2 Partitions, 2 OS, Want to Reformat One

[gawguy]

I bought a used computer w/ Win98 on DrC and XP on DrD. I want to get rid of Win98. When computer boots I have choice of OS and if I don't choose it boots XP.

 

I remember trying to remove a second OS before and getting msgs saying you can't do that. Online searches turn up boot problems and issues w "boot flag," but no real info on this exact problem.

 

Does anyone know what is involved?

 

Thanks,

GG

[carlton68]

If you just wipe drive C then you will loose information about the installed OS and computer will not boot into Win XP as well.

 

My advice is format both partitions, adjust size of partitions if necessary, install Win XP from scratch on the first partition.

[cavanami]

There is a file on the hard drive, boot.ini, that has the menu for the OS selection optiuons. You can edit that file to remove the boot up option for 98.

There is a default option, thus the XP will boot up as the default. You can edit the file to add more or less time before the default is automatically selected.

 

I would suggest using Partition Magic (PM) or the like type software to configure your hard drive as you want.

PM will allow you to rename partitions, select a bootable partition, format a partition, etc.

 

Cheers!

 

Mike

[gummigut]

My preference is to start from scratch.

 

I'd boot from an XP CD. As others indicated, wipe all the partitions out of the hard drive. Repartition as you would like. Finish installing XP and keep on truck'n.

 

<<burp>>

[SpiceMan]

Assuming C: and D: are partitions on the same physical drive, there is no need to format any partitions or reinstall XP. Use Partition Magic. It can delete the Win 98 partition and expand the XP partition to use all of the drive.

[carlton68]

Yes,

 

but as others and I said you loose the boot info in the boot.ini file located on the c partition. So WinXP won't boot anymore. And if it would not boot because partition c is gone and d is now c, so all the refernces in WinXP are wrong.

Additional to that, I would not like an OS previously configured and used by someone else. But that's just me.

[gawguy]

gummigut said:

My preference is to start from scratch.

 

I'd boot from an XP CD. As others indicated, wipe all the partitions out of the hard drive. Repartition as you would like. Finish installing XP and keep on truck'n.

 

<<burp>>

 

Thank you Gummi and thanks to the other responders. The discussion of the issues was brilliant! It certainly counseled a measured approach, which I attempted. I removed the nice 20gig hd w 2 OSs and popped in a clean 6gig drive which I had yet to use. The idea was to set up XP on this drive using a CD that came w a Dell I had bought 2nd hand. I had never done this and wasn't sure I could. But the XP serial # was on a sticker on the computer and I was able to install and activate. I'm sending this out of that setup. Whoopee!

 

I then installed MSOff, FireF and a bunch of other sweet little items, and was ready to jump to the next step.

 

Then I "hit the wall" - fooking computers! My intent was to make a mirror of this drive and toss it onto DrC on the 20gig, eliminating W98. May or may not have booted. But oh noooo...there are bad blocks on the the 6giger and Acronis said "blah, blah, blah" and spit it out.

 

Now, I am thinking to go with your suggestion quoted above. One question: I need to use my Dell disk which installed at least 3 times. Last time was yesterday. When I go to the Activation process what, my lovelies, will happen? Will they tell me to take a flyer? Ah, if only Bill would come out from behind his cloud and speak to us on such copyright issues instead of putting his velvet-tongued computer lady on the line: "Look you lowlife, this is BG. I see you out there trying to activate XP...AGAIN. I'm looking at your ISP, computer serial, unlisted phone # and address! You hear the sirens yet!?"

 

"Oh Uncle Bill, Uncle Bill, have mercy! I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!"

 

Gawguy

[carlton68]

Hi,

 

I did not answer because I am not too sure about what rules are behind activation.

I once installed WinXP on a computer, activated it and due to a faulty disk had to do it again. So I installed it twice in one night and got it activated twice without problems. even though the disk was changed in the meantime.

If you run into problems with the online activation you still can call their helpdesk and explain the problem with the disk. No idea how they will respond, but guess they'll give you a green light.

 

Give it a try.

[gummigut]

From my past experience, you'll be able to activate it again and again.

 

Thing is, I wouldn't install from a CD that needs activation over the internet.

 

Why not?

 

If you change your system settings too much, you'll need to be reactivated.

 

Get a business XP CD (or go to Panthip) and install from that (a CD that doesn't require internet activation).

 

<<burp>>

[gawguy]

Thanks for the responses!

 

gummigut said:

 

If you change your system settings too much, you'll need to be reactivated.

 

** This sounds a bit cruel! What sort of changes do you think might trigger a demand for reactivation?? **

 

Get a business XP CD (or go to Panthip) and install from that (a CD that doesn't require internet activation).

 

** I'm not a big changer of the basic operating system I guess. I do a little customization, but no code breaking or registry wrenching.

 

Being 10,000 miles from Pantip Plaza at the moment, I'll try the CD that I have. Computer is working fabulously with the 6 gig disk made from that CD, so what the heck. I'll report back if there are any problems with activation.**

 

Thanks,

GG