How to remove OS choices from ex-dual boot system?

[Neil Harrington]

I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I made dual boot
with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at all but remember it took
quite some finagling with Partition Magic since the Win98 partition had to
be the first one, and converted to FAT32 of course. Later I decided to dump
the dual boot arrangement and go back to just Win2000, again accomplished
with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting Win2000 or
DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to remove the OS
choice at startup, as she knows little about computers and it will only
confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]]

Hello Neil,

Check the boot.ini file, this includes the startup options for your system.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

 

[Dave Patrick]

Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?


--

Regards,

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

 

[Neil Harrington]

Thanks for the quick replies, fellas.

Alas, there is no boot.ini file either in the C: root directory or anywhere
else on the hard drive.

Searching on "boot" I find several other files, but none of them in the root
directory. There are a few "pqboot" files, so I assume Partition Magic has
taken over what boot.ini was supposed to do.

Apart from some folders (mostly the usual ones I guess) the only things in
the root directory are config.sys, msdos.sys and a few text files.
Config.sys contains nothing but "REM Setup Generated File." Msdos.sys
contains:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\MSDOS7
WinBootDir=C:\MSDOS7
[Options]
LOGO=0
BootGUI=0

Any ideas?

Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?


--

Regards,

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

I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I made dual
boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at all but remember it
took quite some finagling with Partition Magic since the Win98 partition
had to be the first one, and converted to FAT32 of course. Later I decided
to dump the dual boot arrangement and go back to just Win2000, again
accomplished with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting Win2000
or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to remove the
OS choice at startup, as she knows little about computers and it will
only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Try this:
- Click Start / Run
- Type this: notepad c:\boot.ini
- Click the OK button
- Copy and paste the contents of this file into your reply.

Thanks for the quick replies, fellas.

Alas, there is no boot.ini file either in the C: root directory or
anywhere else on the hard drive.

Searching on "boot" I find several other files, but none of them in the
root directory. There are a few "pqboot" files, so I assume Partition
Magic has taken over what boot.ini was supposed to do.

Apart from some folders (mostly the usual ones I guess) the only things in
the root directory are config.sys, msdos.sys and a few text files.
Config.sys contains nothing but "REM Setup Generated File." Msdos.sys
contains:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\MSDOS7
WinBootDir=C:\MSDOS7
[Options]
LOGO=0
BootGUI=0

Any ideas?

Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?


--

Regards,

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

I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I made dual
boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at all but remember it
took quite some finagling with Partition Magic since the Win98 partition
had to be the first one, and converted to FAT32 of course. Later I
decided to dump the dual boot arrangement and go back to just Win2000,
again accomplished with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting Win2000
or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to remove the
OS choice at startup, as she knows little about computers and it will
only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]]

Hello Neil,

You have to enable the hidden files/folders, open Explorer, Tools, Folder
options, View, "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck "Hide protected
operating system files".

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

Thanks for the quick replies, fellas.

Alas, there is no boot.ini file either in the C: root directory or
anywhere else on the hard drive.

Searching on "boot" I find several other files, but none of them in
the root directory. There are a few "pqboot" files, so I assume
Partition Magic has taken over what boot.ini was supposed to do.

Apart from some folders (mostly the usual ones I guess) the only
things in
the root directory are config.sys, msdos.sys and a few text files.
Config.sys contains nothing but "REM Setup Generated File." Msdos.sys
contains:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\MSDOS7
WinBootDir=C:\MSDOS7
[Options]
LOGO=0
BootGUI=0
Any ideas?

Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?

--

Regards,

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

I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I made
dual boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at all but
remember it took quite some finagling with Partition Magic since the
Win98 partition had to be the first one, and converted to FAT32 of
course. Later I decided to dump the dual boot arrangement and go
back to just Win2000, again accomplished with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting
Win2000 or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a
directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to remove
the OS choice at startup, as she knows little about computers and it
will only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Neil Harrington]

No boot.ini file in the root directory, and checking my other Win2000
computer I find no boot.ini file there either. In fact in the root directory
of that system there's only a config.sys file which contains nothing, in
addition to the usual folders and a few text files.

