Multiboot, removing an OS

[ffisher]

Hi
I had a multiboot system. W2K Prof and XP Prof.
After some weeks, the XP OS refused to boot so I just carried on using the W2K.
Recently I did an updgrade using XP thinking that it would restore the XP OS but I just ended up with 2 XP systems,
Now what I want to do is remove the second OS without losing any files. I did a boot query and have pasted it below:




Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\duron>
C:\Documents and Settings\duron>bootcfg /query

Boot Loader Settings
--------------------
timeout: 30
default: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT

Boot Entries
------------
Boot entry ID: 1
Friendly Name: "Microsoft Windows XP Professional"
Path: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
OS Load Options: /fastdetect

Boot entry ID: 2
Friendly Name: "Microsoft Windows XP Professional"
Path: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
OS Load Options: /fastdetect

C:\Documents and Settings\duron>bootcfg /query

Can anyone tell me how to remove the second OS on multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS safely???

Thanks in advance.
Frederick

[Quantax]

You need to find the boot.ini file which is in the root drive. It's a "read only" (and I think hidden as well) so if by typing it in "Find Files and Folders" it doesn't appear, you need to go into Windows Explorer, Tools, Folder options and View and make the necessary changes so it's no longer hidden. Then once you access it, you have to change the "read only" property and take out the check mark from that if it's in there. Then delete your OS entry. Then put the check mark back in the "read only" as well as "hidden" options, click OK and that should do it.

Did I get it right, Paul? ;)

[Paul Komski]

Yep Quantax - that should get you to be able to edit boot.ini.

The boot.ini values posted just concern me a little. Boot entry ID: 1 is the default and so if the system is booting OK then deleting Boot entry ID: 2 should be fine. After you have done this, regardless of the other settings, the system will automatically boot into the OS without a boot menu screen at startup if there is only one entry under [operating systems].

The reason for concern is that ID: 1 points to WinNT, which is normally the folder that Win2K is installed into - and yet the friendly name is Windows XP. So have you lost your ability to boot into Win2K, are you booting into WinXP and perhaps what you did was to upgrade your Win2K to WinXP? Thats not clear to us - is it clear to you?

Editing the boot.ini entry removes the boot screen - you would then want to go and delete the relevant folders to regain your disk space.

[ffisher]

Paul,
You are correct in assuming that I expected the upgrade installation of XP to "fix" XP of Boot ID 2. Instead, it just upgraded my W2K (boot ID 1) to XP leaving me with 2 XP OS.
You mention in your response that I have to delete the relevent folders to clear up disk space (relevent to Boot ID 2). Are these folders you're refering to the OS folders. If so can I easily identify them from the folders of the OS of Boot ID 1 which I want to keep?

Quantax,
You mention that after changing the Boot ini file from read only I must "Then delete your OS entry". How do I do this?

Thanks Guys for you help.

[Paul Komski]

You can delete the OS entry by editing boot.ini directly or by using the bootcfg program that you have already used to display the settings.

The syntax for deleting the second of your two entries is:
bootcfg  /delete  /id  2

Note the spaces and make a copy of boot.ini first in case you get it wrong. Don't get it wrong before you reboot or you may get stuck and have to run a repair installation or run bootcfg from the recovery console.

Just delete anything you no longer want on the second partition but in particular you probably no longer need the Windows, Program Files and Documents and Settings Folders. If there is absolutely nothing on the second partition that you need then do what you like with it including formatting or repartitioning it.

If unsure about deleting stuff there is a safer approach of just renaming the folders. If all is still well after doing this you can then delete them any time you need the space or want to clean things up.

[ffisher]

Thanks to Paul and Quantax
Good advice and job done!
Frederick