode, or are
there other steps I can take??

The date and time was 10/23/2008 2:06 PM, and on a whim, Nolan pounded
out on the keyboard:

Hi Nolan,

First thing to do is try both by selecting one, seeing if it's the
"correct" one, rebooting and then selecting the other. Make note which
is the correct one. Maybe the other one won't even boot, you never
know. If so, just turn the machine off, wait 5-10 seconds and start it
again.

Then boot into the default (if you make no selections and let it load by
itself). From there, right click on My Computer, and select Manage,
then click on Disk Management which is under Storage. How many disks do
you have (describe here)? How many partitions are listed (name them all).

Next right click again on My Computer and select Properties, Advanced
tab, click the Settings button under Startup and Recovery. Click the
Edit button under System startup. Press Ctrl-A to select everything and
then Ctrl-C to copy the info. Paste it into a reply here and report back.

Hi Nolan,

What is on the D: drive? Open My Computer and see.

You may very well had a bootleg copy of XP installed. If so you won't
have any choice but purchase a license if you want to have any further
updates. Or you can live with it as it is until you finally need a new
computer.

Depending on you computer needs, maybe a Linux distro would fill your OS
requirements.

Either way, I would get an external backup and make sure you have
regular backup copies of all your data.

--
Terry R.

***Reply Note***
Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

 

[Nolan]

The date and time was 10/24/2008 9:22 AM, and on a whim, Nolan pounded
out on the keyboard:

Sheepish and more than a bit puzzled, Nolan replied:

Um, well, somewhere along the way the errant installation disappeared....
When I went to OS selection, XP Pro was the only one there ....?

But the one that's left still fails validation.

Just for the record, there are two drives listed (correct): Disk 0, C:,
37.26 GB, NTFS, 1 partition,(System); and Disk 1, D:, 9.56 GB, NTFS, 1
partition, (Active).

System startup is:
[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

When I attempt validation on the MS website, I put in the key that Keyfinder
returned (the doofi at the now-defunct shop didn't put a key sticker on when
they installed it) but the site times out without giving me a reply.

So did I just get sold a pirated copy and am now in S.O.L. mode, or are
there other steps I can take??

The date and time was 10/23/2008 2:06 PM, and on a whim, Nolan pounded
out on the keyboard:

During startup, when I hit the key (I can't remember which one it is at the
moment) to do a step-by-step startup, my computer goes to the 'select
operating system' screen, which shows TWO installations of XP.

This evidently happened when I took it to the shop a few years ago for an
upgrade from ME. I don't know what the &*^$# they did, but evidently they
managed to install both a valid and a non-valid copy. I just recently
discovered this, and that shop (surprise) is no longer in business.

I can't get any upgrades, because the MS website is detecting a non-valid
copy of XP, which I suspect is the one that is not the default, which the
machine normally operates on.

Anyone have an idea how I can (1) determine which installation is the one
that's normally loading, and (2) how to get rid of it without (3) having to
pop for $150 for an all new installation and possibly lose all my
data/settings, etc.

Help?



Hi Nolan,

First thing to do is try both by selecting one, seeing if it's the
"correct" one, rebooting and then selecting the other. Make note which
is the correct one. Maybe the other one won't even boot, you never
know. If so, just turn the machine off, wait 5-10 seconds and start it
again.

Then boot into the default (if you make no selections and let it load by
itself). From there, right click on My Computer, and select Manage,
then click on Disk Management which is under Storage. How many disks do
you have (describe here)? How many partitions are listed (name them all).

Next right click again on My Computer and select Properties, Advanced
tab, click the Settings button under Startup and Recovery. Click the
Edit button under System startup. Press Ctrl-A to select everything and
then Ctrl-C to copy the info. Paste it into a reply here and report back.

Hi Nolan,

What is on the D: drive? Open My Computer and see.

You may very well had a bootleg copy of XP installed. If so you won't
have any choice but purchase a license if you want to have any further
updates. Or you can live with it as it is until you finally need a new
computer.

