numalaser

...from the black screen on start up?

I had a bit of (stupid) hassle installing Windows XP 3 times (I had the HD jumper round the wrong way so setup wouldn't go through right).

So when I finally got it up and running there were two extra XP installs half finished in the HD too.....
I deleted them and emptied the wastebasket but they still appear on teh black startup screen asking me which OS I wasnt to use!

If I choose the second or the third XP, I get a load of error messages telling me that various files can't be found.
The first XP in the list works fine, but I don't really want the hassle of this screen everytime I start up!

Any ideas guys?

Lordmord

Start --> Setting --> Control Panel --> System --> Click on the advanced tab --> click on settings tab under Startup and Recovery.

select your default OS there.
if you don't want the OS menu to appear then uncheck "Time to display list of Operating Systems:".

Another way to do this:

You can edit the boot.ini file in the root drive that your o/s is installed on. i.e. C:\boot.ini.

You won't be able to see it unless you change your folder options to display system files. You will see the list of operating systems in there such as:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows XP" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows XP" /fastdetect

Just delete the ones you don't want to show up. Better make a back up copy of the file first though.

numalaser

Nice one! Sorted now!
Cheers!

BobbyWhiskey

I have the same problem with linux, i would like to have windows on the top of the list, do i have to change it in linux?

Lordmord

This is a guess here, But i think that following boot.ini would be there for you

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Linux" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows XP" /fastdetect

I don't know for sure, because i'm a newbie in linux. But if the above is the case then following will probably will do.

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows XP" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Linux" /fastdetect

Or Change it through Mircosoft :
Start --> Setting --> Control Panel --> System --> Click on the advanced tab --> click on settings tab under Startup and Recovery.

select your default OS there.

BobbyWhiskey

i dont even have a boot.ini file... :S

elmarcorulz

It will be one of the hidden protected system files. Its easier to change it in system settings

Super_Nova

Linux doesn't install itself in the boot.ini file. Only MS OS's do that. Linux has it's own boot loader it installs in the MBR.

You do have to change this option in linux. how you do I'm not sure. I know you can google it though because i've seen it while I was trying to google something else.

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