XP Partition and OS Questions

[Guest]

I posted this on XP General, but thought it might be more appropriate here,
so please bear with me.

While using an XP Reinstallation Disk (OEM) for my Dell Dimension 4600 I
found two partitions on my 40 GB drive, one large NTFS and one small FAT32,
plus 8 MB of unallocated space. I deleted the two partitions and created one
new NTFS. When I finished I still had the 8 MB of unllocated space. Bios said
the new partition was maximum size. I only want a single partition.

I reinstalled Windows XP Pro and SP2 (from a disk), and downloaded Norton
Anti-Virus 2004, plus all Norton updates (kept repeating until it found
none). I then tried to download Microsoft updates for XP but couldn’t do it –
can’t download Active X either.

Questions:

1. On bootup, XP shows two OS's (identical). When I highlight the second it
says it can't access it, but why is it still showing?

2. Windows never asked for an activation number. Why not?

2. Why the 8 MB of free space? (I have a 40 GB hard drive.)

3. Why can’t I download Microsoft updates? (I disabled Norton and
Earthlink’s Pop-up Blocker.

 

[Nepatsfan]

(e-mail address removed),

I posted this on XP General, but thought it might be more
appropriate here,
so please bear with me.

While using an XP Reinstallation Disk (OEM) for my Dell
Dimension 4600 I
found two partitions on my 40 GB drive, one large NTFS and
one small FAT32,
plus 8 MB of unallocated space. I deleted the two partitions
and created one
new NTFS. When I finished I still had the 8 MB of unllocated
space. Bios said the new partition was maximum size. I only
want a single partition.

I reinstalled Windows XP Pro and SP2 (from a disk), and
downloaded Norton Anti-Virus 2004, plus all Norton updates
(kept repeating until it found
none). I then tried to download Microsoft updates for XP but
couldn’t do it – can’t download Active X either.

Questions:

1. On bootup, XP shows two OS's (identical). When I
highlight the second it
says it can't access it, but why is it still showing?

2. Windows never asked for an activation number. Why not?

2. Why the 8 MB of free space? (I have a 40 GB hard drive.)

3. Why can’t I download Microsoft updates? (I disabled
Norton and Earthlink’s Pop-up Blocker.

1. Check C:\Boot.ini and see what it shows for entries. Since
you formatted your hard drive there should only be one
operating system listed.

If you just want to fix the problem, do the following:
Go to Start -> Run and enter msconfig in the Open box. Click
OK.
Click on the Boot.ini tab.
Hit the "Check all boot paths" button.
You should be asked if you wish to delete the invalid entry.

If you're looking for a second opinion on this issue, open your
boot.ini file and copy and paste the contents into a response
to this message. I'll take a look at it and get back to you.

2. You didn't have to activate because you used an OEM XP
installation CD that's been customized by Dell to include a
volume license key in this file, X:\I386\winnt.sif (where X is
the drive letter associated with your CD Drive). When you use
this CD on a Dell computer you don't have to enter a CD key or
activate. Use the CD on another companies PC and you need to
enter a CD key which can't be the key on the sticker that's on
your computer. Use a non-Dell issued OEM CD on your computer
and you'd have to enter the key from the sticker. I may be
mistaken but I think this would mean you'd have to activate
over the phone. Bottom line, don't lose that CD. Better yet,
make a copy and put the original in a safe place.

3. First off, the small FAT32 partition probably held Dell
diagnostic files. Removing this partition simply means you now
have to insert a CD that came with your system if you want to
run the Dell diagnostic programs.

As for the 8MB of unallocated space, I believe that when you
format a drive NTFS Windows sets aside a small amount of space
to be used if the drive is ever converted from a basic disk to
a dynamic disk.

4. Go to Control Panel -> Internet Options and check what your
settings for the Internet Zone are on the Security page. Look
to see what the restrictions are for downloading and installing
ActiveX controls by hitting the "Custom Level" button. You can
reset to Medium level and see if you can access Windows Update.

If you're still unable to access updates, you might want to ask
for assistance here:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windowsupdate

Good luck

Nepatsfan

 

[Guest]

Thank you for your offer of help – gratefully accepted!

My boot.ini file says the following

[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 XP Professional"
/fast detect
/NoExecute=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft XP
Professional" /fast detect


I ran “Check All Boot Paths.†One turned out to be faultyas you suspected
and the system offered to delete it. I accepted that choice and restarted the
PC, which resulted in the message below.

"You have used the System Configuration Utility to make changes to the way
Windows starts.

"The System Configuration Utility is currently in Diagnostic or Selective
Startup mode, causing this message to bedisplayed and the utility to run
every time Windows starts.

"Choose the Normal Startup mode on the General tab to start Windows normally
and undo the changes youmade using the System Configuration Utility.

"(Check Box) Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration
Utility when Windows start: (Okay box)"

I clicked OK and now am back to square one. I don’t recall earlier Windows
OS’s being this frustrating! If I checked the box saying "Don't show this
message..." would that be the answer to making the change stick?

I figure if I take this one step at a time, and with your help, I may just
get through it and learn something in the process!


ALso, thank you for you answer to the mysterious 8 MB of space and the no
activitation issue -- it seems so simple once you know what it is. (And makes
me feel a bit stupid -- sorry about that!) I will take your advice and make a
copy of the Reinstallation Disk.

As to the FAT32 partition -- that would be an "Oops"! It never occurred to
me. I have played around in the past installing and reinstalling W2000 Pro on
a Pentium 2 and purposely created both FAT32 and NTSF files. I think I had a
brain freeze or flashback and just thought, "I created that one, though I
dont know when, so I will just delete it now." Senility is not all its
cracked up to be!