I'm now thinking I should probably just delete the msdos.sys file described
in my previous post and that should take care of it, since that's the file
that seems to lead to what's causing the OS choice to appear. On second
thought I'll just REM everything out first, to be on the safe side.

Nope, that doesn't do it. I'm still getting the OS choice on startup.

Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?


--

Regards,

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

I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I made dual
boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at all but remember it
took quite some finagling with Partition Magic since the Win98 partition
had to be the first one, and converted to FAT32 of course. Later I decided
to dump the dual boot arrangement and go back to just Win2000, again
accomplished with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting Win2000
or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to remove the
OS choice at startup, as she knows little about computers and it will
only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Neil Harrington]

Aha! OK, now I've got it.

The contents of boot.ini are:

[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 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\=MS-DOS

Try this:
- Click Start / Run
- Type this: notepad c:\boot.ini
- Click the OK button
- Copy and paste the contents of this file into your reply.

Thanks for the quick replies, fellas.

Alas, there is no boot.ini file either in the C: root directory or
anywhere else on the hard drive.

Searching on "boot" I find several other files, but none of them in the
root directory. There are a few "pqboot" files, so I assume Partition
Magic has taken over what boot.ini was supposed to do.

Apart from some folders (mostly the usual ones I guess) the only things
in the root directory are config.sys, msdos.sys and a few text files.
Config.sys contains nothing but "REM Setup Generated File." Msdos.sys
contains:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\MSDOS7
WinBootDir=C:\MSDOS7
[Options]
LOGO=0
BootGUI=0

Any ideas?

Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?


--

Regards,

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


:
I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I made dual
boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at all but remember it
took quite some finagling with Partition Magic since the Win98 partition
had to be the first one, and converted to FAT32 of course. Later I
decided to dump the dual boot arrangement and go back to just Win2000,
again accomplished with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting
Win2000 or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a directory,
MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to remove
the OS choice at startup, as she knows little about computers and it
will only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Neil Harrington]

Thanks, Meinolf, that helps too. I didn't think about possibility of the
file being hidden. I got it copied and pasted in anyway eventually:

[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 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\=MS-DOS

Hello Neil,

You have to enable the hidden files/folders, open Explorer, Tools, Folder
options, View, "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck "Hide protected
operating system files".

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

Thanks for the quick replies, fellas.

Alas, there is no boot.ini file either in the C: root directory or
anywhere else on the hard drive.

Searching on "boot" I find several other files, but none of them in
the root directory. There are a few "pqboot" files, so I assume
Partition Magic has taken over what boot.ini was supposed to do.

Apart from some folders (mostly the usual ones I guess) the only
things in
the root directory are config.sys, msdos.sys and a few text files.
Config.sys contains nothing but "REM Setup Generated File." Msdos.sys
contains:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\MSDOS7
WinBootDir=C:\MSDOS7
[Options]
LOGO=0
BootGUI=0
Any ideas?

Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?

--

Regards,

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

I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I made
dual boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at all but
remember it took quite some finagling with Partition Magic since the
Win98 partition had to be the first one, and converted to FAT32 of
course. Later I decided to dump the dual boot arrangement and go
back to just Win2000, again accomplished with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting
Win2000 or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a
directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to remove
the OS choice at startup, as she knows little about computers and it
will only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Neil Harrington]

Finally got it! Now that I know how, I found the boot.ini file in my other
Win2000 machine:

[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

So I guess all I have to do now is replace that file in the subject machine
with this one and I'm all set, correct?

And I can delete the MSDOS7 directory too.

Hello Neil,

You have to enable the hidden files/folders, open Explorer, Tools, Folder
options, View, "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck "Hide protected
operating system files".

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

Thanks for the quick replies, fellas.

Alas, there is no boot.ini file either in the C: root directory or
anywhere else on the hard drive.

Searching on "boot" I find several other files, but none of them in
the root directory. There are a few "pqboot" files, so I assume
Partition Magic has taken over what boot.ini was supposed to do.

Apart from some folders (mostly the usual ones I guess) the only
things in
the root directory are config.sys, msdos.sys and a few text files.
Config.sys contains nothing but "REM Setup Generated File." Msdos.sys
contains:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\MSDOS7
WinBootDir=C:\MSDOS7
[Options]
LOGO=0
BootGUI=0
Any ideas?

Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?

--

Regards,

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

I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I made
dual boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at all but
remember it took quite some finagling with Partition Magic since the
Win98 partition had to be the first one, and converted to FAT32 of
course. Later I decided to dump the dual boot arrangement and go
back to just Win2000, again accomplished with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting
Win2000 or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a
directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to remove
the OS choice at startup, as she knows little about computers and it
will only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]]

Hello Neil,

The output from before stated:

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 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\=MS-DOS

Your other 2000 machine:

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

See the difference between WINNT and WINDOWS. This folders point to the folder
where the OS files are located. So for me it should 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 2000 Professional"
/fastdetect

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

Finally got it! Now that I know how, I found the boot.ini file in my
other Win2000 machine:

[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
So I guess all I have to do now is replace that file in the subject
machine with this one and I'm all set, correct?

And I can delete the MSDOS7 directory too.

Hello Neil,

You have to enable the hidden files/folders, open Explorer, Tools,
Folder options, View, "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck
"Hide protected operating system files".

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

Thanks for the quick replies, fellas.

Alas, there is no boot.ini file either in the C: root directory or
anywhere else on the hard drive.

Searching on "boot" I find several other files, but none of them in
the root directory. There are a few "pqboot" files, so I assume
Partition Magic has taken over what boot.ini was supposed to do.

Apart from some folders (mostly the usual ones I guess) the only
things in
the root directory are config.sys, msdos.sys and a few text files.
Config.sys contains nothing but "REM Setup Generated File."
Msdos.sys
contains:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\MSDOS7
WinBootDir=C:\MSDOS7
[Options]
LOGO=0
BootGUI=0
Any ideas?

Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
:
I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I made
dual boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at all but
remember it took quite some finagling with Partition Magic since
the Win98 partition had to be the first one, and converted to
FAT32 of course. Later I decided to dump the dual boot arrangement
and go back to just Win2000, again accomplished with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting
Win2000 or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a
directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to
remove the OS choice at startup, as she knows little about
computers and it will only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Dave Patrick]

The "windows" directory is different so it wouldn't work.



--

Regards,

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

 

[Dave Patrick]

Remove the last line

C:\=MS-DOS



--

Regards,

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

 

[Neil Harrington]

Thanks, Meinolf.

You're right of course. I didn't notice that difference, have already
(jumped the gun and) changed the file to the one from my other Win2000
system. I should have waited to see your reply, because now when I attempt
to start, I get:

"Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or
corrupt: <windows 2000 root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe. Please re-install a copy
of the above file."

So now the system can't start at all, but the subject computer has a floppy
drive and I think I can get into it with a Win98 Start-Up Disk if I can find
one. (I *think* I left the hard drive in FAT32, not sure of that.) Otherwise
I guess I'll have to pull the hard drive and put it in another computer to
make the change. Arrrgghhh.

It looks like I've made every mistake it's possible to make, but it has
certainly been a learning experience.

And I very much appreciate all your help -- all you MVPs who replied. MVPs
are great!

Neil

Hello Neil,

The output from before stated:

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 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\=MS-DOS

Your other 2000 machine:

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

See the difference between WINNT and WINDOWS. This folders point to the
folder where the OS files are located. So for me it should 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 2000
Professional" /fastdetect

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

Finally got it! Now that I know how, I found the boot.ini file in my
other Win2000 machine:

[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
So I guess all I have to do now is replace that file in the subject
machine with this one and I'm all set, correct?

And I can delete the MSDOS7 directory too.

Hello Neil,

You have to enable the hidden files/folders, open Explorer, Tools,
Folder options, View, "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck
"Hide protected operating system files".

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
Thanks for the quick replies, fellas.

Alas, there is no boot.ini file either in the C: root directory or
anywhere else on the hard drive.

Searching on "boot" I find several other files, but none of them in
the root directory. There are a few "pqboot" files, so I assume
Partition Magic has taken over what boot.ini was supposed to do.

