while i have the microsoft people's attention

  • Thread starter Thread starter ...D.
  • Start date Start date
D

...D.

I use Windows XP home. I know this will not be an XP issue, but it should
be easy enough to answer.

My 81 year old father installed Windows 2000 on a P3 he uses upstairs a
while ago (have a modest wireless home network). Instead of a clean
install however which he wanted to do, it left Windows 98 intact and added
Windows 2000. Every time he boots, he has to choose Windows 2000. All I
want to know is how to get rid of Windows 98 completely and not screw up
the computer (I could just delete the folder I guess)..

Thanks in advance.
...D.
 
It is not "just deleting a folder"! You have two Operating Systems installed.
You'll need to delete the partition for the old 98. Or do a clean install
of Windows2K by formatting the harddrive and start fresh. Boot the PC from
the CD-Rom with the Win2K CD and it should come up with a menu of what you
want to do.
 
Hi, D.

Well, we're not really "Microsoft people". With rare exceptions, we're just
users, like you.

I don't know anything about networks, but I'm pretty experienced with
dual-booting, using the dual-boot system built into WinNT4/2K/XP. It should
be pretty easy for your Dad to get rid of Win98. The situation is not
nearly as drastic as "Byte" suggested.

As your father learned, the install menu in Win2K/XP Setup can be confusing:
what IS a "clean install", anyhow? There are 3 choices, basically: Upgrade
(Win2K replaces Win98 in the same partition, attempting to migrate
applications and drivers), Clean install in the same partition (preferably
with a reformat - Win2K removes Win98 and installs in its place, after which
all applications must be reinstalled; simply having the apps files there is
not enough, because we have to let the install program make the proper
entries in the Win2K Registry), or Clean install on another partition (which
creates the dual-boot, because it does not delete Win98 - but the phrase
"dual boot" does not appear). This third option is the one he must have
chosen.
(I could just delete the folder I guess)..
Click to expand...

Yep. To delete Win98, all he has to do is remove Win98's "boot folder",
which is X:\Windows, by default. Win2K's boot folder defaults to X:\WinNT.
In either case, X: represents the "boot volume", which is the primary
partition or logical drive where Windows was installed, and usually is C:
for the first installation of Windows.. Neither version of Windows will
delete its own boot folder, but any other boot folder is "just another
folder" to it. So, if your father boots into Win2K, he should be able to
simply use Windows Explorer to delete C:\Windows, with all its hundreds of
MB of files and subfolders.

That gets rid of Win98 and he can no longer boot to it, but it will still
appear on the opening menu. WinXP added a couple of ways to do it easily,
but Win2K doesn't have msconfig.exe. Probably the easiest way for him is to
use Notepad to edit the Hidden, System Read-only file C:\Boot.ini. Just
delete the bottom line, which probably says something like:
C:\="Microsoft Windows 98"

That removes the line that boots Win98 and, when there is only one choice
left in the menu, Win2K will simply boot automatically and he'll not see the
menu again.

RC
 
Hi,

I am facing a similar situation and would like your input.
1. I have been running under W2k OS, and have had problems accessing IE and
e-mails.
2. So I have installed XP Pro.
3. The installation did not delete my W2k as I would have preferred, but now
I have a double boot situation W2k and XP.
4. All my earlier applications, Yahoo Messenger, and Desktop settings are
shown under W2k/C:\Document and Settings\UserName(Adm).
5. My XP Settings shows none of the apps.
6. Is there a way I could transfer all the Apps and Desktop settings from
W2k to XP just by Copy/Paste or do I need to go thru installing each and
every software again. In that be the case, then I would prefer to delete W2k
and have only XP installed.

Can you please give some suggestions?

Thanking you in advance.

M.
 
Hi, Mala.

It sounds like you had (still have?) the right situation for an "upgrade"
from Win2K to WinXP. That would "migrate" the applications and settings
from the old Registry to the new. In fact, your best option from this point
might be to install WinXP once again, this time choosing to upgrade from
your still-installed Win2K. Then, unless you want to keep dual-booting (two
parallel installations of WinXP), you can delete the one you unintentionally
installed earlier. You can do this either before or after upgrading from
Win2K, but do it before you invest much time and effort into installing apps
into the WinXP that you plan to delete.

Each installation of Windows has its own Registry. About the only good way
(except by upgrading) to transfer apps and settings from one Registry to
another is through WinXP's FAST (the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard);
click Start | All Programs | Accessories | System Tools. I haven't used
that, so all I know about it is what I've read - and you can read about it,
too, in the Help and Support Center.

RC
 
Thanks R. C. I will start again with a new installation. My HD suddely has
concked-out on me, so I will have get Dell Tech to walk thru and recover.
Thanks again.
Mala
 
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