I accidentally installed 2 OS (both XP) on my computer. Can someone help me get one off?

Question

Hello, I accidentally installed 2 different operating systems on my hard drive (which wasn't partitioned). Someone told me this in regards to removing one to stop the errors of the conflicting extra OS... "If both XPs are installed on the same partition that is the reason for one of your XP not working. In that case you will have to format the partition and reinstall XP. No other alternative." Is there ANY alternative??? I already deleted and saved by boot file to not have the extra OS run on my system, but its files are causing issues. Thanks!

Answer 1

Here is answer for your question.. do as instructed.. it works!! i have done it in the same way..

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888023

1. Start the Windows operating system that you want to keep.
2. To determine the Windows folder that you want to keep, click Start, click Run, type %windir%, and then click OK. Remember the folder that is opened. For example, the folder may be C:\Windows.

Note This is your "working" Windows folder. Do not delete or remove this folder from the partition.
3. In Windows Explorer, find the Windows folder that you want to remove.

Important Make sure that this folder is not the folder that you identified as your "working" Windows folder in step 2.
4. Right-click the Windows folder that you want to remove, and then click Delete.
5. Click Yes to confirm the deletion of the folder.
6. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
7. On the Advanced tab, under Startup and Recovery, click Settings. The Startup and Recovery dialog box appears.
8. Under System startup, click Edit to modify the Boot.ini file.

The Boot.ini file opens in Notepad and looks similar to 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 Windows XP Professional"
/fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS.0="Microsoft Windows XP Home"
/fastdetect


9. On the File menu in Notepad, click Save As, and then save a backup copy of the Boot.ini file that is named Boot.old.
10. On the File menu, click Exit to close the backup copy of the Boot.ini file.
11. In the Startup and Recovery dialog box, under System startup, click Edit to reopen the Boot.ini file.
12. In the [boot loader] section of the Boot.ini file, identify and then delete the line of text for the Windows operating system that you want to remove. For example, if the Windows folder that you removed in step 4 was for the Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition operating system, remove the following line of text from the Boot.ini file:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS.0="Microsoft Windows XP Home"
/fastdetect


13. On the File menu, click Save to save your changes to the Boot.ini file.
14. On the File menu, click Exit to close the Boot.ini file.
15. Click OK to close the Startup and Recovery dialog box.
16. Restart your computer.


It works 100%

Answer 2

Hi Max

One question: Do you receiving a screen where you have to pick which OS to run? If not, then you'll be okay. I wouldn't worry much. But if yes, I can show you how to bypass it. Here's how: Right click My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Startup and Recovery Settings, Defaut OS drop box, select the one that works, uncheck the first box (time to display list of OS), (if you actually want to remove the bad one, click Edit, delete the bad line, then File / Save, then close it, then click OK to exit all out.

Now, restart your computer see if it helps.

Answer 3

I did that once as well. The separate installs were in different physical directories on the system. I nuked the old one, and most of my issues went away. I think I still had some issues though, but those may have been related to something else going on.

Answer 4

confident for specific yet be conscious to make backup of data from D partition coz XP erases it.Now if u have abode windows 7 first then deploy XP and then back deploy or fix abode windows 7, this might create determination in bios which abode windows to launch. be conscious:deploy xp first then fix or deploy abode windows 7 or it won't artwork.2)in bios u could desire to get 2 suggestions after all technique is obvious a million-previous abode windows(abode windows xp)and 2-abode windows 7. desire i help.

Answer 5

Just delete one that unused, For example:
For default, folder fopr windows' OS is windows, if you install another OS, it will be windows1. You can delete the windows1.
Dont forget to delete its Document and setting.