Wrong Win XP Pro loads on startup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Munchausen
  • Start date Start date
M

Munchausen

I inadvertently re-loaded Windows XP Pro so that now, whenever I
restart my machine, I have to scroll down to the second reference to
Windows XP Pro to ensure that it loads the one that?s already
registered. How can I:

safely delete the incorrect installation so that by default, without
any input or attention from me, the computer boots to the second
Windows XP Pro?

Is there a change I should make to the following file?

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2
[operating systems]
signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2="Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
 
Go to Start > Run and type: MSCONFIG , and hit enter.
Click on the BOOT.INI tab and then click on "Check All Boot Paths"
to delete incorrect boot paths.

If the above does not work for you, then:

Right-click on MY COMPUTER and select:

Properties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery Settings > Edit

CAREFULLY edit your boot.ini file to remove the SECOND entry.
Your boot.ini file should then look similar to this:

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


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


|I inadvertently re-loaded Windows XP Pro so that now, whenever I
| restart my machine, I have to scroll down to the second reference to
| Windows XP Pro to ensure that it loads the one that?s already
| registered. How can I:
|
| safely delete the incorrect installation so that by default, without
| any input or attention from me, the computer boots to the second
| Windows XP Pro?
|
| Is there a change I should make to the following file?
|
| [boot loader]
| timeout=30
| default=signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2
| [operating systems]
| signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2="Microsoft
| Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
| multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
| Professional" /fastdetect
 
In news: (e-mail address removed),
Carey Frisch said:
I inadvertently re-loaded Windows XP Pro so that now, whenever I
restart my machine, I have to scroll down to the second reference ....
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2
[operating systems]
signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2="Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
...CAREFULLY edit your boot.ini file to remove the SECOND entry.
Your boot.ini file should then look similar to this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
Click to expand...

Hi Carey,

I'm confused, and I'm not really an OS person but... The OP said he had to
choose the "second" entry which looks to me like the one with "WINDOWS=" and
it looks like the extra one is the first entry with "WINDOWS2=". Removing
the "first" entry would give the result you posted, which is the result I
would have aimed for.
 
You're correct Cindy, the OP needs to remove the WINDOWS2 entry. However, if
it is an invalid boot path, the "check all boot paths" option Carey
recommended should offer to remove the invalid first entry (note the
"signature" portion of the first entry). There should be no reason to need
to manually edit boot.ini in this case.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

Cindy Winegarden said:
In news: (e-mail address removed),
Carey Frisch said:
I inadvertently re-loaded Windows XP Pro so that now, whenever I
restart my machine, I have to scroll down to the second reference ....
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2
[operating systems]
signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2="Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
...CAREFULLY edit your boot.ini file to remove the SECOND entry.
Your boot.ini file should then look similar to this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
Click to expand...

Hi Carey,

I'm confused, and I'm not really an OS person but... The OP said he had to
choose the "second" entry which looks to me like the one with "WINDOWS=" and
it looks like the extra one is the first entry with "WINDOWS2=". Removing
the "first" entry would give the result you posted, which is the result I
would have aimed for.
Click to expand...
 
Hello again, folks.

Sorry to continue bothering ya’ll, but I'm still unsure how to make m
computer automatically boot to the correct Windows XP Pro installation
Following the advice provided, I ran msconfig, but there was no listin
for boot.ini. Of course I found it at E:\boot.ini, but as Rick warne
against manually editing the boot.ini file, preferring the “check al
boot paths,” I don’t want to do anything until I’m certain.

I don’t know how to “check all boot paths,” and I haven’t been able t
locate any program that permits checking all boot paths. Windows Hel
and Support didn’t address it and I couldn’t find it in the online KB
So, I remain in a quandary.

Once again, as a refresher, my boot.ini contents are:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2
[operating systems]
signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2="Microsof
Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows X
Professional" /fast detect

BTW, I have two Windows directories (folders):

E:\WINDOWS dated March 22, 2004
and
E:\WINDOWS2 dated April 4, 2004.

I’d like to delete the superfluous one.

What should I do?

I know, I know. “E:\” ought to be “C:\.” Heaven knows I’ve tried t
change that drive designation, which occurred when I had a HD crash an
took it to my local computer repair shop. When I got it back, C driv
had become the 250 MB Zip drive and E had become, well, my H
designation. I’ve tried to change it back to C using Compute
Management, but that isn’t working
 
This is a known issue with XP and clean installs. If there is a ZIP drive attached, it will often get the C: drive letter. The only way around this is to reinstall, but disconnect the ZIP disk before doing the installation.

If you want the Windows installation to be the default, not the Windows2 installation, your BOOT.INI file would look like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]
signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fast detect

You can also change the timeout value, to something lower than 30 seconds. If you only want the Windows folder installation to boot, remove the line:

signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect


--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Munchausen said:
Hello again, folks.

Sorry to continue bothering ya’ll, but I'm still unsure how to make my
computer automatically boot to the correct Windows XP Pro installation.
Following the advice provided, I ran msconfig, but there was no listing
for boot.ini. Of course I found it at E:\boot.ini, but as Rick warned
against manually editing the boot.ini file, preferring the “check all
boot paths,” I don’t want to do anything until I’m certain.

I don’t know how to “check all boot paths,” and I haven’t been able to
locate any program that permits checking all boot paths. Windows Help
and Support didn’t address it and I couldn’t find it in the online KB.
So, I remain in a quandary.

Once again, as a refresher, my boot.ini contents are:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2
[operating systems]
signature(d0a0d0a0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS2="Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fast detect

BTW, I have two Windows directories (folders):

E:\WINDOWS dated March 22, 2004
and
E:\WINDOWS2 dated April 4, 2004.

I’d like to delete the superfluous one.

What should I do?

I know, I know. “E:\” ought to be “C:\.” Heaven knows I’ve tried to
change that drive designation, which occurred when I had a HD crash and
took it to my local computer repair shop. When I got it back, C drive
had become the 250 MB Zip drive and E had become, well, my HD
designation. I’ve tried to change it back to C using Computer
Management, but that isn’t working.
Click to expand...
 
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