Uninstalling Windows XP

I was trying to do a repair install of windows XP home edition but I now have three versions of windows XP on my computer, giving me three options to choose from when booting up. I would like to remove two of them but cannot figure out how. The XP programs are not listed in the add/remove software window of the two versions I would like to remove. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

Run msconfig, then go to the boot.ini tab. Click the button that says "check all boot paths". If it finds incorrect paths, it will notify you and give you the option to remove them. It is safe to do so.

 

I'm not familiar with "misconfig" or the boot.ini.tab. Can you please give me some more info on how to do this? Thanks.

 

If you can afford to format the drive (which will cause you to lose EVERYTHING) then I recommend you do a new clean reinstall of XP and delete any partitions, and then repartition, and it will format the whole drive and reinstall 1 new clean install of XP, and that will get rid of the others!!

If you don't want to lose anything...then boot off of the XP cd, run setup and see if it has more than one partition (which I would think it would being that you have more than 1 copy of XP) If so then delete the two partitions you don't want, and it will get rid of the other XP installs!! Of course you will still have two partitions!! One with the XP and the other will be the remaining space on the drive!! Then when you start windows...go into "My Computer" and right click on the drive the doesn't have XP on it and click on format!! That way you will have the other space usable!!

However...the only way to repartition the drive as one big harddrive with XP on it...you will have to delete all partitions and format the drive as one big partition, and reinstall windows, which like I said...will cause you to loose EVERYTHING on the hard drive!!!

Let me know if this is confusing!! I was in a hurry and I will try to clear it up for you later if you so need me to!!

Roger

P.S. I guess the first question to ask...Can you afford to Format the drive and not worry about losing EVERYTHING?? Then according to your answer...we can take it from there!!!

 

Thanks Roger. No, I cannot afford to lose everything. Most of my software was pre-loaded and I do not have back up disks to reinstall everything and it would cost a small fortune to replace it all. I know how to boot off of the XP cd but I'm a little lost after that. I'm not sure how to delete the two partitions that I don't want. I'm currently at work and not at the computer with the problem, but I'll work on it this evening.

Thanks,

Lyn

 

You can access msconfig by clicking the start menu button, then clicking "run" and type msconfig in the box that pops up. You will see an application pop up, and from there you can click on the tab that says boot.ini. That is where you can click on the button that says "check all boot paths". When you run that, you should see two boot paths corresponding to the other xp versions that you had installed and you can remove those from there. Please let me know if this works!

 

Hi. I tried it but could not delete the other two versions. When I click "check all boot paths" the message says they are all working okay and does not give me an option to delete them. I was able to set the default operating system but the other two are still there. Any other suggestions? Thanks so much.

 

Hmmm... I would have thought you would of had two boot paths that were invalid. Guess not. Well, I need some more information about your system then. Click your start menu button, then right click on the My Computer icon and select "properties". Go to the "advanced" tab and click the button that says settings underneath the startup and recovery section. Please list what it says in the default operating system dialog box. Next, click the edit button below and copy the text in the notepad file that opens up and paste that text in your reply. Do not edit anything in this file (at this time) or your pc may go "boom". By the way, if you simply just want to get rid of the annoying list of 3 operating sytems at startup, you can uncheck the box that says "time to display list of operating systems". If you do that, it will boot directly into the default operating sytem without listing the other two when you're starting up.

 

It is not showing any bad boot paths because the other two install were good!! If you choose to boot to any of those options...odds are you will see that windows will boot, but it obviously won't be the pre-existing windows that you don't want to lose anything on!!

Like caveman said...you can disable the choice to boot to the other windows, but the olny way to completely get rid of it (since they are taking up space) is to run the setup off of the XP install disc and delete the partitions that the other installs are on!! But you will still have more than one partition on your hard drive!!

Another option would be to COMPETELY back up your hard drive (by completing a mirror image) then format the drive and then put that mirror image back on the existing drive!! But you need software designed for that!! If you do chose to do that...When you put that mirror image back on the drive...it will lay everything back on the drive EXACTLY as it is now...you will not lose anything and everything will be just as operable as if nothing ever happened!! That is ofcourse if it is done correctly!! So that is why you want to back up anything valuable first!!

I'm not sure if there are free mirror imaging software out there or not, but if you have ALOT of stuff on there, you need another harddrive, or atleast a high quantity media (Like burnable DVD) to do the mirroring option!!

Roger

 

Edit your 'boot.ini', remove the entries to the 2 partitions you don't want to use.

If you are not sure which entries to delete, post a copy of your boot.ini here and we can tell you which entries to delete.

Remove the 2 partitions you don't need, then resize your primary partion to use the entire drive. You will need partitioning software to do this.