Depending on you computer needs, maybe a Linux distro would fill your OS
requirements.

Either way, I would get an external backup and make sure you have
regular backup copies of all your data.

--
Terry R.

***Reply Note***
Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

<sigh> Thanks. D drive is the old drive we had in with ME on it - the job
the shop did was to dump our data to an external drive, format the old one,
install a 40 gig, install XP and restore our data - we just had them stick
the old 10 gig back in as a slave for extra storage. Guess I'll go OS
shopping.

-Nolan

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was 10/24/2008 3:10 PM, and on a whim, Nolan pounded
out on the keyboard:

The date and time was 10/24/2008 9:22 AM, and on a whim, Nolan pounded
out on the keyboard:

Sheepish and more than a bit puzzled, Nolan replied:

Um, well, somewhere along the way the errant installation disappeared....
When I went to OS selection, XP Pro was the only one there ....?

But the one that's left still fails validation.

Just for the record, there are two drives listed (correct): Disk 0, C:,
37.26 GB, NTFS, 1 partition,(System); and Disk 1, D:, 9.56 GB, NTFS, 1
partition, (Active).

System startup is:
[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

When I attempt validation on the MS website, I put in the key that Keyfinder
returned (the doofi at the now-defunct shop didn't put a key sticker on when
they installed it) but the site times out without giving me a reply.

So did I just get sold a pirated copy and am now in S.O.L. mode, or are
there other steps I can take??

:

The date and time was 10/23/2008 2:06 PM, and on a whim, Nolan pounded
out on the keyboard:

During startup, when I hit the key (I can't remember which one it is at the
moment) to do a step-by-step startup, my computer goes to the 'select
operating system' screen, which shows TWO installations of XP.

This evidently happened when I took it to the shop a few years ago for an
upgrade from ME. I don't know what the &*^$# they did, but evidently they
managed to install both a valid and a non-valid copy. I just recently
discovered this, and that shop (surprise) is no longer in business.

I can't get any upgrades, because the MS website is detecting a non-valid
copy of XP, which I suspect is the one that is not the default, which the
machine normally operates on.

Anyone have an idea how I can (1) determine which installation is the one
that's normally loading, and (2) how to get rid of it without (3) having to
pop for $150 for an all new installation and possibly lose all my
data/settings, etc.

Help?



Hi Nolan,

First thing to do is try both by selecting one, seeing if it's the
"correct" one, rebooting and then selecting the other. Make note which
is the correct one. Maybe the other one won't even boot, you never
know. If so, just turn the machine off, wait 5-10 seconds and start it
again.

Then boot into the default (if you make no selections and let it load by
itself). From there, right click on My Computer, and select Manage,
then click on Disk Management which is under Storage. How many disks do
you have (describe here)? How many partitions are listed (name them all).

Next right click again on My Computer and select Properties, Advanced
tab, click the Settings button under Startup and Recovery. Click the
Edit button under System startup. Press Ctrl-A to select everything and
then Ctrl-C to copy the info. Paste it into a reply here and report back.

Hi Nolan,

What is on the D: drive? Open My Computer and see.

You may very well had a bootleg copy of XP installed. If so you won't
have any choice but purchase a license if you want to have any further
updates. Or you can live with it as it is until you finally need a new
computer.

Depending on you computer needs, maybe a Linux distro would fill your OS
requirements.

Either way, I would get an external backup and make sure you have
regular backup copies of all your data.

<sigh> Thanks. D drive is the old drive we had in with ME on it - the job
the shop did was to dump our data to an external drive, format the old one,
install a 40 gig, install XP and restore our data - we just had them stick
the old 10 gig back in as a slave for extra storage. Guess I'll go OS
shopping.

-Nolan

Well, it's still working, so you could just continue as you have been
until your next upgrade. As long as you have a good AV & firewall (good
free ones available), you should be able to have it last a while.

Good luck,

--
Terry R.

***Reply Note***
Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.