Two XP's installed by error?

Thunderstorm fried modem. Had Bellsouth tech here to do repairs and somehow upon reboot couldn't find hard drives. Used XP disk, a mistake, and now I have a selection of 2 XP OS when I boot up. Tried both selections and each looks like a new install. I haven't lost any data or my original setting, but icons do not showup on Main screen. Everything is User.windows, Default user.windows where user and default user (old settings) has all the info. Anyway I can remove this last install? Thanks

 

two win xp

You will to edit your boot.ini file. First go to windows explorer & open "tools<folder options<view then select show all files & unhide system files. OK/ Apply [enter] Now start,run type boot.ini & notepad should open it. If not find the file in root C:\boot.ini right click & select open with navigate to notepad. You must not remove the line that has DEFAULT in front of it. Save/exit

 

Default deleted

Rancher, thanks for response. I deleted the line, and now I have 3 Operating systems to select from at startup. 2 are windows xp and 1 is windows (default). My current boot.ini reads as follows:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
[operating systems]
signature(9802947e)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS= "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS= "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect

any advice? thanks

 

Well, he did say "You must not remove the line that has DEFAULT in front of it.

You appear to have the standard settings for starting the OS from the usual drive {multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)} and it looks like both entries are pointing at the same place. So you have (according to the boot.ini file anyway) only one load of XP.

At this point, save your present boot.ini file as boot.ini.old and then modify
[boot loader]
timeout=30
[operating systems]
signature(9802947e)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN
DOWS= "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS= "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect

to

[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 Home Edition" /fastdetect

and you should be back to booting as you were before.

note the wraps and breaks are forum formatting and nothing you should do.

 

My error

Newt,
Thanks for seeing my error. Been a long time since 0400 hrs today. Your response worked with eliminating multi OS's selection. I don't suppose you have any thoughts on getting back to my original user status?

Ranger,
Sorry I misread your advice. Old eyes or numb brain! Thanks
Charles

 

whew

Hey Newt , thanks for filling in for me here! I had to jump into some other issues so shorted Cob on the info.

Just follow newt whereever he leads you Cob! & do not remove the line with "Default"

 

Rancher - I been bailed out more than a few times myself.

Cob - have you checked to see what user accounts you have on your PC at this point? And are you logging on or is it automatic?

To look at accounts, right-click My Computer and left-click Manage. You'll see a Users & Groups tab.

 

No Tab

Newt,
Don't have a "Users & Groups tab "
Charles

 

Local Users and Groups. Or control panel and then User Accounts.

At least that's what I have in XP-Pro and I think this is an area where XP-Home is the same. I think. Maybe.