[S-OE-A]

I recently reinstalled XP Home after a mainboard replacement. Because I didn't want to risk losing programs (games, MS Office etc.), data and settings I chosed another directory than C:\windows in which to install xp. Thus I named a new folder C:\Windows1 as the target directory for the new xp installation. Why I did that I can not answer but at the present I think it would have been better just to use the original C:\Windows and overwrite the old windows-files.

Because, now I can't reach the programs linked to the previous XP installation, or is it an easy way to redirect/link these programs to the new C:\Windows1-installation?

Or do I have to reboot into the original C:\Windows-folder in order to get the programs to work without having to reinstall them?

What would be the easiest and most secure way to access and run the programs linked to the original Windows-folder?

Hope some of you can help me out, as fast as possible.

Thanks,

S-A

[wannabe1]

Hi S-OE-A...

Probably the best way out of this mess is to run a Repair Installation on the original Windows Installation, Remove the Windows1 directory, and edit the unwanted operating system out of the boot.ini file.

Can you boot into the original installation as things now stand?

wannabe1

[S-OE-A]

Ok, I thought that might be necessary to do.

For the time being I don't get any options during start-up, the computer just boots into C:\Windows1 automatically.

Why is that?

Well, I guess I'll have to run a repair installation, but what does it exactly mean to " [...] edit the unwanted operating system out of the boot.ini file."? Is it something you do in the msconfig menu \ system configuration?

Best regards,

S-A

[wannabe1]

Sounds like the second installation is set as default.

Right click on "My Computer" and choose "Properties". Under the "Advanced" tab, click on the "Settings" button in "Startup and Recovery".

Look in the "Default Operating System" drop down menu...is the original installation listed? If it is, make sure the checkbox next to "Time to display list of operating systems" is not checked and the time is set to 30 seconds.

While you're there, click on the "Edit" button...the boot.ini file will open in notepad. Copy/Paste the notepad contents here for me.

[S-OE-A]

Hello again,

I'm afraid only the second installation shows up in "Default Operating System".

Here is the information I get about the startup file in the Edit box:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS1
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS1="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

Is there still any hope to reactivate the original installation? If not, what can be done to access for instance the mail archive in Outlook (the most important thing right now)? And what about programs attached to the original Windows installation; will I have to reinstall them?

Thanks again,

S-A

[wannabe1]

Do you have two "Windows" folders on the C:\ directory? (Windows and Windows1)

[S-OE-A]

Yes, both of them appear in the C:\ directory.

Some of the "old" programs located in C:\Programfiles are still working, but for the most part a message tells me to reinstall because of a missing file...

[S-OE-A]

End of topic - solved the problem myself. Reinstalled the applications that didn't work. No data lost! Then I just deleted the old windows directory. The computer is still running smoothly..................