[Ozzy13]

Hi, i was wondering if somebody could help me with deleting XP off of my second hard drive. i just installed it, and so far so good, but the second HDD is only a 40 gig so i need all the space i can get from it. The computer's primary drive is also running XP. Thanks!

[Advertisements]

Hi Ozzy13 ... ..

go here and read the guide...
NOTE format the drive as NTFS and don't use the quick format option

[happyrock]

Hi Ozzy13 ... ..

go here and read the guide...
NOTE format the drive as NTFS and don't use the quick format option

[wannabe1]

Hello Ozzy13...

In lieu of formatting as happyrock suggested, we can just remove the unwanted installation. We'll need to gather a little information from you before we can help with this.

Click Start then Run and type %windir%...then click "OK". Remember the folder that is opened. Let us know which folder opens and it's path. (For example, the folder may be D:\Windows.)

Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
On the Advanced tab, under Startup and Recovery, click Settings. The "Startup and Recovery" dialog box appears.
Under System startup, click Edit. A notepad window will open. Copy the contents of that window and paste it in your next reply.

wannabe1

[Ozzy13]

Hi Wannabe1! thanks for your reply. I just wanted to clarify something first, should i boot up the computer in the operating system i want to delete, or the one i wish to keep? or can i get the needed info off of either one?

[wannabe1]

Boot into the installation you want to keep...

[Ozzy13]

[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="windows XP Media Center Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\CMDONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

[wannabe1]

I'm only seeing one Windows installation...and Recovery Console.

Do you have a Windows folder on both drives?

What's the path to the installation you're running on? (See post #3...%windir%) Is it on a separate HDD or another partition on the same drive?

[Ozzy13]

the other hard drive comes up with a path of F:\windows when i access it manually by going to my computer, then clicking on it. it is a separate hard drive internally, not a partition. If you want, i can boot from the install i want to delete if you need the info from that part?

[wannabe1]

Confusing install...

When you boot the machine, Which installation starts without you having to make a choice? The one on C: or the one on F:?

[Ozzy13]

F: does, even though the jumpers are set for it to be slave.

[wannabe1]

Please boot into the installation you want to delete and get a copy of the boot.ini file for me.

What I see now is one installation on the system drive, but on partition 2. It's not even showing an installation on partition 1. If this is a branded machine (ie: Dell, HP, Acer), it may be that it considers the recovery partition to be partition 1.

Can you also get me a screenshot of the Disk Management window? Click Start, then Run, type diskmgmt.msc, and click Ok.

[Ozzy13]

[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="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

I don't have a internet connection on that computer or a way to save the picture sadly since i dont have paint or any thing besides notepad. so i attached a DIY screen shot, the best i can do for now....sorry

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[wannabe1]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. We were experiencing some problems with the site that affected some machines...unfortunately, mine was one of them.

Just to make sure we're on the same page...

You want to keep the Windows Media Center edition and discard the Windows Professional installation. Correct?

[Ozzy13]

No worries, and yes that is correct. I want to keep media center and not the other one.

[wannabe1]

Boot into the XP Media Center installation.

Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
On the Advanced tab, under Startup and Recovery, click Settings. The "Startup and Recovery" dialog box appears.
Under System startup, click Edit. A notepad window will open. Copy the red text below and paste it in place of the current text in your boot.ini file...click on "file" at the top of the page, then click on "Save". Close the boot.ini file.

[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="windows XP Media Center Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect


Navigate to the small HDD and delete the Windows folder and the Program Files folder. OR...if there is no data on the drive you need to keep, you can format the drive and recover all the space on that drive.

Reboot.