bumcrack

I installed xp and half way though I decided to cancel it. Now when my pc boots up, I get a choice of which OS I want to use. My question is, how can I get rid of the aborted option,

ChrisB

There should be hidden, read only file in C:\ called boot.ini

Open this in Notepad and edit out the XP entry.

dsmith

Its hidden by default so you'll need to turn on "view system and hidden files" to find it.

Deano

ChrisB

Or from a command prompt..

Attrib -r -h -s boot.ini

and then

attrib +r +h +s boot.ini

when you've finished

bumcrack

Or from a command prompt..

"Attrib -r -h -s boot.ini

and then

attrib +r +h +s boot.ini

when you've finished "


thanks, but no chance me understanding or doing that.

I've turned on the system files in the folders menu, but can't find "boot.ini" using search or any other way. Can't you type boot.cfg or something it the run menu to alter it.

mj

Bumcrack ( nice user name by the way )

start/run, then type boot.ini

when i do it notepad opens with this:

boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
C:\="Microsoft Windows"

the question is which bit to delete???


forgot to say, " show hidden files and folders" will not show the boot.ini file. You need to UN-tick " hide protectected operating system files"

mods - I dunno...

do I win £5 ?

[Edited by mj - 11/28/2002 10:29:39 PM]

mj

Bumcrack ( nice user name by the way )

I had the same problem and have now sussed it.

opec c: in explorer.

folder options - UN-tick " hide protectected operating system files"

right click on boot.ini and select properties. UN tick the read only attribute.

open boot.ini.

delete the last section of text that says - /fastdetect
C:\="Microsoft Windows" - or in your case winXP or whatever.

close and save the changes.

reapply the read ony attribute to the boot.ini file if you want.

undo the folder options changes.


start/shutdown/restart.

hey presto it works.

mark_h

You've deleted too much / the wrong thing MJ.

Bumcrack, what OS do you have currently?

If you still can't find boot.ini, try this:

click [Start] [Run] then type 'cmd' (without the quotes) and press [Enter]

type these commands:

ATTRIB -r -s -h c:\boot.ini
NOTEPAD c:\boot.ini

In notepad, you'll see a file similar to what MJ posted. Maximize the window and turn off word wrap (under Format menu I think). In the file, under [operating systems] there will be two entries. One will say Windows XP, the other will be for whatever OS you were using before. If this was NT or Win2000, you'll see something like:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP="Microso ft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

If your other OS was 95/98/ME, you'll see something like this instead:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Whichever you see, if you want to delete the line corresponding to the OS you want to hide. If this is XP, delete the line mentioning XP.

The other thing to edit is the default line at the top. This needs to be set to the entry you want selected by default. It should match the text to the left of the = sign in the lines under [operating system]. Eg, set it to something like:

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
or
default=C:\

depending on which OS you want to use.

[Edited by mark_h - 11/29/2002 7:38:25 AM]

mj

it works though.

mark_h

On your PC maybe. But you deleted the line that would boot 95/98/ME - what if that's the OS that bumcrack wants to run? He's trying to remove the aborted XP insallation - it's a great help if you get him to delete the line for the OS that works.

You also removed /fastdetect from the win2000 line.

Don't assume that every copy of boot.ini is the same as yours

mj

ok, understand.
if you read my post above where i displayed my original boot.ini, which particular bit should i delete.

apologies to bumcrack if he followed my instructions and had probs.

cheers,

mike.

bumcrack

IT'S SORTED

Luckly I did have any prob's, cheers Mark for the thicko version.
Until next time!