Someone tried to install win2k pro on a fairly old laptop that had nt4 workstation installed. The win2k installation ran into a number of problems mainly hardware conflicts. In my opinion, this machine is too old for 2k, so I decided to leave the machine with nt4.

My problem is that this guy only got so far with the 2k install, so that now each time the machine is booted the install process begins again.

I have removed the reference to 2k from boot.ini and deleted the temp install drive from the C: drive but still each time I boot up the boot menu has win2k option (default). This means the user has to change the option to nt4 in order to boot.

How come it still has the 2k option if I have removed it from boot.ini? Can I get rid of the 2k option permanentlly?

Thanks.

Boot to the NT CD and reinstall NT.

are you sure you've edited the correct version of boot.ini and/or that you have saved the changes to boot.ini (and not for example, boot.ini.txt)?

Doesn't sound as though edited the file correctly; or a perhaps did not save changes afterwards?

U could do a re-install of nt4 - but it shouldn't really be necessary as nt4 does appear to boot OK?

Presuming you can boot OK to nt4 (albeit by manually choosing to from the boot-menu), do so; then set it as default OS to boot (MyComputer\properties\startup/shutdown tab etc...); (leave time to boot to at least 15seconds - perhaps even the default 30seconds?).

Reboot to verify default OS is now nt4. Presuming so (and it should be...) locate/open the boot.ini via Notepad and remove the reference(s) to W2K installation. Save changes to boot.ini and exit.

Make a fresh ERD for nt4; keep safe/current.

The reboot after setting default OS to boot is both confirm you have done that part correctly and, to simplify the process of identifying which line(s) to remove for W2K that are no longer needed. The entry for nt4 will (should) now be the default OS to boot; any W2K entry/entries will be lower down in the boot.ini info... There will be two (almost identical) lines for nt4, and whatever was there for the failed W2K installation. Just be sure to leave the nt4 entries intact.

The nt4 lines; one will refer to "...workstation version 4" - this will the actual full blown bootable/useable version; and one line refers to "...version 4 VGA /basevideo".

If in doubt about what to remove/what to leave - post the boot.ini here (after you have set nt4 as default OS to boot); then 'we' can give you clear indication as to what goes/what stays.

You misedited the boot.ini.

You should have set the default to the NT install and set the timer to 0.

It would automatically boot to NT then without a pause.

I had actually done exactly as you guys described - removed the reference to 2k, made NT the default and set the timer to 0.

So booting is no problem. I was just puzzled that 2k would still show up as an option.

Thanks.

If its still appearing on the menu and the boot.ini file you edited does not have it in, then the file you edited can't be THE boot.ini file (because that's where menu comes from). So, if you want rid of entry, read the posts again and recheck your system/work. You'll likely have missed something - its easily done.

Possibly he edited the boot.ini backup version (which is created when a subsequent boot.ini is created following another/subsequent install of any member of the NT family)?

Otherwise - ???