 

To edit your boot.ini do the following

Start > Run

edit c:\boot.ini

OK

 

Thanks everyone. I will try some of these things this evening when I get home from work. It is true that I can successfully boot up with the other two operating systems, they just do not contain the programs and data that I want to save. I'll work on it more and let you all know how it goes. Thank you so much for your help and suggestions!!

 

It would be better if you post the contents of your boot.ini file before you attempt to edit anything or delete any partitions because you can create some pretty big headaches and potential complete loss of data if you do the wrong thing. (In the post I made above, the text that you copied and pasted from the notepad file that you opened is the contents of your boot.ini file). If you're doing this for the first time, I would consult this forum before making any major changes.

 

Thank You capn for clarifiy that, I kind of stuck that advice in the middle of one of my posts. Probably should of put that first.

 

Hello All,

I tried to paste the contents of the boot.ini file into this message but couldn't get it to work. I can copy and paste it into the ini file that opens up but it won't seem to copy to anything else.

Anyway, I took the chance and deleted two of the operating systems from the list and now my computer works just fine I'm so happy! What I'm wondering about now are the partitions that were created and how to consolidate them to one, if possible, if I really need to (if I even know what I'm talking about). In the list of operating systems in the ini file, they all were labeled as being in partition 1. How can I check to see if my drive is partitioned. What would you guys do next, if anything?

Thanks again for all of your help. I really do appreciate it.

 

Hmmm... all on partition 1 huh? Interesting.

Go to start -> run -> type "compmgmt.msc" without the quotes and hit ok. In the application that pops up, on the left you will see various system tools listed. Double click on the one that says disk management. On the right side of the partition, you should see a list of your hard drives. Now, tell me how many hard drives are listed underneath the entry in the top table that says volume and tell me what the drive letters are (such as c:, d:, e that are listed in the top table. Now, look at the list of drives at the bottom. Note that a hard drive with a dark blue line across it is known as a primary partition. If there is any additional partitions in any of your hard disks, then they should have a bright blue line over the top of them. Does any of your hard drives show that they have a partition with a bright blue line? Or is all drives show that it is a primary partition?

Sorry if this is confusing, I'm going to post a screenshot to help you decipher this!

 

Ok.. please see this screenshot for a visual explanation. Hope this information helps!

 

Hey Capn,

I've attached a screen shot of my disk management thingy. What do you think?

Thanks

 

:jawdrop


It would appear that you have managed to install 3 operating systems on the same partition! This is what I was suspecting from the beginning. I don't think there is any way to remove the other operating systems besides reformat. I'm curious now Run a file search for the folder system32. Go to start -> search -> click on all files and folders and then type "system32" in the field just below "all or part of the filename". When you get your results, please post how many system32 folders windows finds and exactly where they are located.

 

Right click my computer>properties>advanced>startup and recovery>edit

Copy the boot.ini and paste it here.

 

kadavill....She already edited her boot.ini to remove entries corresponding to the other OS so that won't do much good at this point.

 

Hey Capn,

Sorry for the delay. I did the system32 search and found 4 folders; they are located in C:\WINDOWS, C:\XPRO, C:\WINDOWS.0, and C:\ WINDOWS\I386. What should I/can I do?

Thanks!

 

Hey capn
I think now we need the boot.ini to figure out which is the real active system folder.
So she can delete the other folders.

 

Sorry it took so long to reply - been on vacation in Florida! Anyway, you most certainly do have multiple operating systems on the same partition - that much we knew already. However, I don't think there is any way to remove them - at least not to my knowledge. I don't think it would be safe to simply delete the non-active system folders, but I can't say for sure. To be honest, I've never seen this problem before so it's out of my realm of experience. I just can't see a way to remove the other operating systems. Anyone else have an opinion on this????? As far as your system goes, I don't think it will cause you any major problems, but then again, I could be wrong! Best case scenario, you have no problems, but some space on your hard drive is taken up by the other operating systems. Worst case scenario, you run into conflicts and have to do a reformat. In my opinion, if it doesn't cause you problems, I would leave it alone. If it causes you problems, then I would consider trying to dig up copies of that software you have on there and do a full reformat. Sorry if this doesn't help!!!

 

I think the boot.ini does say where the system directory is.eg windows in most case.
This makes it safe to delete the others.I have done this once and it can save upto 1gb per extra installation.
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000492.htm

Note:The c:\windows\1386 is under c:\windows.They are not two but one installation.

 

Another way to check the real system folder will be to try and rename the folders.
The real one will not let you to do so.

 

I don't think that the boot.ini is going to tell us what the default system directory is. I strongly suspect that the default system folders are C:\windows and c:\windows\1386. The others are most likely the new installs. Chances are that deleting them would do no harm, but I don't know that personally and would not recommend that a user do so.

