HDD .dir's and dual boot???

bopdude · 07-03-2006, 11:39

Ok, bit of a story first, I know, there always is with me. Those at the [NTHW] clan LAN party know the basics, for the rest of you, here goes.

In my 04.30 hrs drunken stuper, I decided it would be a good idea to try a new

copy of XP that I had aquired, I have to HDD's a 40 and a 80 Gig C & D respectively, I disconected my C drive and stuck in another 40 GiG HDD ( thanks KP ) half to three quarters the way through the install sleep deprivation got the better of me and I left the install running.

Now, when I woke up it seemed that XP had tried to install itself again on my D drive, there are no folders to be seen to back this theory up, but on boot up I get a dual boot option, both options take me to this new version of XP, or did untill I deleted a folder off the D drive name of $ROOT$ I still have this folder in the recycle bin if needs be.

Now what I'd like to know is....

1) how do I go about removing the dual boot option
2) how would I find and remove any unwanted files from D drive that are
causing this dual boot option.

TIA

Aragorn · 07-03-2006, 11:50

Bop,

boot.ini is the file that controls the boot menu. Normally a hidden read-only file in c:\ (or d:\).

The recommended way to edit is via 'Properties' page of 'My Computer' - on the 'Advanced' tab, hit 'Startup,..' settings and you can 'Edit' the file. Just remove the second boot string. Example here:

Quote:

[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

The directory name after 'partition(1)' indicates the directory that OS instance is using.

HTH

bopdude · 07-03-2006, 11:51

I'll take a look, thanks

EDIT: Ok, I have this...............

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S.0
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS.0="Mic rosoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

So's I dont make an even bigger cock-up, could you highlight the text to edit, also, is this all I have to do ? will there be any install files that can be removed to free up space, if so, why can't I see them

nffc · 07-03-2006, 12:32

[boot loader]
timeout=3
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Home Edition (old)" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

07-03-2006, 12:35

just delete the bottom entry its the same as the one above

nffc your loader is pointing a path to a second hard drive???

From what I can see he just wants to remove the second path and single boot.Your option will give him a dual boot option still and point to an invalid directory I believe

You have just posted yours aint ya NFFC?? why lol

Bop this is all you need to single boot

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S.0
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS.0="Mic rosoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

No gap in microsoft(I think)

bopdude · 07-03-2006, 12:53

well i wish i'd read all posts Before try nffc's i now have a system that i cant boot into at all, i'm using xp pro, i should have said that, now though i have 3 options all of which don't do a thing, Nor does trying to boot to safe mode. I'm having to post this on the xda.

Zing, heeeeeeeeeelp, lol, i,m gng on msn now, can ya spare some time ?????

MadGamer · 07-03-2006, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by bopdude

well i wish i'd read all posts Before try nffc's i now have a system that i cant boot into at all, i'm using xp pro, i should have said that, now though i have 3 options all of which don't do a thing, Nor does trying to boot to safe mode. I'm having to post this on the xda.

Zing, heeeeeeeeeelp, lol, i,m gng on msn now, can ya spare some time ?????

Can you not run a repair install, and delete the other installation(s) that you dont want?

Aragorn · 07-03-2006, 13:11

Bop,

You should be able to boot into the repair console and use the bootcfg command to repair the boot.ini file.

MS reference page here.

07-03-2006, 13:13

Ill post the options although me and Bop have discussed what to do
Repair of xp (Aragorn beat me )
copy working boot ini from a spare hard drive to root of master.

NFFC why in gods name did you post your boot ini?

MadGamer · 07-03-2006, 13:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

Ill post the options although me and Bop have discussed what to do
Repair of xp (Aragorn beat me )
copy working boot ini from a spare hard drive to root of master.

NFFC why in gods name did you post your boot ini?

I mentioned a repair install too

07-03-2006, 13:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadGamer

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

Ill post the options although me and Bop have discussed what to do
Repair of xp (Aragorn beat me )
copy working boot ini from a spare hard drive to root of master.

NFFC why in gods name did you post your boot ini?

I mentioned a repair install too

Yeah but Aragorns isnt a repair install its a repair of the boot

May I reiterate why of why did NFFC post his boot ini

MadGamer · 07-03-2006, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadGamer

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

Ill post the options although me and Bop have discussed what to do
Repair of xp (Aragorn beat me )
copy working boot ini from a spare hard drive to root of master.

NFFC why in gods name did you post your boot ini?

I mentioned a repair install too

Yeah but Aragorns isnt a repair install its a repair of the boot

May I reiterate why of why did NFFC post his boot ini

I actually dont know why he posted that.

bopdude · 07-03-2006, 14:04

I don't either, thanks for all the help guys ( excluding one, very quiet at the moment )
I did a full install rather than mess around, I'll try and get set up a bit more in the next couple of days, lesson learned, don't try and fix what aint broken, unless you try it on a test pc

And nffc, thanks, you've just become a memebr of a speacial club....... membership....1

07-03-2006, 14:37

Good advert for someone who works for pc world

bopdude · 07-03-2006, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

Good advert for someone who works for pc world

OMFGG, never realiesd before

---------- Post added at 16:37 ---------- Previous post was at 14:41 ----------

I think someone has lost the plot, he gives me

less than good info and it's my fault.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nffc p/m

So after asking the nine millionth time did it not occur to you that the reason i hadn't answered was.. err.. maybe i was offline! In any case if you understood what boot.ini was you'd have realised

What did I ask for the nine millionth time, and where ??

Maybe the reason you hadn't answered was that there was no question asked ...of you

If I understood what boot.ini was, do you think I'd have posted for help

Oh and thanks for the appology...not, not even man enough to say you made a mistake, thats the bit that Pished me off the most, anyone can make a mistake, it's being man enough to admit it, obviously your not, and not being content at that, you want to play tit for tat red reps, mine was for a legit reason, care to tell me why you deemed me worthy of one on your cock up