Remove Windows XP when multiple copies exist

[Joe Murphy]

I mistakenly installed Windows XP in a new directory on my
machine. Now I have two bootable copies of XP taking up
space. How can I cleanly remove one copy?

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Joe.

Just delete its boot folder. Be sure you get the right one, of course, but
since WinXP will refuse to delete the one that it is using, just boot into
the one you want and delete the other one. If it refuses, go back to Step
1.

By default, WinXP names its boot folder \Windows, except that when upgrading
from an earlier Windows, it inherits the name of the prior boot folder. If
the second copy of WinXP was installed into a separate volume, you may have,
for example, C:\Windows and D:\Windows. If it was installed into the same
volume as the first copy, you may have C:\Windows and C:\Windows(2), or some
similar variation.

After deleting the unneeded boot folder, run msconfig and, on the BOOT.INI
tab, click Check All Boot Paths to eliminate the deleted one from the
opening boot menu.

RC

 

[Michael Stevens]

I mistakenly installed Windows XP in a new directory on my
machine. Now I have two bootable copies of XP taking up
space. How can I cleanly remove one copy?

Click on or copy and paste the link below into your web browser address box.
I have two installations of Windows/Windows XP on the same partition.......
http://michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#two
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Alex Nichol]

I mistakenly installed Windows XP in a new directory on my
machine. Now I have two bootable copies of XP taking up
space. How can I cleanly remove one copy?

Delete the second folder (after making *quite* sure there are two) while
booted to the other instance, HIghlight the folder and hold down Shift
while hitting Del, so as to bypass any attempt to put it in the recycle
bin. Then run MSConfig.exe and on the BOOT.INI page click the Check All
Paths button - that will identify one of the boot entries as no longer
valid and offer to delete it