Removing / changing system disk

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Guest

I'ld like to remove the oldest disk in my machine. It is the system disk. I
want to only boot to the XP Pro. Can I copy something, and edit the Boot.ini?
Here's the boot.ini...

[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(2)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Professional Setup"

Thanks,

Chuck J
 
Hi,

First, why is your default WinXP setup? You should change that to either the
Win2000 or WinXP installations (easily done on the boot.ini tab of
msconfig). Otherwise, to remove the system drive you will need to redo the
bootloader from the XP recovery console. If you remove the system drive,
then the boot sector that points to the XP bootloader (ntldr) will be gone.
You will need to boot the XP CD and run fixmbr and fixboot on the remaining
disk after logging into the installation. You may also need to check the
boot drive indicators in the system BIOS to ensure that the remaining drive
is designated as the boot device.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
That boot.ini file leaves more questions than answers. It appears that
by default the computer would be trying to boot to a failed or
incomplete Windows installation.

From the looks of it you have different Windows installations setup in
a Microsoft multiboot environment. You cannot remove the System disk
unless you replace it with another one. The replacement disk can be a
hard disk, a floppy boot disk or a bootable cd. You will not be able to
make the current XP disk into the System disk unless you reinstall Windows.

John
 
Yes, I was in the middle of (re)installing XP, thinking that I could change
it that way. I have tried several ways of re-installation and haven't yet
been sucessful. Changing the default system to boot to hasn't been an issue.
I'll remove the drive and boot to cd...
Thank you for the solution. I'll "boot the XP CD and run fixmbr and fixboot
on the remaining disk after logging into the installation."

Chuck J


Rick Rogers said:
Hi,

First, why is your default WinXP setup? You should change that to either the
Win2000 or WinXP installations (easily done on the boot.ini tab of
msconfig). Otherwise, to remove the system drive you will need to redo the
bootloader from the XP recovery console. If you remove the system drive,
then the boot sector that points to the XP bootloader (ntldr) will be gone.
You will need to boot the XP CD and run fixmbr and fixboot on the remaining
disk after logging into the installation. You may also need to check the
boot drive indicators in the system BIOS to ensure that the remaining drive
is designated as the boot device.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

Chuck J said:
I'ld like to remove the oldest disk in my machine. It is the system disk.
I
want to only boot to the XP Pro. Can I copy something, and edit the
Boot.ini?
Here's the boot.ini...

[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(2)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Professional Setup"

Thanks,

Chuck J
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