Help me uninstall windows xp...

[CallMeIshmael]

Hey all,


Right now I have windows XP installed on both hard drives on my computer. When I start up my computer, I have to decide which windows to boot.

I want to get rid of this.

How can I uninstall one windows, while leaving the other intact?

(I have two external HDs, so If backup is needed, I have lots of space to work with)

[skoal2k4]

Looky (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-18,GGLD:en&q=uninstall+windows+xp)

[CallMeIshmael]

[ QUOTE ]
Looky (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-18,GGLD:en&q=uninstall+windows+xp)

[/ QUOTE ]

As helpful as this is, I am looking for the specific situation I mentioned in my post. And most of the sites I found when I searched the first time didnt mention this situation.

[skoal2k4]

formatting a HD out of the question?

[Shajen]

I don't remember exactly where, but somewhere under control panel>system I believe is an option called boot options, or something along those lines.

HTHAL.

[CallMeIshmael]

[ QUOTE ]
formatting a HD out of the question?

[/ QUOTE ]

Im trying to this without that.

The windows I want to remove is on C:\, and Im sure there are a ton of files that my f:\ version of windows uses that are on the c drive.

In theory, I could back up all the files from the C:\ to the HD in my xbox (as its the only one with lots of space), and then move everything back, but I was wondering if there was an easier way.

[skoal2k4]

I think in order to remove windows xp, you would've had to install over a previous version and have the backup files on the harddrive. If you do, you should be able to just uninstall in the control panel (add/remove programs). I can't see any easy way to do this.

If it were me, I'd backup all the stuff I wanted backed up on external drives. Then format both drives and start from scratch. Of course, I never do things the easy way /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

You might want to bump this thread in a few hours if no one really responds... I know there are some very smart computer people around here that will be able to answer this question

[Benholio]

If your goal is to skip the part where you have to choose which version of Windows to boot from, you can just edit the version you don't want out of the boot.ini from your bootable drive. (ex: C:\boot.ini, will be a hidden/system file)

Relevant Microsoft support page: How to edit the Boot.ini file. (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q289022)

[JackWilson]

Ok hold up for a second. Let me get this straight. You want to uninstall Windows XP? As in, remove it from your hard drive by not formatting, nay, uninstalling it? Is that correct?

[CallMeIshmael]

Hypothetical:


As I said, the windows I want is installed on my F drive.

Lets say, I back up every file on my c drive to my xbox HD, and then format the c drive.

Is it likely that windows on the f drive will still work?? (this is what I want)

Im sure some programs on the f drive may be messed up, because they are accessing c drive files... but, I can just replace them.

I just want to be pretty sure, that when I boot up, I will still be able to get to windows.

[CallMeIshmael]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok hold up for a second. Let me get this straight. You want to uninstall Windows XP? As in, remove it from your hard drive by not formatting, nay, uninstalling it? Is that correct?

[/ QUOTE ]

I want to uninstall just the one version. Yes.

If you read my post at the bottom (I just posted it), it might give you an idea as to what I want.

[stabn]

Boot the OS you want to keep
Go to start | run and type cmd.exe and hit ok
type echo %systemroot% and write down what it says
type cd \
(if you are not in c:\ now type c: and do cd \ again)
type attrib -h -r -s -a boot.ini
make a backup of your boot.ini
copy boot.ini boot1.bak
type notepad boot.ini
turn word wrap off if it is on (format | word wrap)
find the entry that contains the output from echo %systemroot%

It will look something like this
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

Make sure that the line under boot loader (until the =) matches this line. Ie if it says:

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\window s.1

and you wanted c:\windows change the line to
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\window s

delete the line you do not want as a boot option ie if you want to boot the entry that says partition(1)\windows and you dont want partition(1)\windows.1 delete the full line you don't need starting with multi(0) ...

A couple of points:
If the OS you want is not on C: AND it is not the current default boot option you will have to change the disk(*)partition(*) to match the entry you want. If it is something like d:\windows and your normal is c:\windows and don't know which partition is which, change the disk and partition information in the default=multi(0)...section to match your second boot option.

Go to file | save and then reboot. Since your boot.ini now only contains one boot record it should boot straight to it and boot the OS you want to keep. If it boots the other one, check the backup boot file we made and change the boot option to match the line you deleted instead of the line you kept.

stabn

[stabn]

When you are done are you planning on removing the drive that is currently c:? By your initial post i thought you just didn't want the prompt about booting your other windows copy. Also, why would you format c:? Just to free up the space?

