"startup menu for multiple-boot systems"

[worldly]

Gang,

Yesterday I reformatted and reinstalled Windows XP Home Edition but now when
the PC starts up I am greeted with a text window that asked which operating
system I want to startup. It list Windows XP Home Edition twice. What might
have gone wrong and how can I fix this?

Thank you,
worldly

 

[JS]

Use Windows Explorer to check that you
do not have two Windows folders.

If there is only one Windows folder
(which since you reformatted the hard drive before installing Windows)
then read on.

Start/Run/msconfig (this open the System Configuration Utility.
Select the BOOT.INI tab
Click on the 'Check All Boot Paths' button.

If Msconfig finds an invalid path (you indicated you have two)
it will ask you to delete the invalid path.

 

[worldly]

Thank you JS. I had the user do this and she did get the pop-up box asking to
remove the invalid path. She selected apply and closed the Config window but
when it rebooted the text window came up again asking which OS to start up.
Any ideas?

 

[Don Phillipson]

Thank you JS. I had the user do this and she did get the pop-up box asking to
remove the invalid path. She selected apply and closed the Config window but
when it rebooted the text window came up again asking which OS to start up.
Any ideas?

If BOOT.INI had been set Read Only, changes by the CONFIG
routine could not have been written to it -- so it would present
the same menu as before.

 

[JS]

Check the contents of the "boot.ini" file located in the root of C:\
Use Notepad to open the file.

A typical entry would be:
[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 XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

If there is more than one line with \WINDOWS=".........." in the boot.ini
file then one of them is bad.

Don't delete anything from this file just yet.
First make note of the two boot names
Example: "Microsoft Windows XP Professional"

If one is named slightly different write this down and then close the file.

Have her reboot the computer and select each option (name) to see if
one or both names/entries displayed boot to Windows.

If one works and the other does not, write the name of the entry
that does not boot to Windows down on paper. Next after booting
to Windows again open the boot.ini file and deleted the line beneath
in my sample shown below that does not boot to Windows.
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional 2"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Again note that this assumes that one boot option fails, if both
boot options work then let me know. But I'll bet than during the
Windows install process you or her pressed the "Boot from CD"
option more than once while Windows was installing.

 

[Kelly]

Hi,

Right click My Computer/Properties/Advanced Tab.

Under Startup and Recovery select Settings. Uncheck the box that reads:
Time to display list..... and change the second box to read: 03 and ok your
way out.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[JS]

Kelly,

All that does is quickly hide the other boot option by
picking the "Default" boot. The problem is still there?

 

[Kelly]

But there isn't a problem. It happens often.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[JS]

On a reformatted hard drive with a clean install?
That is if he or she did the clean install properly.

 

[Kelly]

Yeah, sad to say but it does happen. Dunno! )

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[worldly]

Thank you JS. Everything is up and running as it should be. Actually, I had
to go over and do what you suggested the first time. She must have missed a
step. Thanks again!

Check the contents of the "boot.ini" file located in the root of C:\
Use Notepad to open the file.

A typical entry would be:
[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 XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

If there is more than one line with \WINDOWS=".........." in the boot.ini
file then one of them is bad.

Don't delete anything from this file just yet.
First make note of the two boot names
Example: "Microsoft Windows XP Professional"

If one is named slightly different write this down and then close the file.

Have her reboot the computer and select each option (name) to see if
one or both names/entries displayed boot to Windows.

If one works and the other does not, write the name of the entry
that does not boot to Windows down on paper. Next after booting
to Windows again open the boot.ini file and deleted the line beneath
in my sample shown below that does not boot to Windows.
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional 2"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Again note that this assumes that one boot option fails, if both
boot options work then let me know. But I'll bet than during the
Windows install process you or her pressed the "Boot from CD"
option more than once while Windows was installing.

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com

Thank you JS. I had the user do this and she did get the pop-up box asking
to
remove the invalid path. She selected apply and closed the Config window
but
when it rebooted the text window came up again asking which OS to start
up.
Any ideas?

 

[John John - MVP]

It's been like that for eons. First Microsoft said that they were
looking into it:

BOOT.INI Not Cleaned Up After Repartitioning
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=141188

And then they confirmed what many thought by telling us that the
Boot.ini file is read into memory during the text-mode setup portion:

Boot.ini File Still Contains an Entry for Windows NT 4.0 After New
Installation of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304829

There is no need for NT4 to be in the picture for this to happen, it
happens often enough when dealing with XP only installations.

