Two XP's ??????

J

Jason145

Weaksauce
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
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87
After building my computer and installing XP home on the Hard Drive I now have Two XPs to choose from. In the beginning, I partitioned the hard drive, one for XP and the other just for stuff. Now at startup, It gives me a choice between two XPs. How do I get rid of the other XP with losing some stuff on that partitioned area??
 
You can format the partition with the XPs on it and then install one XP on it...
 
I've got two partitions a "C" and an "E" both have XP on them. Can I format the "E"partition and get rid of that XP or is there an easier way??
 
Partitionmagic 8 allows you to manipulate partitions easily (in your case, delete the second, and expand the first to the whole drive). Alternately, you could reinstall windows, and during the setup process, delete both partitons and create a new one covering the whole drive. If you just want to simplify your bootup, open C:\boot.ini in notepad and remove the line corresponding to XP home. If you feel uncomfortable editing boot.ini, post the contents here and I will fix it.
 
I want to keep the "E" partition I just want to get rid of the second XP on that partition. If I get rid of "that" XP; will it stop asking me which OS do I want when I power on the computer???

When I turn on the computer it says which OS do you want
1 Windows XP Home ed
2 Windows XP Home ed
select one

I seemed to have installed XP twice. I just want to get rid of one of them. I am hoping for an easy answer. I really don't want to buy any software to do it. plus the software i am installing on the computer is going to the partition that Ithe extra XP is on. Will I lose that software or can it be saved??
 
Modify the boot.ini and then delete the Windows and program files folders on the E drive. Then get all your documents out of documents and settings on E and delete that folder too.
 
how do I open the C:\ boot.ini file in the note pad? is there are easier way. like could I just load the setup disk, and thern reformat the hard drive. delete both xp's and just reinstall it??
 
Hold down the WIndows Key and press the Pause/Break Key.

Advanced Tab

Press Settings button for Startup and Recovery

Click on Edit and delete the entry for the partition on "E"

This is the one for the first drive, first partion...which should be your C drive.
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

Depending on where your "E" partion is, the disk number, rdisk number, and partion number will be different. I would back this up just incase you screw it up and need to restore it.

You can also select which is the default OS and set time timouts to 1. This would leave your boot.ini intact and just speed up the menu timeouts.
 
OK I got that far. So do I just delete the second entry. Does it correspond with the second OS? the one one the "E" drive. Also is the XP on the "C" drive running? And all of my stuff is on the "E" drive by default. I was not prompted to load those files on that drive> Could it be that the XP on the "E" drive is the one in fact running??

I know this is such a noob question but thanks for the help and patience.

So if I am in the boot.ini file on the notepad do I just delete the other entry . save it. then delete the windows, program files, and doc & settings folders on the "E" drive???
 
This is what it looks like.


[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=signature(bbf25a4a)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
signature(bbf25a4a)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
signature(bbf25a4a)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect

I have been selecting the first one. since it says partition(2) would that logically mean drive "E"??
If I do delete the second entry will i get back that lost "C" drive just full of empty space???

can I run XP from one partition and load games and programs on the other???
 
OK...do this:

Change the line in boot.ini that says:
default=signature(bbf25a4a)disk(0)r disk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
Change it to:
default=signature(bbf25a4a)disk(0)r disk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
Then reboot. The Windows XP install on the "E" drive is the one that has been getting loaded by default. ONCE YOU HAVE REBOOTED, you'll be using the install on the "C" drive. THEN, AFTER THE REBOOT:
Erase the line that says:
signature(bbf25a4a)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
That should do it. If it still waits 30 seconds to see which one you pick, and it only has one choice (it shouldn't), change the line that says:
timeout=30
to:
timeout=0
That's it...go onto the "E" drive, and erase the stuff others have mentioned. Hope this helped!

And really, a bump after 46 minutes is not necesary.
 
O[H]-Zone said:
OK...do this:

Change the line in boot.ini that says:
default=signature(bbf25a4a)disk(0)r disk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
Change it to:
default=signature(bbf25a4a)disk(0)r disk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
Then reboot. The Windows XP install on the "E" drive is the one that has been getting loaded by default. ONCE YOU HAVE REBOOTED, you'll be using the install on the "C" drive. THEN, AFTER THE REBOOT:
Erase the line that says:
signature(bbf25a4a)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
That should do it. If it still waits 30 seconds to see which one you pick, and it only has one choice (it shouldn't), change the line that says:
timeout=30
to:
timeout=0
That's it...go onto the "E" drive, and erase the stuff others have mentioned. Hope this helped!

And really, a bump after 46 minutes is not necesary.
Click to expand...

There you go....takes all the thinking out of it.
 
Well it work thanks!

I however had to keep the XP on the "E" drive with all of my doc and settings. It was loading the "E" XP. I ran the "C" drive XP and it had not even completed its install. Now that I have the XP running and all my stuff still on it (aka the "E" drive) can I just format the "C" drive to get rid of that XP. Also can I reclaim that missing memory(30GB), or can I increase the size of that partition to put stuff like music, and videos on???


BTW, that for the help really.
 
Met-AL -> Man, I hope you looked up that Window Hotkey (Flag - Pause)!! Who keeps those esoteric ones in their head?!? Not me, that's for sure! ;)
I'd be like..."uhh...Right Click on My Computer and choose Properties"
 
Jason145 said:
Also can I reclaim that missing memory(30GB), or can I increase the size of that partition to put stuff like music, and videos on???


BTW, that for the help really.
Click to expand...

So im assuming you can no longer access your other partition that used to have a windows xp install on it? go to control panel> admin tools> computer management (have to change to classic veiw in control panel)
Go to "disk management" under the storage tab, and it will give you a graphic representation of your partitions. Right click the area thats not your "C" drive and click format. Should get you your 30gb back.
 
We'll I can still use the "C" drive but I would like to get rid of the XP thats on it. and use it for other things. Can I delete the partition after i get rid of the XP?
 
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