Biostar Computer

I have an Old Biostar Computer with Windows XP Home OS. It is very slow and might be contaminated with a Virus.

I installed Windows XP Professional and it works great. The trouble is the Professional didn't over write the Home edition. When I boot up I have a choice of what edition I want to run. Normally that seems great having two OS's. But the Home edition is too bad and I want to get rid of it.

Can you tell me how to delete that partition safely?

 

As you can see I only have one W10 system, but yours wil lshow 2- XP Home, and XP Pro.

 

I did as you suggest, both of them could be moved up or down but not deleted. I tried highlighting and right clicking. Nothing happened. Sorry!

 

While I was in msconfig I noticed that in start up, all boxes were checked. The reason I don't like winXP Home is that it is too slow. Maybe the checked boxes are the cause of the OS being so slow. All those boxes in my mind are short cuts that are not really needed. I unchecked them all. I'll see if there's a difference, maybe recheck only ones that are essential.

 

You and your XP.........
If you now have a separate partition with XP Home, and then XP Pro, then you could format the old Home partition- but as you say you have both on the same partition- the easiest way is to format the hard drive, and re-install, and when re-installing ,choose to format, and then re-install XP.
I had to look it up- my memory is not that good.
However, as you like playing with XP, this link will give you a few hours of fun- get it right, and you will be on your way ....
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb...boot-ini-file-in-a-windows-server-2003-enviro

 

When formatting from the Windows XP disk, just select Format (NTFS), not Quick Format.

 

Thanks for the link. It looks very inviting. I'll give it a whirl and see what happens. I'll get back to you with the results.

 

Thanks Eldon for that tip. I hope it will work.

 

The link Baklogic gave me didn't work out.

This Biostar computer has Win7 & WinXP. I installed two OS's on this computer for a backup. My Dell Optiplex 780 has the same OS's MajorGeeks helped me set up. I will have to be satisfied with one good working computer.

Thanks again Baklogic & Elden. I truly appreciate all the time and effort you have given me.

 

Baklogic,
I hope you didn't think that I was ungrateful when you spent the time and effort to look up that link. I really really appreciate your and all MajorGeeks efforts to solve my problems.

I had to quit looking for the boot.ini file when I couldn't find it after I unchecked & applied the hide protected operating system files (Recommended), it just wasn't listed.

 

I'm ...
Which is it?

 

Same club Eldon---
Well- I see this was supposed to be a backup system- You need a separate COA if using on another computer to be in line with Microsoft licensing.
You need to format that hard drive and start again! if you want to try it.
Your best bet for now is to ensure you regularly set restore points.
On your now working dual boot that we just sorted --Your W7 should still have its recovery partition, so that it can be returned to factory condition, if a real problem occurs-that is why I showed you how to move it, leaving XP outside at the end of hard drive- I hope you use system restore , in W7.... so that you can also restore to a later saved point.
Windows xp PRO also has system restore, --In search box, type msconfig then you will see the system restore button on the first 'gen' part.
and it has a backup utility.
I have never done this, but this is apparently how to Launch the Windows XP Backup Utility IN XP PRO - by clicking the Start Menu | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Backup
Scroll down to the XP bit.......
Performing a Full System Backup in Windows XP
https://www.pluralsight.com/blog/software-development/creating-backup-image-in-vista-and-xp
More information on XP Backup Utility (XP PRO ONLY)
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-utility/69e9247a-20d7-4f8d-a057-d2724ce4b75d

 

I have an Old Biostar Computer with Windows XP Home OS. I installed Windows XP Professional and it works great.

I'm sorry to confuse you but that's my stupid typing error. It should have read "I have an Old Biostar computer with Windows 7 Professional OS. I installed Windows XP Home."

I'm sorry that this 87 year old brain doesn't work too well like you youngsters. I know Baklogic is 10 years younger than me.

I may have confused you further in my last post. I failed to mention that I was looking for "%systemroot%" to check the boot.ini file that wasn't in the list.

 

Baklogic ,

It looks like I confused you also with my terminology saying that the Biostar computer is my backup. I shouldn't have used that word. What I was try to say that I have a fine working Dell Optiplex that has two OS's to play my games. If I can't get a game to work on the Dell computer, I can then try to get the game to play on the Biostar computer (BACKUP?)

