Undo dual boot

[david4]

Hi
posted initially as "Winxp home new install" but have no responses, suspect the title may not be clear enough so will have it under a different heading.
I BELIEVE I HAVE A DUAL BOOT that am not sure how got in.
as mentioned, this is a clean, brand new install from a legit winxp OEM, all is well, BUT
when I start the computer I get this weird OPTION
Select OS and there are two choices A and B
Each is an exact wording for WinXP Home.
I just do not know how in the world got in, I can boot into WinXP using either choice, been A slower than B.
Suggestions.
PS
I reformatted the HD and did a new Win Install from the CD and there is the same choice, so it does not seem to be part of the HD?

 

[Navid]

1)
Right click "My Computer" and "Manage".
In the left pane, click on "Disk management".
What do you see in the right pane?
How many partitions are there?
What are they called?
Which one is "Boot"? Which one is "System"?


2)
Start/Run
Type "msconfig".
Go to the "BOOT.INI" tab.
The active boot.ini file is shown at the top.
Post it here.

 

[david4]

I could not find instructions to attach images so just copied the text, in addition to your two questions I went into My computer/Advanced/ Setup&Recovery item and added.
Sorry for the delay, have one monitor only and have to switch.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Startup and Recovery

"Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"/fastdetect
"Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"/fastdetect
"Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"fastdetect/NoExecute=Optin...

=============================================================================
Computer Management

(C Partition Basic NTFS Healthy System 74.53 GB 71.29 GB 95% No 0%

======================================================================================
System Configuration Utility

timeout=30
default=signature(1e4f7f2f)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS
{operating systems}
signature(1e4f7f2f)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"/fastdetect...
above line is on blue
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"fastdetect/NoExecute=...
=========================================================================================================

 

[Navid]

I could be wrong, but, seems to be a conflict between your last post and your first.
Did you say that you get a different speed depending on which OS to choose at startup?
Are you sure you posted the entire boot.ini file and you did not miss a last line (or two)?

 

[david4]

Yes, the boot.ini is like the one I posted,also is true that selecting either A or B has different speed, A is slower, the screens is gray for a while like takes longer searching for the files while B is faster, almost immediately has the regular Windows screen comeup.
Again the two choices are same OS as far as the title/name

 

[david4]

I was looking at my good computer sys on the boot.ini and can see there is no "signature(1e4f7f2f)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"/fastdetect..."line


"[boot loader]
time out=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multy(0)disk(rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS="Microsoft XP Home Edition"/fastdetect/Noexecute=Optin

 

[Navid]

Is there a second hard drive in your system?


It seems like you installed XP without deleting the previous partition!

If I were you, I would install XP again. But, I would delete the partition as a part of the install. XP CD gives you the option.

 

[david4]

No second hard drive,funny thing is I reinstalled xp as a fresh install and remember been asked about formating so everything should have been erased., this is quite challenging.
David

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: david4
I was looking at my good computer sys on the boot.ini and can see there is no "signature(1e4f7f2f)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"/fastdetect..."line


"[boot loader]
time out=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multy(0)disk(rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS="Microsoft XP Home Edition"/fastdetect/Noexecute=Optin

I can tell you how you can get rid of one of the two options.
But, the puzzle is why one of the two options is slower!
The only way to explain this is that you installed XP over itself. So, now you have two on one partition.
But, if you did format, I don't understand why this happened!
I cannot think of anything else that could have caused this!

 

[david4]

Hi Navid
Well I think I know what was the mystery.
Initially the new MOBO was set to boot to
First=Floppy (I do not have a floppy drive)
Second=HD
Third=CD
that is why I had such a hard time to install Win from the install CD,first try fail and second try with a lot of forcing installed Win.
That is how I had 2 OS, been the first one slow because had some corrupted files?
I could not repair because could not boot from the Win CD and will keep booting from the HD.
I suppose my second attempt to a clean second time install because was doing it from a HD booting, kept the MBR intact from the first install, despite the reformatting.
Anyways I changed the settings on the BIOS to boot from CD as first choice and then to HD as second, reinstalled and now looks good, all is well.
Moral of the story, check the BIOS setup from factory.
Thank you very much for your help.
David