I have a computer with XP home on it. I want to format and re-install XP home. Installation goes fine until after setup files are copied onto the hard disk. When the computer restarts it asks me which OS I want to boot, and I have a choice between 2 XP home editions, one of which does not work, and the other is the installation I recently started. I don't understand why it is giving me the option to boot off an OS that is not there, even after the drive has been formated.

Does anyone have any insight as to why this happened?

I used a dell installation disk of XP home because I thought the version on the drive was also a dell install, but I might have been wrong. I'm not even sure if it matters that I used a dell xp home installation disk instead of a normal Microsoft xp home cd.

Would it make a difference if the drive had an install from a Microsoft XP home disk, then I used a dell XP home disk to try and format and install xp again?

Thanks if you can help, if you don't understand I can try and clarify.

The setup program has identified another installation on the system somehow. If you don't want any data off this system then the best thing to do is to wipe the drive and start again.

Is the computer a dell? If it is you should use the Dell re-installation CD if you have it. This should warn you that the computer will be reset to factory configuration and so wipe the disk correctly for you.

If you don't have a Dell PC then don't use the dell disk - it won't work most probably. This could be the cause of the problem you're seeing. Use a standard Installation disk.

When you start the installation you should come to a point where you can use an existing drive or delete it and re-create the partitiion. Delete the partition and re-create it. This is the only way to ensure all previous OS files are removed.

Good Luck!

Most newest computers have 'hidden' partitions on which the installation software is pre-installed. Even if you think you re-partitoned and formatted, it might still be in this hidden area. Then when you install an operating system on it this might think that you now have two operating systems on purpose and will ask you which one to use as the newest PC will allow you to 'dual boot'. If you wipe everything off the entire PC, make certain that you have registered it before and have the site where your make and model are from and all the serial/model and product numbers, as you will then need to download all the original needed driver software for the hardware that came with your particular PC, maybe that's why one of the XP versions don't work. Learned the hard way with a Sony Vaio notebook, Boy was that fun. And No, it should not make a difference where the operating system came from, it would be just the appropriate driver issue as mentioned above, AND as long as you own the originals and have them all authenticated. Good Luck.

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Originally Posted by giantrobotz

I have a computer with XP home on it. I want to format and re-install XP home. Installation goes fine untill after setup files are copied onto the hard disk. When the computer restarts it asks me which OS I want to boot, and I have a choice between 2 XP home editions, one of which does not work, and the other is the installation I recently started. I don't understand why it is giving me the option to boot off an OS that is not there, even after the drive has been formated.

Does anyone have any insight as to why this happened?

I used a dell installation disk of XP home because I thought the version on the drive was also a dell install, but I might have been wrong. I'm not even sure if it matters that I used a dell xp home installation disk instead of a normal microsoft xp home cd.

Would it make a difference if the drive had an install from a Microsoft XP home disk, then I used a dell XP home disk to try and format and install xp again?

Thanks if you can help, if you don't understand I can try and clarify.

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I agree with backing up the device drivers for your system - makes it much easier to re-install if you don't have the disks. However, saying that a newly formatted C: drive will somehow want to boot from a hidden recovery partition is wrong. All PCs read the initial boot information from C drive and then go and find the files needed to boot the OS wherever they may be! (unless you use a Boot floppy/CD/etc) Therefore if you wipe the C drive properly no other partitions will be able to boot unless they re-establish their link on the c drive.

Recovery partitions hold the necessary files to re-install an operating system in a location the average user cannot find. A brilliant idea in my opinion but they don't boot themselves!

Hello Stu, have not heard from you until today, nice to meet you. But I don't think this problem is solved yet. Is there a step by step easy language way of helping? Now what I'm about to say is not personally directed towards you! Maybe some others feel the same way...

Talking about brilliant ideas; I hate to be treated like a child when it comes to spending money in purchasing a computer without the CDs that should come with it. I like to format and partition my property my way and not have some professional think he/she is doing me a favor by pre-installing the software on my property. Then also adding totally unwanted crap that reinstalls itself when you have to do a full system recovery. I don't use Quicken, Works, MovieMaker, etc. I want control of what is installed! I was grown up enough to choose a brand, I think I'm grown up enough to choose what I don't want to take up space on my property. I enjoyed the days when I bought a PC with the most current OS on the CD only.

