two operating systems???

[Guest Julia]

My stepfather tried to to a system repair with windows 2000. It would not do

a repair so he reinstalled windows. He now has 2 operating systems on his

machine. Can one be removed and how or does he reformat and start over. If

that is the case where is the best place to get step by step directions.

Should he download drivers to a disk as well? He will not have access to the

internet while his system is down. It is an older machine but the only one

that is in the budget.

[Guest David Webb]

Re: two operating systems???

 

The extra operating system can be removed, but we have to determine which one is

actually safe to call redundant. You say that he tried to do a repair

installation, but it failed. Do you know what caused this failure? I ask this in

order to correctly guide you regarding which OS to eliminate. In other words, if

the original is corrupted in some way then the new installation should be saved.

Otherwise, the latest OS installed can be removed. Food for thought.

 

By the way, if both systems are okay he should presently be able to boot-up from

either OS, in order to evaluate their performances.

 

Another way to identify where the new OS is installed, is to open Windows

Explorer and check the folder names. A standard installation will be installed

in the C:\WINNT folder. An upgrade from Win98 will be installed in C:\WINDOWS.

The new install will be some variation of these names, such as C:\WINNT2 or

C:\WINDOWS2, etc.

 

In order to verify which folder is currently in use, open a command prompt

window and execute this command:

 

echo %windir%

 

Here's what we need first: A copy of the contents of his BOOT.INI file. This is

basically a text file. He'll have to use Copy & Paste to send you the info, then

you can paste it in a reply to this message. Be sure that he doesn't try to

retype all the info.

 

To obtain this info, do this: Click on Start > Run and then type C:\BOOT.INI and

click on OK. This should open the file in Notepad where the contents can be

copied from.

 

After we receive this info and you tell us which version you want to eliminate,

the new or the old, we'll give you the step-by-step procedure.

 

"Julia" <Julia@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:3442BE4D-7A84-408A-A634-E154A94047AC@microsoft.com...

| My stepfather tried to to a system repair with windows 2000. It would not do

| a repair so he reinstalled windows. He now has 2 operating systems on his

| machine. Can one be removed and how or does he reformat and start over. If

| that is the case where is the best place to get step by step directions.

| Should he download drivers to a disk as well? He will not have access to the

| internet while his system is down. It is an older machine but the only one

| that is in the budget.

[Guest Dave Patrick]

Re: two operating systems???

 

To do a clean install, either boot the Windows 2000 install CD-Rom or setup

disks. The set of four install disks can be created from your Windows 2000

CD-Rom; change to the \bootdisk directory on the CD-Rom and execute

makeboot.exe (from dos) or makebt32.exe (from 32 bit) and follow the

prompts.

 

(Note: If your drive controller is not natively supported then you'll want

to boot the Windows 2000 install CD-Rom. Then *F6* very early and very

important (at setup is inspecting your system) in the setup to prevent drive

controller detection, and select S to specify additional drivers. Then later

you'll be prompted to insert the manufacturer supplied Windows 2000 driver

for your drive controller in drive "A")

 

Setup inspects your computer's hardware configuration and then begins to

install the Setup and driver files. When the Windows 2000 Professional

screen appears, press ENTER to set up Windows 2000 Professional.

 

Read the license agreement, and then press the F8 key to accept the terms of

the license agreement and continue the installation.

 

When the Windows 2000 Professional Setup screen appears, all the existing

partitions and the unpartitioned spaces are listed for each physical hard

disk. Use the ARROW keys to select the partitions Press D to delete an

existing partition, If you press D to delete an existing partition, you must

then press L (or press ENTER, and then press L if it is the System

partition) to confirm that you want to delete the partition. Repeat this

step for each of the existing partitions When all the partitions are deleted

press F3 to exit setup, (to avoid unexpected drive letter assignments with

your new install) then restart the pc then when you get to this point in

setup again select the unpartitioned space, and then press C to create a new

partition and specify the size (if required). Windows will by default use

all available space.

 

Be sure to apply SP4 and these two below to your new install before

connecting to any network. Internet included. (sasser, msblast)

http://download.microsoft.com/download/E/6/A/E6A04295-D2A8-40D0-A0C5-241BFECD095E/W2KSP4_EN.EXE

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-043.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-049.mspx

 

Then

 

Rollup 1 for Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?amp;displaylang=en&familyid=B54730CF-8850-4531-B52B-BF28B324C662&displaylang=en

 

 

 

--

 

Regards,

 

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

Microsoft Certified Professional

Microsoft MVP [Windows]

http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

"Julia" wrote:

> My stepfather tried to to a system repair with windows 2000. It would not

> do

> a repair so he reinstalled windows. He now has 2 operating systems on his

> machine. Can one be removed and how or does he reformat and start over. If

> that is the case where is the best place to get step by step directions.

> Should he download drivers to a disk as well? He will not have access to

> the

> internet while his system is down. It is an older machine but the only one

> that is in the budget.

