Help, I'm running two Windows XP!

I was having computer problems and let my friend - who I thought knew his stuff - to try and reinstall my Windows XP. Instead, he simply installed a second one so now when I boot up the computer I'm prompted to choose between what appears to me are two identical versions of Windows XP Home Edition. The only difference I can see is that when I choose to start the second one I get an error message, whereas the first one always works. Even though it probably isn't affecting anything could someone tell me how to remove the second version?

 

If the first one is alway highlighted at boot, meaning you could just press Enter to load it.
There is an easy way to fix this. Open Windows Explorer, and right click on C:\Boot.Ini (it will say Configuration Settings as the File Type), select Properties. Uncheck the Read Only box, then Apply then OK. Open C:\Boot.Ini with Notepad.
Change this "timeout=30" to this "timeout=0 ", and save.
After you do this, that menu will not appear, and the first choice will be the one booting up.

 

Hey great advice. It worked. The only thing that irks me is that even though the screen no longer appears the computer is still running two versions of Windows XP, one of which not only not works but one I'll never use. Should this be a a problem? Thanks.

 

You are not running two version of windows, you have windows installed into two different folders, each with a different name. It shouldn't be a problem, unless you are running out of space on your hard drive.
The reason you got this problem in the first place is installing XP into a different folder, so XP setup thought you were going to have a dual boot situation.
I have a dual boot running on my computer, I can choose XP or 98 SE at bootup, neither interferes with the other. 98SE is on my C: partition, XP on my G:.

 

wat u could do if u feel uncomfortable with having the 2 versions installed is format ur machine and reinstall the windows xp

 

If you still want to do this:

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp Tutorial on a "clean" install of XP. This will wipe the HD, so make sure that all data that you want to save is backed up.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm Perhaps this is what your friend was trying to accomplish. This is a repair install of an existing installation.

Regards - Charles

 

You probably don't truley have two operating systems installed. Especially if one throws an error as soon as it tries to load. The boot.ini file is probably just altered as was suggested above.