 

If the boot.ini doesnt have information about the install folder.
Then how can you boot into the other installation?
I am sure I have done that.With a double install on the same partition.

 

kadavill is on the right track. The boot.ini will tell what the default install directory of windows is.

example boot.ini
[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" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft 98SE"

If there is more than 1 install on the same partition with different system directories the default will tell you which one is the good one.

 

Doh! You're right... I'm wrong...I'm asleep at the wheel tonight! yes, the boot.ini will tell us the default directory. However, see the above earlier post where she could not for some reason post the contents of the boot.ini folder. ? Anyway, I need a second opinion from Shadow... do you think it is safe to delete the non-default windows directories folders? Also, please note that the boot.ini file has already been edited to remove references to the other OS on this partition.

 

DNAchic do the following

Start

Run

CMD

OK

CMD Session Terminal opens - Enter the following commands

cd ..

cd ..

edit c:\Boot.ini

EDIT Opens now do the following:

File

Save As

name the file Boot.ini.txt

OK

File

Exit

type exit at the command prompt and hit enter

Open notepad File -> Open and navigate to C:\ and open the file Boot.ini.txt

Copy and paste the contents of that file into your reply.

 

Shouldn't cause problems with the installed programs. But may cause problems with hardware if the drivers are in the other windows directories.

 

I was thinking along those lines myself. I suspect that the current default OS is probably the original OS and all drivers should be located in areas that would not be related to the other 2 OS that was installed.


Just out of curiousity and off the topic DNAChic: why did you want to do a repair in the first place?

 

I once had a dual boot where the recycle bin was exchanged.What I delete in one would end up in the other.So we cannot be sure about it.But in normal course the drivers should be installed in the directory of installation where she logs in usually.

 

DNAchic:How many users folders do you have in the folder documents and settings?

 

Man that's must have been a nightmare. One would hope that all the drivers are in the default directory. If DNAchic deletes a directory that does have drivers XP should pick up the hardware and reinstall the drivers.

 

Shadow:I never use the recycle bin,I use shift while deleting.
I think xp would have installed drivers for all instalation.

 

By default everything should be there.

See ya around.

 

The default line in the boot.ini just indicates the os to which the bootmenu highlights.The one into which it boots when the timer runs out.

What I am saying is the line for the os,in which the part \windows=' '

The windows or whatever name is put there is the directory where the bootloader will search for the kernel in the specified partition.

 

Ok, reading through the thread, DNAchic has somehow managed to install XP 3 times. I my opinion C:/WINDOWS is the current and good install of windows. C:\WINDOWS.0 is the old install. C:\XPRO DNAchic did you install windows in this directory? C:\ WINDOWS\I386 is that correct are is there an extra space in there?

 

Hey,

This is what I did. I thought I needed to do a repair install but I was not supplied with a Windows installation disk. I had XP Home Edition but was told that I could use XP Pro to do a repair install, so I borrowed a disk and ended up with two operating systems. I then ordered the XP Home Edition from my computer manufacturer and attempted to do a repair install again, but the version on my computer was newer than the one on the disk because of all the updates and I ended up with 3 operating systems. I identified which OS I wanted to keep, opened the boot.ini file and deleted the two I did not want. My computer now works exactly like I want it to but I still have multiple system 32 folders and I'm not quite sure what to do if anything.

Thanks so much

 

Could you please tell me what directory the default line points to in your boot.ini and is it the same as the directory under operating systems

 

Because you have installed multiple OS's the one you kept wont be at the beginning of the drive which is the fastest part,to get past the date issue all you had to do is adjust the date on your comp to any before the disk release date.

IMO you should back up your files and drivers and do a complete fresh install of windows this will keep all your files at the beginning of the disk,and put less strain on your harddrive.

 

I think that the OS that is currently being used is actually the ORIGINAL OS (and hence at the beginning of the drive) because all of the original files and programs are intact and accessable. I believe it was mentioned previously that the machine had 3 bootable OS, but only one of those OS had the original programs installed and available. The only way I think that would happen is if the computer was booting into the original OS and not into either of the 2 new installations.

DNAChic: As I mentioned before - if I were you, I would just leave well enough alone if you absolutely cannot afford to do a reformat. I don't think you will have any problems with the other 2 OS installed on the PC, they are just going to take up space that I don't think you can reclaim safely at this point. If you do start running into problems then you may be forced to reformat. Good luck!

 

In control panel>folder option>view>uncheck the 'display contents of system folder'(4th from top).
Now navigate to your three 'system folder'.Find out which folders are being shown and which are not.Report your findings here.

As capn says you can keep it like that,but i really doubt the files on the other system folders are being used.You might save some space.But it is up to you.