John

 

[JS]

Glad you were able to fix the problem.

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com

Thank you JS. Everything is up and running as it should be. Actually, I
had
to go over and do what you suggested the first time. She must have missed
a
step. Thanks again!

Check the contents of the "boot.ini" file located in the root of C:\
Use Notepad to open the file.

A typical entry would be:
[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 XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

If there is more than one line with \WINDOWS=".........." in the boot.ini
file then one of them is bad.

Don't delete anything from this file just yet.
First make note of the two boot names
Example: "Microsoft Windows XP Professional"

If one is named slightly different write this down and then close the
file.

Have her reboot the computer and select each option (name) to see if
one or both names/entries displayed boot to Windows.

If one works and the other does not, write the name of the entry
that does not boot to Windows down on paper. Next after booting
to Windows again open the boot.ini file and deleted the line beneath
in my sample shown below that does not boot to Windows.
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional 2"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Again note that this assumes that one boot option fails, if both
boot options work then let me know. But I'll bet than during the
Windows install process you or her pressed the "Boot from CD"
option more than once while Windows was installing.

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com

Thank you JS. I had the user do this and she did get the pop-up box
asking
to
remove the invalid path. She selected apply and closed the Config
window
but
when it rebooted the text window came up again asking which OS to start
up.
Any ideas?


:

Use Windows Explorer to check that you
do not have two Windows folders.

If there is only one Windows folder
(which since you reformatted the hard drive before installing Windows)
then read on.

Start/Run/msconfig (this open the System Configuration Utility.
Select the BOOT.INI tab
Click on the 'Check All Boot Paths' button.

If Msconfig finds an invalid path (you indicated you have two)
it will ask you to delete the invalid path.

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com


Gang,

Yesterday I reformatted and reinstalled Windows XP Home Edition but
now
when
the PC starts up I am greeted with a text window that asked which
operating
system I want to startup. It list Windows XP Home Edition twice.
What
might
have gone wrong and how can I fix this?

Thank you,
worldly

 

[JS]

Guess I was just lucky then because I can't
the number of times deleted the partition,
performed a full format and then a clean install
of XP and for that matter Windows NT4 server.

The problem that got me stumped now is a clean
install of XP Home and used a Media Center keycode.
I entered the keycode and the install finished without
any problems, go figure. But that another problem
and not Germaine.

 

[Kelly]

As per to the second count.....

I read what you had written the other day about XP-MC. The same key has
always worked for me using XP-Pro but not Home. I have three Pro/MC
Gateways here.

Have another odd one for you - yesterday I decided to format my Gateway
laptop from W7 to XP (previously had Vista but came with XP-Pro).

1. Original XP/Pro CD/DVD wouldn't install fully - claimed there was no
hard disk immediately after selecting F8 for the eula.

2. Tried an XP-Pro and Home MSDN CD/DVD and a retail stand alone, same
results. Same for Vista as well (both retail and msdn). What I didn't try
was MC, thought it useless. But now, who knows? )

3. Grabbed a Dell XP-Home CD/DVD and the install went perfect.

Go figure!

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[Kelly]

As per to the second count.....

I read what you had written the other day about XP-MC. The same key has
always worked for me using XP-Pro but not Home. I have three Pro/MC
Gateways here.

Have another odd one for you - yesterday I decided to format my Gateway
laptop from W7 to XP (previously had Vista but came with XP-Pro).

1. Original XP/Pro CD/DVD wouldn't install fully - claimed there was no
hard disk immediately after selecting F8 for the eula.

2. Tried an XP-Pro and Home MSDN CD/DVD and a retail stand alone, same
results. Same for Vista as well (both retail and msdn). What I didn't try
was MC, thought it useless. But now, who knows? )

3. Grabbed a Dell XP-Home CD/DVD and the install went perfect.

Go figure!

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[JS]

Is the Windows 7 200MB boot partition still on the drive?

As for my post, now that XP Home is installed with a
Media Center key code do you think that WGA might
kick in and see it as a bad or illegal code now or sometime
in the future.

 

[John John - MVP]

It doesn't happen all the time or all that often but it happens often
enough that it can't simply be dismissed impossible.

John

 

[JS]

Do you think WGA will be happy this
oddball combination of Home with a
Media Center key code?

 

[John John - MVP]

I really don't know...