Unfortunately I have had to reinstall MS Windows twice and now have three copies on my hard drive, can anyone tell me how to effectively delete/uninstall the two older copies not being used from my hard drive without upsetting the root system?

Which version of Windows?

Are they all working copies?

Are they installed on the same partition?

Have you made a recent backup anyway?

I'm sorry I forgot to add that it is Windows XP. Yes they are all on the same C drive and working copies. I have backed up all my information in My Doc's etc but not the whole drive. I have to say that I am only a novice in computers. Than you for your interest.

Test your backups and then try this:

to find out where your install's are running from click start -> run -> type "cmd" and press return. This opens a command prompt window (black).

type "cd %systemroot%" (without the quote marks) and press return. This tells you where the system files are for the current version of windows that you are logged into.

you will get something like c:\winnt> or c:\windows>

Make sure all the locations are different by logging into each instance of windows and running that command.

Then log into the one you want to keep and delete the other two folders.

Once you have done this you will have to edit the boot.ini file to remove references to deleted operating systems.

Open another command prompt (start -> run -> type "cmd" and press return)

Type "CD\" without quotes

type "attrib boot.ini -s -h -r" without quotes & press return

this removes the protection from this (VERY IMPORTANT) system file! It will have to be re-applied later. Don't close this window for now!

Open my computer, open c: drive, double click boot.ini to edit it.

you will see three lines that look similar to this:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

the section within the quotes is the choice you see at startup. Change the entry to include 1,2 & 3 so you know which you are booting to.

click file and save once you have done this. Close the document.

Go back to your command prompt window by clicking it.

Re apply the attributes to boot.ini using the following command

"attrib boot.ini +s +h +r" & press return
close the command prompt by typing "exit" & press return.

Re-start your computer and note which choice works!

Then repeat the steps above to edit boot.ini and remove the now invalid entries from the list, you will have to remove the entire line e.g.

"multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="mult i(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS=" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn"

Hi,
Very Good Answer, StuMegu!!
fredg