Hi Guy's I have a bit of a problem that you's might be able to help me out with. Basically I had a pc that was runnimg on windows 2000 so I wanted to do a clean install of windows xp prof. So I put in the xp cd and followed instructions that I didn't want to upgrade but I wanted a clean install. Xp loaded alright but now I have 2 systems 2000 and xp and all i want is xp. I'm still messin around with it at the min. Can you guy's tell me how to delete/format those 2 systems so I can just run xp ? Thanks Sandisk
A bit of an update on this.. I ran the new installation on the same partiction as the other windows so now if i open cmd in the xp and type format C:, it asks first if I'm sure the file is NTFS. Then a warning "all data will be lost". Then it verifies and says "cannot format because volume is in use by another process". " Format may continue if this volume is dismounted". "would you like to force a dismount on this volume" I click "y" and is says "cannot lock the drive, the volume is still in use". It's a fairly small hard drive it's on so the space is needed so any suggestions on deleteing these? Thanks Sandisk
Run XP setup. After pressing F8, delete all the partitions. Create a new one, format with Quick NTFS..and continue with the new install.
Hi Morph and thanks for the reply. A bit of a change in the circumstances for the moment. I decided the hard drive is too small so I brought it to a shop to get an 80 gig hd installed so I'll have it back tomorrow. I'll probably be back in the same situation tomorrow so I'd like to understand you a little better. So do you mean, if I have the two windows on the system, put in the xp cd again and run through set up ? Or do you mean when xp starts up, hit f8 ? Sorry Morph nOOb at this lol Thanks for the help. Sandisk
When you're done playing around with multi-boot systems, and want to go back to a single OS....it's just better to wipe out all the partitions and start fresh. After you boot from your XP CD, and you choose to install XP...after the EULA screen (you press F8 to accept), you'll be given a choice as to what partition you want to install on. As well as the choice to delete the partitions. Follow up on each deletion, the create a new partition. Use whatever size you see fit...then format it with Quick NTFS.
I think I get what your saying. What I should have done last night was, when I was installing xp over 2000, when it asked me what partition to install xp on, there should have been an option there to delete the partition with 2000 on it, but I installed on the same partition and thats what caused my problems and I couldn't format any drives. So in future, if I'm doing a clean install, and it reaches the "what partition" to install xp on, there should always be an option there to format the partition that is being used? Thanks for the help Sandisk
The option to format the current partition should have been there, but like you've recognized already, it's not a good idea to install two OSes on the same partition. Best to delete and recreate a new one.
Great, I "think" I have it now. I'll give it a shot tomorrow when I get the pc back. Thanks for the help. Sandisk
Morph416, Wouldn't formatting and reinstalling (or just reinstaling) prove to be a hassle, that too just to delete a multi-boot system?
I figured out what I was doing wrong and why I couldn't delete the partiction. Basically this was the story. I was running windows 2000 but I wanted to totally wipe that and install xp professional. As I can't find the xp installation cd from the pc I'm using, I asked a mate to make me a copy. The copy of xp he gave me was a .iso but didn't boot up automatically when installed in the 2000 system. So I mounted it with power iso, but it still didn't launch straight away. I had to extract the setup.exe to a temp folder, and then it ran. So when I choose a clean install of xp and it got to deleting the partiction with 2000 on it, it wouldn't let me delete it. I couldn't figure this out?? It was only after I copped it. Because the xp cd wouldn't boot automatically and I had to extract some of the files to the 2000 hard drive, this was the reason as some of the xp start up files were on this partiction that I was trying to delete. Because I hadn't got a bootable cd, all I could do was an upgrade which was ok because I wiped the system first with windows 2000 and then upgraded. It worked out in the "END" lol. Probably plain sailing for you guy's but I'm learning lol, even if it is the hard way. I know it's a little off subject but is there a way I could have made that .iso bootable? I did try open it with magic iso and supposedly adding in the boot info and saving it but no luck. I also tried with nero "bootable data cd" but still nothing. Can it be done or is it just tough luck? Anyway, thanks for the replys on this guy's. Sandisk
@ashwin, Always the better option really to start fresh...just from experience in regaining control over the system. @sandisk, Yep...what happened is, that ISO didn't contain the boot files needed to make it bootable. Here's where you can find those files if you don't care to extract them from an XP CD. TachTeck Just scroll down a bit thru the page, til you get to the Boot Files section.
Wow, guide works great!! Even though pc is sorted, I'd thought I just try out that guide and yeah works great. I just inserted the finished cd into my pc and it booted up no problem at all That would have saved me hours the other night lol but at least I've learned for the future. Thanks for the tutorial Morph, it's much appreiciated. Sandisk
