after formatting HD with win2k...still shows winXP as option OS...

[spewn]

my laptop came installed from dell with winXP home. i have booted win2k disk right from the cd drive as the laptop turned on...i deleted all the partitions and then installed win2k.

after setting it all up, i turned the comp off and then turned back on. as it loads, it prompts me asking what OS to load/run, (option win2k and winXP)...how is this possible? i checked the partitions and it says there is only one partition and it has win2k.

i also remember someone telling me to fdisk the HD. should i do that first?

i'm not to familiar with this whole process, so any help is appreciated.

- g

 

[dbData]

Some laptops have a hidden partition that contains emergency restore data (same data that's on an emergency restore CD). Some also use a hidden partition to store data during sleep modes. Win2k could be finding one of these, likely the emergency restore version.

If you want to be rid of it, the easiest thing to do is use a Media Wipe utility. You can find some at

http://www.data-recovery-hub.com/data-recovery-software-guide/wipers.php.

If the partition is used for sleep data, you don't want to remove it. Media Wipers don't care what's on the drive, they'll wipe everything. Use caution, make sure that's what you want to do.


Rick

 

[dbData]

Some laptops use a partition for emergency restore (contains OS, drivers, etc.). Some use a partition to hold data temporarily when in sleep mode.

Removing a "sleep mode partition" is not advised. It sounds more like an emergency restore partition, based on you description.

If you want to be rid of all partitions and data you can use a Media Wipe tools. More information about these can be found at

http://www.data-recovery-hub.com/data-recovery-software-guide/wipers.php.

Rick

 

[wolluf]

Its just a boot.ini entry (2k install is too clever - it took a copy of boot.ini BEFORE you deleted the partitions, and then just updated that with 2k entry). All you need to do is edit out the XP entry (boot.ini is system, hidden, readonly text file in root of C: - can also get to edit it from system properties startup and recovery). It should look like this after edit:-

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect