How to uninstall 2nd copy on same disc

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ranazu
  • Start date Start date
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Ranazu

Hi there,

I installed IE7 and it scrambled my registry so I couldn't run WinXP. I
tried to boot from my CD and do a repair but it wouldn't copy the files.
However, I installed windows on the same drive under a different directory
and it worked OK. Rather than installing all my s/w again, I tried a repair
on the old version by copying the files System, Sam, Software,security and
default from the repair directory to the win/sys32/config directory and, to
my relief, it worked fine. Now I am stuck with two version and I would like
to get rid of the additional copy. I don't want to just zap all the folders
as I am sure there are some system files which would remain.

How do I do an uninstall on a second version from a running original
version? In the 'uninstall s/w' box it only shows the current, running
version.

Many thanks
 
Ranazu said:
Hi there,

I installed IE7 and it scrambled my registry so I couldn't run WinXP. I
tried to boot from my CD and do a repair but it wouldn't copy the files.
However, I installed windows on the same drive under a different directory
and it worked OK. Rather than installing all my s/w again, I tried a repair
on the old version by copying the files System, Sam, Software,security and
default from the repair directory to the win/sys32/config directory and, to
my relief, it worked fine. Now I am stuck with two version and I would like
to get rid of the additional copy. I don't want to just zap all the folders
as I am sure there are some system files which would remain.

How do I do an uninstall on a second version from a running original
version? In the 'uninstall s/w' box it only shows the current, running
version.

Many thanks
Click to expand...

Your best bet to recover from the abortive IE7 installation might
have been to use System Restore, to fall back to a point just prior
to the installation.

By copying your registry files acoss to the new Windows folder
you may have created a hybrid system, one that relies on both the
old and the new system folder. If so then you're stuck with the
two folders. You can easily test this: Rename the old Windows
folder to "Windows.old" (if you can), then see what happens.
Only do this if you have a tool to undo the rename from outside
Windows.
 
<< Your best bet to recover from the abortive IE7 installation might
have been to use System Restore, to fall back to a point just prior
to the installation.

By copying your registry files acoss to the new Windows folder
you may have created a hybrid system, one that relies on both the
old and the new system folder. If so then you're stuck with the
two folders. You can easily test this: Rename the old Windows
folder to "Windows.old" (if you can), then see what happens.
Only do this if you have a tool to undo the rename from outside
Windows.>>

I did that and picked a restore point a couple of days previously which I
knew was OK. That's when it all turned to custard. It hung and I had to turn
it off.

The new version is in c:/NewWin and I copied the files from the original
installation directory - c:/ windows/system32/restore to
c:/windows/system32/config. do you think that will have been ambiguous?

I am desperate not to do a new install as I have acres of development
software with many mods and updates which will take a short lifetime to
re-install so I am looking for the least worst outcome. I am OK with two
versions as I have lots of disc space except the new version is first in the
list of choices at bootup which means I have to sit and wait for it to boot
up and change the choice otherwise I get the new version. I like to turn it
on and go for a coffee and come back when it is all fired up. I can't do
that now. Do you know how I can reverse the order so it will default to the
older version without my intervention?. I can live with that.

Thanks
 
Ranazu said:
<< Your best bet to recover from the abortive IE7 installation might
have been to use System Restore, to fall back to a point just prior
to the installation.

By copying your registry files acoss to the new Windows folder
you may have created a hybrid system, one that relies on both the
old and the new system folder. If so then you're stuck with the
two folders. You can easily test this: Rename the old Windows
folder to "Windows.old" (if you can), then see what happens.
Only do this if you have a tool to undo the rename from outside
Windows.>>

I did that and picked a restore point a couple of days previously which I
knew was OK. That's when it all turned to custard. It hung and I had to turn
it off.

The new version is in c:/NewWin and I copied the files from the original
installation directory - c:/ windows/system32/restore to
c:/windows/system32/config. do you think that will have been ambiguous?

I am desperate not to do a new install as I have acres of development
software with many mods and updates which will take a short lifetime to
re-install so I am looking for the least worst outcome. I am OK with two
versions as I have lots of disc space except the new version is first in the
list of choices at bootup which means I have to sit and wait for it to boot
up and change the choice otherwise I get the new version. I like to turn it
on and go for a coffee and come back when it is all fired up. I can't do
that now. Do you know how I can reverse the order so it will default to the
older version without my intervention?. I can live with that.

Thanks
Click to expand...

- Click Start / Run / msconfig.exe
- Click Boot.ini
- Click the OS you want as a default OS
- Click "Set as Default"
 
<< - Click Start / Run / msconfig.exe
- Click Boot.ini
- Click the OS you want as a default OS
- Click "Set as Default">>


Thanks for that.
 
<< - Click Start / Run / msconfig.exe
- Click Boot.ini
- Click the OS you want as a default OS
- Click "Set as Default">>


Thanks for that.
Click to expand...

If you have all that important and hard to recreate setup, why don't you use
something like Acronis True Image to Image the system to an external drive?
I would never install software on an important system without first having
some means to recover from a bad install.
 
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