Apart from some folders (mostly the usual ones I guess) the only
things in
the root directory are config.sys, msdos.sys and a few text files.
Config.sys contains nothing but "REM Setup Generated File."
Msdos.sys
contains:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\MSDOS7
WinBootDir=C:\MSDOS7
[Options]
LOGO=0
BootGUI=0
Any ideas?

Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
:
I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I made
dual boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at all but
remember it took quite some finagling with Partition Magic since
the Win98 partition had to be the first one, and converted to
FAT32 of course. Later I decided to dump the dual boot arrangement
and go back to just Win2000, again accomplished with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting
Win2000 or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a
directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to
remove the OS choice at startup, as she knows little about
computers and it will only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Neil Harrington]

Yep. :-/

As I mentioned to Meinolf, I guess I've made every mistake it's possible to
make. But thanks to you guys I'm confident I'm on the right track now.

The "windows" directory is different so it wouldn't work.



--

Regards,

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

Finally got it! Now that I know how, I found the boot.ini file in my
other Win2000 machine:

[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

So I guess all I have to do now is replace that file in the subject
machine with this one and I'm all set, correct?

And I can delete the MSDOS7 directory too.

 

[Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]]

Hello Neil,

You can boot either with a BartPe for example or with the 2000 boot disk
to get to the recovery console and edit the boot.ini from there.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

Thanks, Meinolf.

You're right of course. I didn't notice that difference, have already
(jumped the gun and) changed the file to the one from my other Win2000
system. I should have waited to see your reply, because now when I
attempt to start, I get:

"Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or
corrupt: <windows 2000 root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe. Please re-install
a copy of the above file."

So now the system can't start at all, but the subject computer has a
floppy drive and I think I can get into it with a Win98 Start-Up Disk
if I can find one. (I *think* I left the hard drive in FAT32, not sure
of that.) Otherwise I guess I'll have to pull the hard drive and put
it in another computer to make the change. Arrrgghhh.

It looks like I've made every mistake it's possible to make, but it
has certainly been a learning experience.

And I very much appreciate all your help -- all you MVPs who replied.
MVPs are great!

Neil

Hello Neil,

The output from before stated:

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 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\=MS-DOS
Your other 2000 machine:

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
See the difference between WINNT and WINDOWS. This folders point to
the folder where the OS files are located. So for me it should 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 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

Finally got it! Now that I know how, I found the boot.ini file in my
other Win2000 machine:

[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
So I guess all I have to do now is replace that file in the subject
machine with this one and I'm all set, correct?
And I can delete the MSDOS7 directory too.


Hello Neil,

You have to enable the hidden files/folders, open Explorer, Tools,
Folder options, View, "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck
"Hide protected operating system files".

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties,
and
confers no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
Thanks for the quick replies, fellas.

Alas, there is no boot.ini file either in the C: root directory or
anywhere else on the hard drive.

Searching on "boot" I find several other files, but none of them
in the root directory. There are a few "pqboot" files, so I assume
Partition Magic has taken over what boot.ini was supposed to do.

Apart from some folders (mostly the usual ones I guess) the only
things in
the root directory are config.sys, msdos.sys and a few text files.
Config.sys contains nothing but "REM Setup Generated File."
Msdos.sys
contains:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\MSDOS7
WinBootDir=C:\MSDOS7
[Options]
LOGO=0
BootGUI=0
Any ideas?
Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
:
I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I
made dual boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at
all but remember it took quite some finagling with Partition
Magic since the Win98 partition had to be the first one, and
converted to FAT32 of course. Later I decided to dump the dual
boot arrangement and go back to just Win2000, again accomplished
with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting
Win2000 or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a
directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to
remove the OS choice at startup, as she knows little about
computers and it will only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Dave Patrick]

You can create a boot disk. For the floppy to successfully boot Windows 2000
the disk must contain the "NT" boot sector. Format a diskette (on a Windows
2000 machine, not a DOS/Win9x, so the NT boot sector gets written to the
floppy), and copy Windows 2000 versions of ntldr, ntdetect.com, and boot.ini
to it.


--

Regards,

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

 

[Neil Harrington]

Thanks for the tip, Meinolf. I'd never heard of BartPE before but just
looked it up now and it does look useful.

I used a Win98 Startup Disk and used Edit to correct the boot.ini.
(Everything was still FAT32.) Now all is well, and I learned a lot.

