[boob]

I recently formatted the hard drive to a Dell GX280 (or a computer similar) and reinstalled the original Windows XP Home Edition that came with the computer.

However, when you log on now it comes up with the option of loading Windows XP Home or Windows XP Home (so the same thing twice as though it is on there twice). The orignal one is however deleted, and when you try to load the second option it says it can't do it (something along the lines of files are missing).

Does anyone know a quick fix to getting rid of the second option? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

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If you have not had a chance to load data you need on there then you might as well run set up to clear any other partitions

During install you need to press enter to install a fresh copy then type D to delete the partition, which may be partitions now, then type L to confirm

If you know the make of hard drive then you can usually get a utility from their site which will wipe the drive

Then load the XP CD and follow the instructions, check that when it runs format it is creating it on C / Raw 1 if not, press the reset button and then it should default to C

This looks at installing XP Home Install Guide with Graphics

[Retired Tech]

If you have not had a chance to load data you need on there then you might as well run set up to clear any other partitions

During install you need to press enter to install a fresh copy then type D to delete the partition, which may be partitions now, then type L to confirm

If you know the make of hard drive then you can usually get a utility from their site which will wipe the drive

Then load the XP CD and follow the instructions, check that when it runs format it is creating it on C / Raw 1 if not, press the reset button and then it should default to C

This looks at installing XP Home Install Guide with Graphics

[boob]

Yeah, I did all of that, deleted everything and then started fresh to better ensure there would be no visuses left over. I heard something about Dell hard drives in particular doing this. Have you heard anyhting like that?

[Retired Tech]

No I haven't

XP is unlikely to know Dell made it

If you used the hard drive manufacturer's tool to clear the drive, (write zeros to it)

You can try with another drive eraser UBCD have a few but it is an 86MB download and needs to be burned as an ISO image file to a CDR so it will boot from it

If you cannot do that, ask Dell about it

[ZEUS_GB]

I recently formatted the hard drive to a Dell GX280 (or a computer similar) and reinstalled the original Windows XP Home Edition that came with the computer.

However, when you log on now it comes up with the option of loading Windows XP Home or Windows XP Home (so the same thing twice as though it is on there twice). The original one is however deleted, and when you try to load the second option it says it can't do it (something along the lines of files are missing).

Does anyone know a quick fix to getting rid of the second option? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

Are you talking about a boot menu with two options on it?

If so edit the boot.ini file. You can do this by right clicking my computer > click properties > advanced > startup and recovery > edit. Remove the offending line and away you go.

[boob]

Yes, yes... I indeed like that one. I was attempting to do this with out wiping the drive again, I didn't even think about the boot.ini file, I feel stupid. If that fails (but I don't see why it would) I'll try some Dell resources to wipe it clean a little better like mentioned above.

Thanks for all the help!

[Retired Tech]

I suggested wiping the drive as you recently formatted and may not have a lot of data to back up

Something isn't right, you should not have a choice of OS after formatting the partition and it will be worth correcting now

Dell are unlikely to have made the hard drive, but should be able to tell you who did if you can give them the PC serial number