Computer Dual-Boots Between Two Windows 2000 Installations Despite a "Fresh Copy" Installation (304895)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
This article was previously published under Q304895 SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to replace an existing installation of Windows 2000 with a new, "clean" installation, if you start the new installation within the existing installation and select the Install a fresh copy option, you may find that you are dual-booting between the existing installation and the new installation after Setup finishes.
CAUSE
This behavior occurs any time a new installation of Windows 2000 is installed in a folder other than the folder that contains the existing installation.
For example, if the existing installation of Windows 2000 is in the \%SystemRoot%\Windows folder and the new installation is in the \%SystemRoot%\Winnt folder, you can dual-boot between the two copies of Windows 2000.
RESOLUTION
To resolve this behavior, manually remove the dual-boot configuration and the existing installation. The following example shows how to make these changes. The example assumes that the existing installation is in the \%SystemRoot%\Windows folder and that the new installation is in the \%SystemRoot%\Winnt folder.
- Start a text editor, and then open the Boot.ini file, which is in the root directory.
- Edit the file:
- Remove the line that contains the \Windows folder.
- Set the timeout to zero (0).
- Make sure that the default= line in the [boot loader] section ends with \WINNT.
For example, the Boot.ini file may look like this:
[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
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
Edit the Boot.ini file so it looks like this:
[boot loader]
timeout=0
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
- Save and then close the file. You might need to remove the read-only attribute for the file in order to be able to save it. The option to start in the old installation is now gone.
- In Windows Explorer, make sure that no personal files remain in the \%SystemRoot%\Windows folder.
- Right-click the \%SystemRoot%\Windows folder, and then click Delete to delete the folder.
MORE INFORMATION
Typically, this behavior occurs because the existing installation of Windows 2000 was an upgrade from Microsoft Windows 98 and you did not specify installing Windows 2000 in a \%SystemRoot%\Winnt folder. Setup therefore installed Windows 2000 in the same folder where Windows 98 was installed, which is the \%SystemRoot%\Windows folder.
When you now run Setup again for a new installation of Windows 2000, there is no \%SystemRoot%\Winnt folder. Setup creates a \%SystemRoot%\Winnt folder and installs the new copy of Windows 2000 there, without touching the existing installation.
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 10/21/2003 |
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| Keywords: | kbenv kbprb kbsetup KB304895 |
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