Best regards,

Neil

Hello Neil,

You can boot either with a BartPe for example or with the 2000 boot disk
to get to the recovery console and edit the boot.ini from there.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

Thanks, Meinolf.

You're right of course. I didn't notice that difference, have already
(jumped the gun and) changed the file to the one from my other Win2000
system. I should have waited to see your reply, because now when I
attempt to start, I get:

"Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or
corrupt: <windows 2000 root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe. Please re-install
a copy of the above file."

So now the system can't start at all, but the subject computer has a
floppy drive and I think I can get into it with a Win98 Start-Up Disk
if I can find one. (I *think* I left the hard drive in FAT32, not sure
of that.) Otherwise I guess I'll have to pull the hard drive and put
it in another computer to make the change. Arrrgghhh.

It looks like I've made every mistake it's possible to make, but it
has certainly been a learning experience.

And I very much appreciate all your help -- all you MVPs who replied.
MVPs are great!

Neil

Hello Neil,

The output from before stated:

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 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\=MS-DOS
Your other 2000 machine:

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
See the difference between WINNT and WINDOWS. This folders point to
the folder where the OS files are located. So for me it should 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 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
Finally got it! Now that I know how, I found the boot.ini file in my
other Win2000 machine:

[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
So I guess all I have to do now is replace that file in the subject
machine with this one and I'm all set, correct?
And I can delete the MSDOS7 directory too.


Hello Neil,

You have to enable the hidden files/folders, open Explorer, Tools,
Folder options, View, "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck
"Hide protected operating system files".

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties,
and
confers no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
Thanks for the quick replies, fellas.

Alas, there is no boot.ini file either in the C: root directory or
anywhere else on the hard drive.

Searching on "boot" I find several other files, but none of them
in the root directory. There are a few "pqboot" files, so I assume
Partition Magic has taken over what boot.ini was supposed to do.

Apart from some folders (mostly the usual ones I guess) the only
things in
the root directory are config.sys, msdos.sys and a few text files.
Config.sys contains nothing but "REM Setup Generated File."
Msdos.sys
contains:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\MSDOS7
WinBootDir=C:\MSDOS7
[Options]
LOGO=0
BootGUI=0
Any ideas?
Can you post the contents of C:\boot.ini ?

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
:
I have a Windows 2000 computer which a couple of years ago I
made dual boot with Windows 98. I don't recall the details at
all but remember it took quite some finagling with Partition
Magic since the Win98 partition had to be the first one, and
converted to FAT32 of course. Later I decided to dump the dual
boot arrangement and go back to just Win2000, again accomplished
with PM.

Since then, whenever I start up I'm given the choice of starting
Win2000 or DOS. Evidently the old DOS files were saved in a
directory, MSDOS7.

I am going to give the computer to a friend and would like to
remove the OS choice at startup, as she knows little about
computers and it will only confuse her. How do I do that?

 

[Neil Harrington]

Terrific! I never knew about that, but will save this is a likely useful tip
for the future.

Best regards,

Neil

You can create a boot disk. For the floppy to successfully boot Windows
2000 the disk must contain the "NT" boot sector. Format a diskette (on a
Windows 2000 machine, not a DOS/Win9x, so the NT boot sector gets written
to the floppy), and copy Windows 2000 versions of ntldr, ntdetect.com, and
boot.ini to it.


--

Regards,

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

Thanks, Meinolf.

You're right of course. I didn't notice that difference, have already
(jumped the gun and) changed the file to the one from my other Win2000
system. I should have waited to see your reply, because now when I
attempt to start, I get:

"Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or
corrupt: <windows 2000 root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe. Please re-install a
copy of the above file."

So now the system can't start at all, but the subject computer has a
floppy drive and I think I can get into it with a Win98 Start-Up Disk if
I can find one. (I *think* I left the hard drive in FAT32, not sure of
that.) Otherwise I guess I'll have to pull the hard drive and put it in
another computer to make the change. Arrrgghhh.

It looks like I've made every mistake it's possible to make, but it has
certainly been a learning experience.

And I very much appreciate all your help -- all you MVPs who replied.
MVPs are great!

Neil