I am trying to sort out a problem for a friend who has a PC running under Win 2K. She tried to install Win 2k, but due to not following the password phase of the installation correctly the process was not fully completed. I then managed to install the operating system correctly, but on login she now appears to have 2 copies. One does not run the other does. When I go to Windows Explorer I can only see only one copy under C:\WNNT (although there is a bunch of stuff under C:\Windows) but from the Control Panel/System/Advanced/Startup and Recovery there are 2 copies which seem to be available. I would like to delete the "rogue" copy in case it is taking up valuable room on her very small hard disk. How do I go about doing this in an easy step-by-step approach which I can explain to her on the phone?

Thanks to anyone who can help

check out this link / just click on it

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;q103049

Blimey, even I found that Microsoft answer confusing, lol !

In short, there isn't a way that you can actually fully remove one installation of Windows 2000 without affecting the other - for example, both will share directories such as Program Files and also registry and boot files so you can't just take out all of the files from one install without wrecking the other one.

A quick and easy (but not full) way to do it would be as follows:

Open C:\Boot.ini* (if it asks you which program to use, select Notepad from the list).
There will be entries for 2 Windows installs listed. One of them will be identified at the top of the file as the default one to load. Check which partition number and directory it refers to.
Look at the bottom two lines and confirm that one of them refers to the same partition and directory (trust me, this makes sense when you're actually looking at it!).

You've now worked out that you either want to keep C:\Windows or C:\Winnt.

So you can now delete the other directory from Windows Explorer.

Then edit the Boot.ini file to delete the line that is now obsolete, i.e. the failed install that refers to the directory that you've just wiped out.

Reboot. If it was previously giving you a 30-second countdown to choose which install to boot into, it will no longer be doing this now.

If it's all OK, empty the Recycle Bin.

OK, I admit that that was a real bodger's way of doing it but it was quick and easy wasn't it?! The alternative is to format the hard disk and start again, installing it just once!


* If you can't see the Boot.ini file, you need to go into Windows Explorer, select Folder Options from the Tools menu and then, on the View tab, switch on hidden files and remove the tick next to 'Hide protected operating system files'.

hello dj was i right or wrong with my piece of information

You were definitely right to get a link for a relevant Microsoft article Spud. "Straight from the horse's mouth" is normally the best way to explain stuff

..... but, in this case, it didn't quite answer it completely because it was talking about removing a version of NT or 2000 without leaving another working copy alongside it.

..... and Microsoft over-complicated it by trying to explain various different situations in the same article.

I'm sure we all appreciate your input in this forum though - I know I'm more relaxed with you being on the site!

stop ive already got a big enough head

Many thanks to both of you for your help on this one. I had seen the Microsoft article and it did seem to me this was about removing Win 2k totally as opposed to one "rogue" installation. My only concern now is your comment about losing "common" files so I may leave it to my friend to try the uninstall or just leave well alone!

Again my thanks - best web advice page I know for speed and friendly help.

Gareth

i wpuld personally in a situation like this just ignore it