I have been to Control Panel and thought I had everything set, but I will
try that again this evening and see what happens. I certainly could have
missed something.

Do you think the easiest solution might be just to reinstall once more? I
wonder if all this might be a Norton conflct of some kind and perhaps if I
downloaded Microsoft updates first, then installed and updated Norton, it
might give better results. What do you think?

Thanks again so much for walking me through this -- I know it is kid stuff
to folks who know what they are doing!

 

[Nepatsfan]

(e-mail address removed),

Thank you for your offer of help – gratefully accepted!

My boot.ini file says the following

[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 XP
Professional" /fast detect
/NoExecute=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
XP Professional" /fast detect


I ran “Check All Boot Paths.†One turned out to be
faultyas you suspected and the system offered to delete it.
I accepted that choice and restarted the PC, which resulted
in the message below.

"You have used the System Configuration Utility to make
changes to the way Windows starts.

"The System Configuration Utility is currently in Diagnostic
or Selective Startup mode, causing this message to
bedisplayed and the utility to run every time Windows starts.

"Choose the Normal Startup mode on the General tab to start
Windows normally and undo the changes youmade using the
System Configuration Utility.

"(Check Box) Don't show this message or launch the System
Configuration Utility when Windows start: (Okay box)"

I clicked OK and now am back to square one. I don’t recall
earlier Windows OS’s being this frustrating! If I checked
the box saying "Don't show this message..." would that be
the answer to making the change stick?

I figure if I take this one step at a time, and with your
help, I may just get through it and learn something in the
process!


ALso, thank you for you answer to the mysterious 8 MB of
space and the no activitation issue -- it seems so simple
once you know what it is. (And makes me feel a bit stupid --
sorry about that!) I will take your advice and make a copy
of the Reinstallation Disk.

As to the FAT32 partition -- that would be an "Oops"! It
never occurred to me. I have played around in the past
installing and reinstalling W2000 Pro on a Pentium 2 and
purposely created both FAT32 and NTSF files. I think I had a
brain freeze or flashback and just thought, "I created that
one, though I dont know when, so I will just delete it now."
Senility is not all its cracked up to be!

I have been to Control Panel and thought I had everything
set, but I will try that again this evening and see what
happens. I certainly could have missed something.

Do you think the easiest solution might be just to reinstall
once more? I wonder if all this might be a Norton conflct of
some kind and perhaps if I downloaded Microsoft updates
first, then installed and updated Norton, it might give
better results. What do you think?

Thanks again so much for walking me through this -- I know
it is kid stuff to folks who know what they are doing!

You were on the right track. If you had checked the box next to
"Don't show this message...", Windows would have kept the new
boot.ini file which did not include the bogus installation. You
would have been running under Selective Startup but that only
means you're not using the original Boot.ini file.

An alternative approach, and the one I'd use, would be to edit
boot.ini and remove the entry that msconfig flagged as invalid.
The way to do that is to go to Control Panel -> System and
click on the Advanced page. Next, hit the Settings button in
the "Startup and Recovery" section. In "Startup and Recovery",
click on the Edit button. Boot.ini will open in Notepad. First
you want to make a copy just in case. Go to File -> Save as and
save a copy as boot.old in your My Documents folder. Now go
back and remove the invalid entry and click on File -> Save.
Reboot and see if the issue has been resolved. If everything is
now running properly you can delete the boot.old file.

Here's an article that outlines the procedure:

How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;289022

No need to apologize for not being aware of the Dell activation
and diagnostic partition issues. Even when Dell does include a
manual with their systems they either don't mention or simply
gloss over a lot of things that later have you scratching your
head. Senility? No way!! Let's chalk it up to poor
documentation.

Of the issues you outlined in your first post, the only one
that's a real problem is the last one, the inability to
download ActiveX components. Until you get this resolved, your
system is seriously crippled. Since you were able to install
Norton AV and run Live Update, you must have had the ability to
install ActiveX at one point in time. This could be verified by
opening the C:\Windows\Downloaded Programs Files folder. Odds
are there are some entries there related to Norton AV. If so,
that means that NAV is the source of your problem. I would be
very careful about disabling NAV in order to download Windows
updates. Make sure you have the Windows Firewall up and running
before trying this.

If you find yourself spending a significant amount of time
trying to resolve this ActiveX issue then reinstalling Windows
may be the way to go. Since this is a new installation you
don't have a lot to lose other than the time spent
reinstalling. Hopefully, a second installation attempt will not
result in the same problems.

Good luck

Nepatsfan

 

[Guest]

hi! do you know how to put disc c: and e: back together again? sorry it
sounds like "humpty dumpty" but i also have "low disc space" on e:

 

[DL]

with a third party tool, eg partition magic
or by starting over with a clean install

 

[jazzee]

On question 1)

Do you have Windows Vista installed on your system? I ask this because when
I did this I tried to install Vista and XP and my Boot.ini file fouled up.
As you say that one of the OS choices is void then simply editing the
boot.ini file will solve this problem. Open My Computer, goto Crive and
then go to Tools, File Options, View. Then Click on Show Hidden Files and
Folders to reveal the Boot.ini file on your c:drive. Right click on this
file and unclick Read Only to enable file edit and open the file with
notepad. Then delete the void AND ONLY THE VOID OS choice entry to remove
this problem.

Question 2) You`ve got me!! I`m stumped

Question 3) The 8MB partition is the windows file partition as far as I
know. I`d leave it as is.

Question 4) Is your copy of Windows Illegal. If it is and you are using a
blocked volume key then you will not get all the updates. Activate Automatic
Updates in Control Panel to download as many as you can. Then check the
Microsoft for Block Monthly updates. Also a site called Keznews will
contain block download files for August and September monthly security
updates.

Hope this helps.