Removing Windows Setup Option

joe645 · 29th July 2004

While attempting a Norton Ghost Backup of my Win2k OS and Programs, I indadvertently created a 2nd partition and it went active creating an error msg that my OS was missing when rebooting. I used the ERD and the computer went through Windows 2000 Pro Setup. After reparing the Ghost Error, I find that before Windows loads it asks me to choose between Win 2K Pro and Win 2k Pro Setup. I have it defaulted to Win 2K Pro but want to know how to rid the system of that initial screen where I'm asked to choose the start method. It wasn't there to begin with prior to my little *****-up

**PeteC** · 29th July 2004

Running XP, but 2k and XP are very similar in many respects, so try these routes ....

Simple - My Computer right click > Properties > Advanced > Start up and Recovery > Settings > System Start up ....

Default Operating System set to 2k

Uncheck 'Time to show Operating Systems'.

or

Edit boot.ini and delete the line which refers to setup. Typical Boot.ini file reads for single OS ....

[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

Note pasting here splits the third line into two.

joe645 · 30th July 2004

Thanks PeteC but just where do I find this boot.ini Have run search with no results both in system and registery

Newt · 30th July 2004

Boot.ini is in c:\ usually. But a hidden, read-only, system file so you have to set windows explorer to show you all your files and will need to remove the read/only long enough to fix it. There has to be one there and in the root of your boot drive (usually C: ) or else the OS could not start.

Note that if Windows Explorer is set to hide extensions for known file types, the filename may just show as boot.

It is a simple text file so notepad can edit it just fine. Setting the timeout=0 would certainly do the trick since it would immediately load the default which seems to be working.

Removing the bad line would also work.

Good idea to make a backup copy first though since a bad boot.ini files equals a non-starting OS. Not hard to fix but easiest to fix if you have boot.ini-old on the PC to work with.