[Guest Julia]

Re: two operating systems???

 

Thank you for all your help. He got his computer up and running. There was a

neighbor up the road who knew how to straighten out his problem. But I may be

back with more questions in the future. You guys are a great source of

knowledge and willing to share it in terms that I can understand. THANK YOU

 

"David Webb" wrote:

> The extra operating system can be removed, but we have to determine which one is

> actually safe to call redundant. You say that he tried to do a repair

> installation, but it failed. Do you know what caused this failure? I ask this in

> order to correctly guide you regarding which OS to eliminate. In other words, if

> the original is corrupted in some way then the new installation should be saved.

> Otherwise, the latest OS installed can be removed. Food for thought.

>

> By the way, if both systems are okay he should presently be able to boot-up from

> either OS, in order to evaluate their performances.

>

> Another way to identify where the new OS is installed, is to open Windows

> Explorer and check the folder names. A standard installation will be installed

> in the C:\WINNT folder. An upgrade from Win98 will be installed in C:\WINDOWS.

> The new install will be some variation of these names, such as C:\WINNT2 or

> C:\WINDOWS2, etc.

>

> In order to verify which folder is currently in use, open a command prompt

> window and execute this command:

>

> echo %windir%

>

> Here's what we need first: A copy of the contents of his BOOT.INI file. This is

> basically a text file. He'll have to use Copy & Paste to send you the info, then

> you can paste it in a reply to this message. Be sure that he doesn't try to

> retype all the info.

>

> To obtain this info, do this: Click on Start > Run and then type C:\BOOT.INI and

> click on OK. This should open the file in Notepad where the contents can be

> copied from.

>

> After we receive this info and you tell us which version you want to eliminate,

> the new or the old, we'll give you the step-by-step procedure.

>

> "Julia" <Julia@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:3442BE4D-7A84-408A-A634-E154A94047AC@microsoft.com...

> | My stepfather tried to to a system repair with windows 2000. It would not do

> | a repair so he reinstalled windows. He now has 2 operating systems on his

> | machine. Can one be removed and how or does he reformat and start over. If

> | that is the case where is the best place to get step by step directions.

> | Should he download drivers to a disk as well? He will not have access to the

> | internet while his system is down. It is an older machine but the only one

> | that is in the budget.

>

>

>

[Guest David Webb]

Re: two operating systems???

 

You're welcome....and thanks for the feedback!

 

"Julia" <Julia@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:235620BA-DC63-475F-959A-415B8BDBF9DB@microsoft.com...

> Thank you for all your help. He got his computer up and running. There was a

> neighbor up the road who knew how to straighten out his problem. But I may be

> back with more questions in the future. You guys are a great source of

> knowledge and willing to share it in terms that I can understand. THANK YOU

>

> "David Webb" wrote:

>

> > The extra operating system can be removed, but we have to determine which

one is

> > actually safe to call redundant. You say that he tried to do a repair

> > installation, but it failed. Do you know what caused this failure? I ask

this in

> > order to correctly guide you regarding which OS to eliminate. In other

words, if

> > the original is corrupted in some way then the new installation should be

saved.

> > Otherwise, the latest OS installed can be removed. Food for thought.

> >

> > By the way, if both systems are okay he should presently be able to boot-up

from

> > either OS, in order to evaluate their performances.

> >

> > Another way to identify where the new OS is installed, is to open Windows

> > Explorer and check the folder names. A standard installation will be

installed

> > in the C:\WINNT folder. An upgrade from Win98 will be installed in

C:\WINDOWS.

> > The new install will be some variation of these names, such as C:\WINNT2 or

> > C:\WINDOWS2, etc.

> >

> > In order to verify which folder is currently in use, open a command prompt

> > window and execute this command:

> >

> > echo %windir%

> >

> > Here's what we need first: A copy of the contents of his BOOT.INI file. This

is

> > basically a text file. He'll have to use Copy & Paste to send you the info,

then

> > you can paste it in a reply to this message. Be sure that he doesn't try to

> > retype all the info.

> >

> > To obtain this info, do this: Click on Start > Run and then type C:\BOOT.INI

and

> > click on OK. This should open the file in Notepad where the contents can be

> > copied from.

> >

> > After we receive this info and you tell us which version you want to

eliminate,

> > the new or the old, we'll give you the step-by-step procedure.

> >

> > "Julia" <Julia@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> > news:3442BE4D-7A84-408A-A634-E154A94047AC@microsoft.com...

> > | My stepfather tried to to a system repair with windows 2000. It would not

do

> > | a repair so he reinstalled windows. He now has 2 operating systems on his

> > | machine. Can one be removed and how or does he reformat and start over. If

> > | that is the case where is the best place to get step by step directions.

> > | Should he download drivers to a disk as well? He will not have access to

the

> > | internet while his system is down. It is an older machine but the only one

> > | that is in the budget.

> >

> >

> >