Boot from CD: Format and reload cause multi boot choices 3

[TopRung]

Whenever I use the XP PRO CD that shipped with my computers to reload the machine(s), I blow the partitions and reformat the drive with NTFS. After it is complete, the computer reboots, and there are two (or more depending on how many times I have reloaded the machine) "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" boot choices. I am asked to highlight a choice or it will boot into the selected choice in 25 seconds.

Why is this happening? If you blow the partition and reformat with NTFS, shouldn't any boot.ini info be cleaned- is there some directory structure thing going on?

It appears to me that the formatting that takes place by this boot from CD version isn't as "low level" as FDISK.

Can you shed some light? ~thanx

 

[vicentealeman]

I had a similar problem with windows 2000:
When you said you have 2 options; have you selected the second one? is this second option just a command prompt?

If this is just a command prompt dont worry just go to:
My Computer (Right Click) > Properties

Click on the advanced Tab:
Then unselect the "Display OS for xx seconds

 

[TopRung]

Hi, Thanks for the input...

Actually, the one machine I just tried what you suggested says "Windows could not start because of a hardware configuration problem.....", and then it reboots and I get the choices again.

Obviously, selecting the first one enters XP just fine.

So, do you have any insight as to why this happens. I want to understand it so that I can better explain it to my "underlings"

 

[bcastner]

Is this an HP or Compaq computer?
Both manufacturers use a FAT12 boot sector that will be missed by the partitioning software.

 

[TopRung]

They are all Dell.

If what you say is correct, would I see a FAT32 partition in Disk Management (Manage>Disk Management)? Or is this boot sector not shown in Disk Management?

Currently, I only see the sinle NTFS partition.

 

[bcastner]

Not shown in Disk Management, but will be shown in FDISK. I do not recall Dell using the partition trick to store a Recovery image, but I am not certain.

Boot from floppy and examine the partition table in fdisk. (If you need a bootable floppy image, use a Win98SE image from:

http://www.bootdisk.com/

)

You can use the fdisk utility on that image to cleanly remove all DOS and non-DOS partitions that may exist.

Then boot from the XP CD and create a new partition format and install.

 

[TopRung]

Yes exactly, that was my next step.. using FDISK.

okay.. any other input would be aprreciated.

 

[wolluf]

I think the problem is just an over-zealous XP install routine. Assuming you use XP install's partitioning tools to remove & replace partitions, when you actually start the process, the current installation is still there. XP's install process copies the existing boot.ini into memory - and uses it as a start point - ie, just adds its own entries later in the process. So even if you wipe the partition, its too late...

If you use fdisk to remove the partition first, you won't get this duplication.

You can always just edit boot.ini afterwards of course - not difficult.

 

[TopRung]

excellent. Thank you for the info!

 

[TopRung]

question for clarification. Would you say that it is still a "clean" install using the boot cd method?

 

[bcastner]

Yes.

It will repartition and format, as well as install a fresh copy of XP.