2 XP Homes

[The Real Bingo]

While I was at my girlfriend's house playing around on her computer, her father mentioned he has 2 versions of XP Home installed. When it boots up it always asks what version you want to load to. I was just wondering if there's an easy way to delete one of them without having to reformat or anything like that.

Thanks.

[Scott Tiger]

Head to - Start -> Right click on "My Computer" -> Select "Advanced" -> click on "Settings" -> Uncheck "Time to display list of operating systems".

The real answer would be to hit the Edit button and remove the entry that was causing the problem. Unfortunately I can't explain which one is the incorrect one without looking at your computer. I can say that mine says

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

but that might now be what's correct for you system.

Given that your system might not reboot after making these changes though I'd wait until someone comes along to confirm what I've just told you. If I were sitting in front of the machine I know that's what I'd do but I don't want to tell you that and leave you with an unbootable system.

[The Real Bingo]

Well, theres also that drop down list. And undeneath that there is that check box. In the drop down list there are two os's exactly the same name. Now, Im assuming the originally installed one [the one she doesnt want to use] is the first on the list? If so she could just click the second one, and uncheck the box, right?

[Scott Tiger]

When you restart the machine which one do you choose to boot up? The first or the second? While this is flawed logic my choice would be to remove the entry that doesn't work. (I'm assuming that MS displays them in the order in which they're listed in the text.)

If they both work I think you're in the clear. Just remove one of them.

You could edit the "boot.ini" file like Scott Tiger is suggesting. Just compare the two lines under "[operating systems]", if they match exactly, just delete one of those lines. Make sure "[default]" matches w/ the line you keep.

Or . . . you could just uncheck the box that says "Time to display list of operating systems:" That should just boot you into whatever is the "default".

I have one question though, did they reinstall the OS onto the same HDD and same directory as the original? If so, it doesn't matter which you choose, they both boot to the same OS. Post the contents of your "boot.ini" file.

[The Real Bingo]

Well what I had her do was select the second one on the list and uncheck the "Time to display..." So next time it boots up we shall see if its the correct one or not. The only reason there is two is because the other one would load up to the desktop and log right back out of it. Her father installed another version, but apparently there is a name on the load up screen that she can use so it wont do that.

Shes rebooting now...

[Scott Tiger]

You can find "boot.ini" at the root of C: but you'll have to show all hidden and system (two different check boxes) in explorer first to see it.

Or you can just click the "Edit" button I mentioned above - that will display it as well.

[The Real Bingo]

Ok, thanks guys for the help. She restarted and it didnt ask for the operating system of choice, and it went to the correct one.

Thank you.