PROBLEM: multiple OS installed [c:\boot.ini]

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G

Guest

If I have confirmed (via the above referenced file) that I have more than one
OS installed in the same partition, is it possible to delete, disable, or
move one of these OS? Could one of these OS be designated the default OS?
As you might have guessed, I am quite the novice.
 
This is the tricky part as an error here will make your OS unbootable. Do
not do this if you are uncertain and do not have backups of important data.

If you click Start->Run and type cmd and then press Enter you get a command
window. At the prompt, enter SET, press Enter and look at the last line
windir=c:\windows. In my case the currently started OS is installed in
c:\windows, default for Windows XP.

Now look in the boot.ini again. Look for the entry that hasn't got the same
path as you found above by using the SET command. That other path should be
safe to delete and therefore removing the other OS installation.
In my case it says multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS which equals
c:\windows, ie my currently started OS. The other entries are other
installations.

Remember, an error will be fatal so be careful and make backups!

/Jonas
 
OK ... I really appreciate your help, Jonas. I have identified which OS I
want to keep and which one I would like to delete. This was on the last line
of the SET cmd.

windir=C:\WINNT
The other installation in partition 1 is windr=C:\WINDOWS

Here's what listed for c:\boot.ini

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

Final questions (I hope): What specific command do I enter at the
START->RUN cmd prompt to delete one of these paths (installations) the safest
way? Do I have to delete the OS that's not currently running? Please advise.

Thank you so much.
 
Hi!

I would guess that your current OS was upgraded from Windows NT4/2000 as it
is installed in a folder named WINNT. To remove the other installation,
simply just use the Windows Explorer and delete the C:\WINDOWS folder by
right-clicking on ite, holding down the shift key while clicking on Delete
and answer Yes. The Shift key-thing makes the delete permanent, ie it
doesn't go to the Recycle Bin.

But as I said before, make backups of your important data *BEFORE* trying
this, better safe than sorry!

Good luck

Jonas
 
Hello

Having a similar problem, however, I upgraded my main board and as a result
of a messy windows repair, was forced to do a parallel install. When my
machine boots up, it prompts me to select an OS. I would like to edit my
boot.ini to omit my dead os and boot the freshly installed one.

I currently have the new os installed to C:\WINXP

Just curious if this boot.ini file looks correct

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

Thought it would be safer to ask someone who knows what they are doing
before i completely mess up my machine.

Zach
"finding new ways to kill Windows"
 
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