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Remove failed installation of W2kPro

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14 replies

by ggjr 1 view

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I did a W2kPro upgrade installation from W98SE. My first attempt failed but I think it left the failed installation on my hard drive because at first when I cold booted I would be asked which OS I wanted to use. I fixed that by limiting my cold boot to the 1st option only. What I would like to do is, if it exist, remove the failed installation. Here is what my boot.ini (which by the way I can't find but I can pull up by entering boot.ini in the start/run dialog box) looks like.
[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
Thanks for your help.

14 replies

by ggjr

I don't have a WINNT folder to delete. What if just delete the WINNT line reference in the boot.ini file?

by ggjr

It was suggested I delet the winnt folder. I thought of that but there is no winnt folder to delete. Does that mean there is not acutally a second OS? How about if I just remove the line referencing WINNT in the boot.ini file?

by willcomp

Actually, you need to delete, not edit, boot.ini since it is not used by Win9X. But, as stated above, there are several other files in root directory that need to be removed (if they weren't there, boot loader wouldn't be reading boot.ini).

by willcomp

Your description led me to understand that you had a failed Win2K upgrade and were still running Win98SE.

Yes I read it and it's not clear, so please limit your smart comments.

Reference above is still valid for removing a failed install with another copy of Win2K installed.

Dalton

by willcomp

Copy msconfig.exe from a Win98SE or XP installation to Win2K System32 folder. Either one will work, but XP version is preferable.

by dmiles

On the C: drive look for boot.ini. It's a Read-only file that has the menu choices you see displayed. First, change the properties to remove the read-only attribute. (in explorer, right click on the file and choose properties, then uncheck the read-only). Then, edit the file and remove the line(s) refering to the deleted OS and save the file. Next time you boot, that choicewon't be there.

by p.j.hutchison

If the WINNT folder does not exist, then run MSCONFIG and click on the Boot.ini tab and select 'Check all boot paths' and it will remove invalid entries for you w/o editing it direct.

by ggjr

W2K does not use MSCONFIG or at least I don't find one.

I was suggested I delete the boot.ini file because it is not used by Win9x. Well I am not using Win9x I am using W2KPro. What I am trying to do is determine if the failed install reference in the boot.ini file on the last line actually installed a 2nd OS if it did how do I find it and delete it. None of the suggestions I have received have been pointed at the question thaat was asked.

by ggjr

I apologize. I was not trying to be smart. I thought I was being clear when I stated "My first attempt failed" and by listing the contents of the boot.ini file. I 'll try to do better.
Comment from willcomp on 04/05/05:
Your description led me to understand that you had a failed Win2K upgrade and were still running Win98SE.

Yes I read it and it's not clear, so please limit your smart comments.

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