Windows DualOS problem

[karansawan]

Hello,

I have a problem regarding the multi OS system of Windows.

Actually, the copy of windows XP I had installed on my PC got corrupted.

So, I put in my XP CD and installed another copy without formatting the C: drive and without deleting the first copy of OS.

This resulted in a dual boot system.

But the programs I had installed when I was using the earlier copy of windows which got corrupted are not working on the later copy of windows which I installed.

I dont know what to do to make them work.

My earlier OS cant boot so I also can't uninstall those programs so that i can reinstall them on my later OS.

I also dont want to consume all the disk space on my hard disk.

So, I cannot keep two copies of every software.

Please tell me how i can make those programs work, however some of them still work.

Also, please tell me if the earlier OS can be recovered ( it is not working even after repairing, severe problem).

Thanks for reading.

Karan.

 

[sg1]

It sounds like you have installed two versions of windows in the same partition!!! bit of a NO NO really i'm afraid(it even warns against it before you do it on the blue disk partition screen) sorry

 

[PC Hobbyist]

Oh boy. Two installations on the same partition means asking for problems. I basically recommend you reformat your drive and reinstall a clean single new copy of xp. HOWEVER - if you don't back-up your documents and pictures and music etc.. you will lose them all.

Here are my general recommendations.

1. Backup your data if it is located in the same drive (partition) as Windows XP (for example copy it onto an external usb drive or to another partition on your hard drive).

2. Insert your XP cd and restart your computer.
Follow the prompt to boot from CD.
When the blue xp cd setup screen comes up, follow the instructions to install a new clean version of xp.
Select the partition where you had it installed and choose to DELETE that partition. It is now considered unallocated space.
Select that unallocated space and create a new partition on it using the full size of the space. When formating the new partition, you can choose "quick format" or regular "format". There are difference of opinions as to what is better. If you have the time to wait a little longer, then avoid the quick path and do a regular formating. If something doesn't work using one of the options, then redo and try the other one.
In the end, you will have a new clean partition. Select that as your xp installation destination.

3. Proceed with the installation as usual.

4. Once XP is installed, you have to reinstall all programs and drivers you need. This is a pain because it can be very time consuming. On top of that, windows will want to update itself a million times (depending on how old your CD is). If your CD is a pre-SP2 version, I recommend just downloading the SP2 directly from Microsoft and installing it.

5. You should now be set. And now some extra advice that can be very helpful in the future:
A. Change the path of My Documents, My Pictures, My Music etc... to a location on a partition other than the one XP is installed on. Do this by right-clicking on the folders, select Properties and change the location. That way, in the future, if something goes wrong with the OS, your files should be safe on a different partition.

B. I highly recommend using Acronis True Image It will create a backup of an entire partition (for example the C drive where XP and all programs are installed). In the future, you can restore that backup in about 10 or 15 minutes and your computer is left exactly like it was at the point the back was created (this is a million times better than the system restore option in xp). It will save you the hours of work it takes to reformat, reinstall XP and reinstall drivers, programs, settings etc...


I hope this helps. Let us know how it goes.

 

[karansawan]

Actually, my main problem is that I want to make the programs I installed on my earlier copy of xp in my second copy of XP.

The solution you told me was already known to me.

I can still delete the earlier install of XP but this would not make the programs installed in earlier XP work in the later one.

I think I would have to spend a lot of time installing the programs I need.

By the way, appreciate your help PC Hobbyist.

Thanks,
Karan.