Also hate explanations that are short and so cut and dry that for beginners does not do anything but turn them off from asking any more questions. I'm a former instructor in several application courses and I'd rather explain more so that newbies can see the picture to be able to enjoy the work I required from them, and am sure it's the same with people new to PCs. Not everyone is born with knowledge in technology or has the time to read a lot of literature, that's why most join forums and ask questions to get answers they can understand as in a picture. And just because some of us are females does not mean we can't comprehend. I could have quoted books, sent links, and gotten just plain technical, but sometimes a little more involved explaining helps too. So all you guys, please remember that you were once beginners too.

Don't mean to offend anyone, but I just had to say it. Because not everyone is a professional in this area, and I know I'm not, but still willing to learn.

Hi Chery,

Thanks for the response, I appreciate your point of view on this, it makes for a more interesting site to have different opinions. Here's my (friendly) response :)

I agree with your opinion that recovery partitions do install lots of crap you might not want. I don't buy branded kit myself as I usually self-build it and install what I want on the PC. However, the recovery partition/recovery cd's are a godsend. Why do I say this? Simply because for every one of you and me that know a little about computers there are many more who don't care and just want them to work. Especially for the home computer market! If your computer gets fouled up with spyware/adware/viruses etc and you don't have a clue what to do, you can try forums for help but if that fails you can revert to your recovery system. As long as the user knows how to save the documents they need they can have the system back to its "factory state" and working again. This is why it's a brilliant idea - it brings easy recovery to the masses!

As for the technical explanation, I don't think my first post was too technical, maybe too brief, but I personally prefer to give an outline of required tasks and allow the questioner to attempt the solution. In my opinion step by step instructions can be both difficult to get absolutely correct and of no instructional value to the user as they just do everything as told without trying to understand the process.

I am always happy for the questioner to come back with another question based on previous advice.

I'm not sure where your comment about females not being able to comprehend comes from, I don't recall intimating this. Far from it, I wish there were more females in the industry :cool:

The second response I made was more technical, this is because it was directed at your comments as a more technical post. I just wanted to explain why the system wouldn't boot from a recovery partition.

Hope we can be friends :D

Anyway, Giantrobotz, how are you doing with this problem. Please say if you would like me to either shut up or explain more :rolleyes:

Hi Stu, I never meant not to be friends and still don't feel we have anything to argue about. My 'female' issue was not directed towards you at all, just like the whole 'soapbox' bit of mine. I just had something to say and this, I felt, was the chance, that's all. I also have a lot of friends that just want me to 'tune it' so they can 'drive it' and not interested in the how's and whys, so I know the feeling.
Hoping for more interaction in the future! Thanks for being the sounding board on this one and responding... ;)

Steve Bass writes for PC World and maybe he might have some answers, here is a link and an email address you can try. Good Luck.




Steve Bass writes the "Hassle-Free PC" column in PC World's print edition and is the author of "PC Annoyances, 2nd Edition: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things About Your Personal Computer," available from O'Reilly:
http://find.pcworld.com/43818 Steve Bass is busy with a dozen DIY projects. You can e-mail him, but don't expect an answer right away. Here's his address:
[email protected]

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Originally Posted by giantrobotz

I have a computer with XP home on it. I want to format and re-install XP home. Installation goes fine untill after setup files are copied onto the hard disk. When the computer restarts it asks me which OS I want to boot, and I have a choice between 2 XP home editions, one of which does not work, and the other is the installation I recently started. I don't understand why it is giving me the option to boot off an OS that is not there, even after the drive has been formated.

Does anyone have any insight as to why this happened?

I used a dell installation disk of XP home because I thought the version on the drive was also a dell install, but I might have been wrong. I'm not even sure if it matters that I used a dell xp home installation disk instead of a normal microsoft xp home cd.

Would it make a difference if the drive had an install from a Microsoft XP home disk, then I used a dell XP home disk to try and format and install xp again?

Thanks if you can help, if you don't understand I can try and clarify.

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Getting back to your problem, it sounds like when you installed you didn't do a clean install thereby installing 2 versions. This also resulted in a boot.ini file to give you a choice of which one. I agree with Stu that you would be better off starting from scratch.

Hey scott! I knew I could count on you, what took you so long? As always, you hit it right on the mark.

Thanks for your help.
I had assumed the operating system on the drive was installed using a dell cd, and later found out it wasn't. Formatting and re-installing using an official xp home cd fixed it.

Thanks again.