[t-man]

I installed the beta version of windows vista on one of the two partitions of my hard drive, and then when I was done with it and formatted the vista partition it still gave me the option of booting up in windows vista but gave me an error when I try. When I boot up the computer gives me the option to either boot an older version of windows(windows xp) or to boot windows vista which doesn't work. Is there a way to stop it from prompting to boot windows vista or to make it automatically boot windows xp(the older version of windows)?

Thanks,
T-Man

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Click Start then Run, type msconfig then press enter

Click on the BOOT.INI tab

Click on Check All Boot Paths

It should list Vista there, the entry needs to be removed

[Retired Tech]

Click Start then Run, type msconfig then press enter

Click on the BOOT.INI tab

Click on Check All Boot Paths

It should list Vista there, the entry needs to be removed

[ultimateslacker2]

Go in system properties in control panel and then go to Advanced. Then under Startup and Recovery click Settings. Then under System Startup click Edit.

Post the text here for me please.

[98springer]

Deleted by 98springer

Edited by 98springer, 19 February 2007 - 11:43 PM.

[t-man]

Check boot paths did not work. Thanks for trying though. Here is my boot.INI file. I would imagine that I would just get rid of the windows vista part.:

;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Media Center Edition" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT /USEPMTIMER

[dsenette]

If you have the Vista installation DVD

• Insert the Windows Vista installation disc.
• Click the Start button
• Click All Programs
• Click Accessories
• Right-click Command Prompt
• Click Run as administrator
  If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
• Type:
  

  [DVD drive letter]:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt52 ALL /force and then press ENTER.

  For example, if the DVD drive letter is F, type f:\boot\ bootsect.exe /nt52 ALL /force.
• Eject the Windows Vista installation disc.
• Restart your computer.
• Your computer will start in the previous version of Windows that you have installed.
• Delete Windows Vista files and folders, such as the Program Files , Users , and Windows folders, manually.

Note: You can also remove Windows Vista by reformatting the partition where it is installed, but do this only if that partition is not the boot partition. Reformatting the boot partition might make your computer unable to start. For information about boot partitions, see What are system partitions and boot partitions?


If you DO NOT have the Vista iinstallation DVD, or if this is a beta version of Vista

If you have your Windows XP disk

• Insert your Windows XP disk into your computer and reboot
• Make sure the PC is set to run from the CD as the primary boot device.
  NOTE: You do this by setting your PC to boot to the CD-ROM in BIOS (enter bios by pressing f1, f2 or del key during memory count up, then search for boot order, and set the CD as the first boot device)
• When the PC boots, it will boot from the CD...after the first several screens load, you will be given a choice to choose R for Recovery Console. You will be asked to log in.
  NOTE: For Windows XP Home, there is not password, just hit ENTER. For Windows XP pro, ask whomever set up the machine what password they used.
• When you see the Recovery console C:\WINDOWS prompt type:
  

  FixMbr

• Press Enter
• When asked to do so press Y to accept the command
• Then Type:
  

  Fixboot

• Press Enter
• When asked to do so press Y to accept the command
• Then Type:
  

  Exit

• Press Enter
• The computer will restart. Remember to either remove the Windows XP CD or not press "any key" to boot from the CD

If you DO NOT have your Windows XP disk

• Download RC.ISO from Here.
• Now burn this ISO image to a CD and boot your computer with it.
  NOTE: Keep in mind that this is different than burning a file to a CD-ROM. If you do not know how to burn an ISO image, then download CDBurnerXP Pro to another Windows machine and install it. Then go Here for instructions for burning the ISO image
• Once the CD is created, place it in the defunct computer
• Then reboot your broken PC with that CD in the CD-ROM drive.
• Make sure the PC is set to run from the CD as the primary boot device.
  NOTE: You do this by setting your PC to boot to the CD-ROM in BIOS (enter bios by pressing f1, f2 or del key during memory count up, then search for boot order, and set the CD as the first boot device)
• When the PC boots, it will boot from the CD...after the first several screens load, you will be given a choice to choose R for Recovery Console. You will be asked to log in.
  NOTE: For Windows XP Home, there is not password, just hit ENTER. For Windows XP pro, ask whomever set up the machine what password they used.
• When you see the Recovery console C:\WINDOWS prompt type:
  

  FixMbr

• Press Enter
• When asked to do so press Y to accept the command
• Then Type:
  

  Fixboot

• Press Enter
• When asked to do so press Y to accept the command
• Then Type:
  

  Exit

• Press Enter
• The computer will restart. Remember to either remove the Windows XP CD or not press "any key" to boot from the CD

[t-man]

Thanks, this worked. I will have to remember that.

Thanks,
T-man

[dsenette]

yeah...vista installs it's own bootloaders (similar to grub or lilo with linux) to handle booting in a single or dual boot environment...XP uses NTloader and the boot.ini file...if you install vista in a dual boot system...it replaces your MBR with a listing for the bootloader that it wants to use..