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Removing dual boot after failed install

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by topdawg44

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I recently tried to re-install XP Pro on a system I was having problems with...of course, the new install failed (I forget the details) and left me with a blue screen of death when I tried to re-boot.
Soooo...I press F8 at boot-up for a boot menu and now both the original install and the new setup appear on the menu. How do I simply boot into the old install (which at least still boots) without having to go through the F8 gymnastics and/or delete artifacts of the failed install?

Thanks

5 replies

by ericd173

The boot menu is controlled by a hidden file called boot.ini, so if you set your folder view to show hidden files, you will see it. Open it with Notepad and you will see the same menu. Replace the default menu option with the one that works.

by topdawg44

Thanks gang...both answers worked. Editing boot.ini directly is easy enough but I didn't know the one about the default operating system in my computer.

by cul8rm8e

right click (my computer)and click on properties,click on (advanced) tab and then click start up and recovery,at the top where it says(default operatingsystem) select your first good install and uncheck below where it says(display list of operating systems for xxx seconds.

this way you wont have to do anything other than a normal boot.
hope his is what your looking for.

by topdawg44

Thanks gang...both answers worked. Editing boot.ini directly is easy enough but I didn't know the one about the default operating system in my computer.

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