Multiple OS

[cfrede]

Im not positive this is the correct newsgroup for this
question, but i think its an easy fix. i just installed
WIN2K Pro, then i had to format and reinstall. now when i
boot up the system, it asks which OS i would like to load.
But they are both Windows 2000 Professional, and only one
works. how can i bypass this?? ive tried to reformat and
reinstall, same deal. Any ideas??

 

[Bob Lawn]

Im not positive this is the correct newsgroup for this
question, it isn't
but i think its an easy fix. that depends ..
i just installed
WIN2K Pro, then i had to format and reinstall. now when i
boot up the system, it asks which OS i would like to load.
But they are both Windows 2000 Professional, and only one
works. how can i bypass this?? ive tried to reformat and
reinstall, same deal. Any ideas??

you need to edit a file called 'c:\boot.ini' and remove the wrong entries.
this file is 'read-only', so it needs to be made writable first.
you need to know exactly which of the entries are wrong before you delete
anything, otherwise you will end up with an unbootable system.
for a system with IDE drives which boots from the first (or 'C') partition,
the boot.ini file looks like this:

[Boot Loader]
timeout=10
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

bob

 

[Ray at]

This information is stored in C:\boot.ini (assuming C is your active
partition). The file may currently 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)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect

Although, if only one of the options works, the two boot lines probably
differ in some way. What you can do, is take note of which item in the list
is the valid one when you boot up, like is it the one on the top or the
bottom. After you are 100% positive of which one lets you boot up, delete
the other line from your boot.ini file to get rid of it.

Another thing you can do to avoid the possibility of deleting the wrong line
is just change your timeout to 0. The other OS will still be listed as an
option, but you won't ever see it, since it'll just skip right by the OS
selection instantaneously.

To see your boot.ini file, you'll to show hidden files. Also, I believe W2K
keeps the boot.ini file read-only, so you'll have to turn that off before
you can edit the file.

Or, if you want to do it from the command prompt, open your command prompt
to C:\ and enter:

attrib -R boot.ini
edit boot.ini
''do your editing
Alt+F - X - Y
attrib +R boot.ini

Just make sure you delete the right line.

Ray at home