[CallMeIshmael]

[ QUOTE ]
When you are done are you planning on removing the drive that is currently c:? By your initial post i thought you just didn't want the prompt about booting your other windows copy. Also, why would you format c:? Just to free up the space?

[/ QUOTE ]

Basically... this is what I want: to see the c:\windows\ directory gone. But... since I cant just delete, I need to find out how to get rid of it.

Space is sort becoming an issue...

yes, the prompt is annoyning... but, I was told that it is not good to have 2 versions of windows on the same comp.

Also... as of right now, I have

C: windows plus other stuff
F: windows plus other stuff
J: just other stuff

I would like to have only 1 harddrive with the really important files on it, if you know what I mean. Like, have all the program files there, and then use the other 2 for less important files.

[stabn]

Boot to the F:\ one and do what i said to do in my "answer" post.

The whole 'more than one windows'.... is bullshit. It works fine, it simplly isn't 'supported'. Also, if they are on two drives, there are no problems with it at all.

After you do what i said to do in my "answer" post and the prompt is gone and you are successfully booting f:\ automatically every time do this

start | run | cmd
c:
cd \
rd /s/q c:\windows (this will delete the windows directory and free up some space). If you have things in program files there that you don't want you can do the same thing there, ie:
cd \ "program files"
rd/s/q "aol instant messenger"

Just don't use rd/s/q unless you are sure you want to delete exactly what you are telilng it to. It will remote the directory (including files) and all subdirectories (including files) from the path you give it.

i say to do it this way because it is a much bigger pain if you want to format c:, and it is better to just remove the files you dont' want. It's a lot more work. If you had wanted to keep the c:\ install and whack f:\, then formatting (the f: drive) would be an option.

[CallMeIshmael]

[ QUOTE ]
Boot to the F:\ one and do what i said to do in my "answer" post.

The whole 'more than one windows'.... is bullshit. It works fine, it simplly isn't 'supported'. Also, if they are on two drives, there are no problems with it at all.

After you do what i said to do in my "answer" post and the prompt is gone and you are successfully booting f:\ automatically every time do this

start | run | cmd
c:
cd \
rd /s/q c:\windows (this will delete the windows directory and free up some space). If you have things in program files there that you don't want you can do the same thing there, ie:
cd \ "program files"
rd/s/q "aol instant messenger"

Just don't use rd/s/q unless you are sure you want to delete exactly what you are telilng it to. It will remote the directory (including files) and all subdirectories (including files) from the path you give it.

i say to do it this way because it is a much bigger pain if you want to format c:, and it is better to just remove the files you dont' want. It's a lot more work. If you had wanted to keep the c:\ install and whack f:\, then formatting (the f: drive) would be an option.

[/ QUOTE ]


Thanks A LOT dude...

Just one more question... is there a reason I cant delete the files from the f: windows explorer?

[Pinga]

nh, sir

[stabn]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Boot to the F:\ one and do what i said to do in my "answer" post.

The whole 'more than one windows'.... is bullshit. It works fine, it simplly isn't 'supported'. Also, if they are on two drives, there are no problems with it at all.

After you do what i said to do in my "answer" post and the prompt is gone and you are successfully booting f:\ automatically every time do this

start | run | cmd
c:
cd \
rd /s/q c:\windows (this will delete the windows directory and free up some space). If you have things in program files there that you don't want you can do the same thing there, ie:
cd \ "program files"
rd/s/q "aol instant messenger"

Just don't use rd/s/q unless you are sure you want to delete exactly what you are telilng it to. It will remote the directory (including files) and all subdirectories (including files) from the path you give it.

i say to do it this way because it is a much bigger pain if you want to format c:, and it is better to just remove the files you dont' want. It's a lot more work. If you had wanted to keep the c:\ install and whack f:\, then formatting (the f: drive) would be an option.

[/ QUOTE ]


Thanks A LOT dude...

Just one more question... is there a reason I cant delete the files from the f: windows explorer?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because stabn doesn't use windows explorer, he uses CMD /images/graemlins/smile.gif. Windows explorer should be fine, you'd just want to hold shift while doing it so they delete instead of getting put in the 'recycle bin'.