Dual Boot/Windows XP Install Uninstall

[Chippo125]

All right, I realize we're all here because of web page design, not hard core tech questions, but I've usually been able to find an answer here. So anyways...

OK, so I happened upon a Windows XP disk. I planned to use it to upgrade from Windows 98. So install was going great right up until I found out that I would first need to uninstall Windows 98 first. By now, a large chunk of install files has been loaded on my hard disk. To uninstall Windows 98, I would need to totally reformat my hard drive. It wasn't worth it. So I cancelled the install, found the files Windows XP loaded and deleted them.

Now everything's great, except that when I boot up I get a dual boot screen. I have two options, one to Resume installing XP, or run 98. This is a big hassle. How do I get rid of it?
Keep in mind this is outside anysort of windowed enviroment. I have no idea where any files are stored for this. It's not in MSCONFIG, the only connection I have to the booting up of my PC. I need hard-core help! Has anyone worked with dual boot? Help!

[Dude128]

I don't know the answer to your question, and I don't have any experience with XP so i can't say for sure, but I didn't think you'd have to uninstall/format anything to upgrade. the only reason I could see to do that is if you wanted to switch to the NTFS file system- is that what you were doing? you may not have to format if you stuck with the older file system

[Chippo125]

Windows XP won't install over 98. Yipee Microsoft.
It also had to do with the formatting of the hard drive. It was something along the lines of if you compressed your hard drive with FAT 32 or 16 after installing Windows 98, the only way to uninstall was a reformat. Or at least that's what I read on a website. Anyways, it became too much of a hassle.

[Dude128]

hmm... you can uncompress FAT drives from within Windows 98 if you have compressed them- have you compressed yours? if so, maybe you could try uncompressing it and going from there.

[Chippo125]

It's not really the matter of the compression, since I'm over XP now, I just need to find out how I fix this dual boot set up.

[Loren]

Ok, this may be the same.

Make sure you have Windows Explorer set to view all files including system, hidden, ect.

Goto your harddisk (C:/) you should see a file BOOT.INI. Open it in notepad/double click. Take out the operating system line that you don't want, or post the contents and I'll tell you what to remove.

[Chippo125]

OK so I found it lurking in boot.ini. Wow, you learn something new everyday. This is what it reads:

[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT
[Operating Systems]
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
C:\=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT "Windows XP Setup"

How do I modify this file so I won't get this screen any more? I just want it to load windows 98 without any question .

[lefty]

This is odd, I upgraded from 98 with no problems. :confusion I think my computer is posessed, though.

[Loren]

I will asume you normaly select Microsoft Windows when you log onto your computer.


Change the boot file to read:

[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT
[Operating Systems]
C:\="Microsoft Windows"

The files for Setup will still be there but they will not bother you anymore.

[Dude128]

I'm not positive since I've never dealt with this, but it looks like you'll have to change the default line, too, since it seems that before the XP setup was the default if you didn't choose one