 

Forget about the boot.ini file.
Editing it will not remove Windows XP Home Edition.

Your best option is to follow the advise in post #5.
Then you'll have just Windows XP Professional installed.

Once you have that setup, we can provide info on how to update DirectX and, if necessary, any .NET Frameworks you may need.

 

We seem to have unmuddled ourselves....
So- If you want to do it cleanly and successfully, Hair of Red,
Put your dvd in, and restart,
When it shows the partitions - choose Full format, NFTS, and you should only have one partition-
Then choose install your XP pro.
Then follow Eldon's advice as you go on.

 

Unmuddled what's the definition? The define search couldn't find any.

You are further confusing me. What DVD should I format?

A blank DVD will not do. The XP installation disk doesn't give the option of formatting. Please be a little more specific and let me know what you are thinking.

 

You need to format the hard disc with the WinXP CD.

 

As Eldon says
Insert the XP CD (sorry, I forgot it used a CD, and not a dvd......
My apologies for not being clearer .
When it restarts, and you press any key to boot from CD, it will boot from the CD
and you will see the option to format-THE HARD DRIVE - choose Full format, NFTS,
When format is finished........
Then choose install your XP pro.
Then follow Eldon's advice as you go on.

 

I'm sorry to say my computer doesn't restart the way you described.

When I restart the XP CD and press the key to boot from CD. When it starts there is no option to format the hard drive. The only options are press F6 for third party SCSI or F2 for Automatic System Recovery. After that is displayed it goes directly to installing WinXP.

 

Peruse the following instructions.
Skip posts # 7 - 11.
https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-clean-install-windows-xp-2624911

 

Thank you Eldon for another good link. The trouble is this computer BIOSTAR is a foreign make that's not the same as American makes. I can't follow the directions in the link because I have a hard time trying to change the boot sequence to boot from the CD drive.
I was only successful one time to boot from the CD drive. Let me try to explain the start up from the. Biostar computer.

First the Biostar logo appears and goes directly to this setup:

Press F8 to Enable System Configuration
Press F9 to Select Booting Device after Post
Press F1 to Continue, DEL to enter SETUP

I don't know the proper time to press F9. I hope you, Baklogic or another MajorGeek had some experience with this Biostar computer.

 

As soon as you see the above, press F9 until you see the option which boot device to select.
Then, using the arrow keys, select CD Drive and press Enter.

 

As Eldon says- and keep your finger over the f9 button, as it can go by so quickly that you miss it.

 

Success once more.

The XP Pro was successfuly installed. Eldon mentioned in post 15 that he will help update DIrectX. Is there anything else that might need to be updated?

 

Here's the update for DirectX.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/microsoft_directx.html

 

Before you update anything, which Service Pack(s) is installed?

 

It has Service Pack 3 installed. I also have the CD for that Service Pack 3 if I can get an update from it.

 

Service Pack 3 is the latest for Windows XP.
There's an unofficial SP4 which I'm not going to recommend.
Proceed with the update for DirectX.

 

Do I need to install this download? I already have DIrectX 9.0

 

It's an update for DirectX 9.0c, 10, 10.1 & 11.

 

EldonMajor Geek Extraordinaire
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Do I need to install this download? I already have DIrectX 9.0
It's an update for DirectX 9.0c, 10, 10.1 & 11.

That's great, thanks

 

When I check My Computer, Recovery is listed as C: and OS is listed as E:.
I tried to change them in Disk Management but it was denied because they are part of the operating system. Is there a way I can get around this?

 

I finally was able to install the DIrectX download. It asked for a file to install to. I checked Windows files for DIrectX. This is what I entered:
C:\windows\ system32\DirectX
I hope that was the right file I installed to. I searched Dxdiag and DIrectX 9.0c was still there. Should I install to a different file?

 

The DirectX download is a self-extracting file.
Make a folder on the Desktop and extract the files to it. Then open the folder and run the setup file.

FYI After you install the update, DirectX will still be 9.0c as this just updates some of the DirectX files.

Edit: If you extracted the files to C:\Windows\System32\DirectX, the files should be in that folder.