Have XP 2x, only want one

  • Thread starter Thread starter Valerie
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Valerie

I have a desktop system from Gateway which came loaded
with XP. During the course of the week, I purchased a
new four-in-one printer, etc from HP. When I tried to
get rid of the old four-in-one software and install the
new product's software, I could not do it. After HOURS
with HP, they came to the conclusion that my XP was
flawed and needed to be reinstalled. I called Gateway,
who talked me through it. Now when I start my computer,
I get a DOS message asking to choose a program, both of
which say "Windows XP Home Edition." One is a "virgin"
version, as if it were right out of the box. The second
is the original XP. (which loaded the new software
without any more "help" from HP, it just was slow to do
so). I am now assuming that having XP on my computer
twice is eating a decent amount of memory. Is this
assumption correct? And how do I get rid of the "virgin"
XP that I just added thanks to the oh-so-stellar advice
that I received?
Thanks in advance for any help. I'm fairly computer-
savvy, as Jane Consumer goes. But this is outside of my
simple realm of existence.
 
Valerie said:
I have a desktop system from Gateway which came loaded
with XP. During the course of the week, I purchased a
new four-in-one printer, etc from HP. When I tried to
get rid of the old four-in-one software and install the
new product's software, I could not do it. After HOURS
with HP, they came to the conclusion that my XP was
flawed and needed to be reinstalled. I called Gateway,
who talked me through it. Now when I start my computer,
I get a DOS message asking to choose a program, both of
which say "Windows XP Home Edition." One is a "virgin"
version, as if it were right out of the box. The second
is the original XP. (which loaded the new software
without any more "help" from HP, it just was slow to do
so). I am now assuming that having XP on my computer
twice is eating a decent amount of memory. Is this
assumption correct? And how do I get rid of the "virgin"
XP that I just added thanks to the oh-so-stellar advice
that I received?
Click to expand...

Boot to the Windows installation that you want to keep, open a DOS box
and type
SET
Press ENTER and remember the value of the %WINDIR% entry. Now remove
the unwanted Windows installation from the BOOT.INI file; it is the
one that has been installed to a different folder.
"How to Edit the BOOT.INI File in Windows XP"
(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=289022).
Restart to test the new settings. If all is well, delete the other
Windows folder from the HDD.
 
I am now assuming that having XP on my computer twice is eating a decent
amount of memory.

Having 15 copies of XP on a single computer uses no more memory than a
single copy, since you have one copy active at any one time. It does,
however, eat up more storage (disk space) than having only one copy.
--
Brian Tillman Internet: Brian.Tillman at smiths-aerospace dot com
Smiths Aerospace Addresses modified to prevent SPAM.
3290 Patterson Ave. SE, MS 1B3 Replace "at" with "@", "dot" with "."
Grand Rapids, MI 49512-1991
This opinion doesn't represent that of my company
 
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