Duplicate Copies of Xp on same Computer

I just discoverd that I have two copies of windows XP pro on my computer. I can boot to either one. Can I uninstall the copy I do not want with out affecting the one I have been actively using?

 

Are you sure they are different copies (i.e., when you boot into them, are they different or identical)?

Do you have only one partition or more, and are they in different partitions?

 

I have two different copies. My son built this computer and shipped it to us with Windows Xp installed. When we recieved it the motherboard was damaged and we replaced it. The computer would not boot, so I installed windows XP again thinking it would overright the first copy. When I boot it shows that I have two copies. I have always let it take the default until a few days ago when I booted to the other copied out of curiosity. I then realized I had two copies on my hard drive. I do not know if I have a partition. How do I find that out?

My son recommends wiping everthing out and starting over. I would like to try uninstalling the one copy I don't want first.

Thank you

 

You'll need to do a little investigating. If you have both copies in the same partition, he may be right that you will end up with serious problems if you don't just start over. But if they are in separate partitions, you might be able to squeeze out of this.

Right-click My Computer. Go to Manage and Disk Management. How are your drives configured? Do you have the disks divided into partitions or does each drive have only one section?

Click My Computer and open each drive visible. Do you see a Windows folder on one or more than one? How about a Winnt folder?

Right-click My Computer. Go to Properties, Advanced, Startup and Recovery, Settings, and click the Edit button. Your boot.ini file should be visible. Please copy and paste it here.

 

Unless you have a problem or HD space limitation leave it as it is!

Let your son log to one you the other!

Each of you could have their own screen backgrounds etc unless you like your sons "HOT ROCK" theme! Smile!

Also change your password and he will not be able to logon to your account!

If either of you mess up their side the other could be used to help repair the other! Where if you have only 1 XP and you kill it somehow it is a little harder to repair!

If they are on diferent drives then this is even better!

Mike

 

Nevars

Reread your message!

Son sent it to you!

OK! Same advice! Use the first and if something bad happens there you can still get in using the other!

I myself hve 2 win2K boot and 1 win98 boot (for testing and helping others with win98)! And I have actually used one of the others to repair one of the others!! They are on drive c d e I have 2 physical HD's and 6 partitions! I plan on removing my 2nd win2k soon and installing XP in its place!

And yes it gets complex to uninstall if both on the same drive so if no problem leave it!

Mike

 

Duplicate Windows XP

Thankyou all! I would really like to fix this.
I do not share this computer with anyone. As I said my son built and sent it to us, yada, yada....

The only issue I have had is viewing my Host compter for home networking. I am sharing an internet connection with the host to surf the web, but cannot seem to share files with the host. The host is not visible from the computer with duplicate copies of XP even though I can share the internet connection.
I am thinking that the two copies of XP on the same drive may be causing this problem. The windows documentation I have read says you can uninstall XP from the orginal CD-rom. Is this worth a try or will I lose everything on the copy I want to keep?

Abraxas to awnser your questions......,

Here is the info you requested.
I have only one partition on C drive.
I have a Windows folder, a WindowsNT folder, and a folder called $win-nt.~BT

my boot.ini is below.

[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
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT= "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

 

Nevars

Two different boots of XP has absoloutly nothing to do with accessing another computer!

The other XP will not and CAN NOT interfere with the other! They are totlaly seperate and were designed to be that way!

If you attemp to remove one then it had better be done correctly!

From you last message it seems you have a problem with networking! That is probably your only problem!

Forget the dual copies of XP since that has nothing to do with it at all, and tell us.......

1 what don't work

2 what you expect

A few details


Mike

 

nevars - your LAN problems are caused probably by the XP PCs not "knowing" who the other PC is.

- make sure you are logging on to both PCs. Username AND password is best.

- if you are using the same username/password on both PCs, nothing else to do. If they are different, add the username/password from PC2 to the list of users on PC1 and vice versa. Right-click My Computer~manage~users & groups~users and add.

 

Thanks,

I was able to fix the Lan problem. I would still like information on how to remove the secnd copy of XP.

 

I give up.....

mike

 

 
I've given this some thought and want to warn you that I have never tried this myself.

If it were me, I would simply delete the unused Windows folder. You didn't say whether you had duplicate Program Files folders (1 and 2 or something?) but maybe we should leave that for now.

Since you are using the default Windows installation, it would appear that the Winnt folder is the second, unused one (reverse what I say below if that is not the case, of course).

Modify your boot.ini file so that it reads like this:

[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

Then simply delete the Winnt folder (You may need to modify sharing properties to gain access).

This will return about 1.5 gigs of space and give you a single boot choice.

If there are problems, reinstall over the top (choose to repair after you agree to the license).

I would still recommend reinstalling, but you might try this at your own risk in an attempt to save everything.

Then, go to your Documents and Settings folder and remove folders relating to accounts you do not have on your default installation.