i have a triple boot system which goes as follows c: win2kpro; d: winadvserv ; e:winxp i mostly use my winxp where i have all my files and apps, the other 2 partitions were used for school networking practice, but im done with school and want to erase the first 2 os's and just leave winxp as my one and only os. can someone give me the steps needed to make this happen

What you could do is delete the 2 partitions with your school stuff and leave the 3rd. Then create a partition in place of the 2 you just got rid of. Then you'd have one drive with your winxp and a second drive for whatever else. I believe it'll just format the new partition and not the whole drive.

Try this: Edit the bootloader..Rightclick my computer >> click properties >> advanced >> settings (startup and recovery) >> edit. You should see your boot.ini file open in notepad. Under [boot loader] make sure the default=multi(0)disk(0)...line refers to your WinXP folder. Under [operating systems] remove the other 2 invalid lines for win2kpro and winadvserv. Close the file and save the changes. Then you can delete the win2kpro and winadvserv folders from c: and d: or format the 2 drives from disk management...(Rightclick my computer >> click manage) Goodluck.

A simpler way would be : open windows explorer and if you have the option that allows you to see the system files, open boot.ini with notepad and make sure this is on it but nothing else : [boot loader] timeout=3 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professionnel" /fastdetect assuming you have xp pro let me know:)

The files that tell your computer which operating system to boot when it starts reside in the C: drive. If you format that drive without copying the boot files and then replacing them after the format your computer will not start again. Them files are Boot.ini, Bootsect.dos, Ntldr, Ntdetect.com and, maybe, Ntbootdd.sys for XP/2k.

ectoplasme: Your approach does not remove the unwanted OS installations, nor does it release the space for other use. All it does is allow boot only to XP... frank: ScottB has given you an excellent warning re formatting the c: partition; it would mean the loss of all XP boot-files - thus no access/boot to XP (until you restore them and also the mbr). Sabretooth has alluded to the way to go; but to expand/detail it a little further (and perhaps offer a slight variation) - as you may not be that savvy with tweaking/changing a system as is...? You could: Boot to XP; set the default OS to boot to XP; locate/delete the W2K folder from the drive (c:\winnt - usually); also the pagefile.sys from that c: partition. Then locate/delete the W2KAdvSvr folder from its (d: ) partition (it may be in as d:\winnt), and the pagefile.sys if there is one there as well. You use XP Excplorer to do these deletions. Remember to enable the show all/hidden files option in XP Explorer; otherwise you may not be able to see pagefile.sys in any of the installed OS. Then edit the boot.ini (in c: root) to remove the entries that refer to the now removed/deleted partitions. Reboot to verify you can still access remaining OS (XP) OK; you should be able to - unless you've been a "little" careless... Presuming you can still boot to XP, empty the recycle-bin and defrag both the c: and d: partitions. Job done. By following the above outline, there is no need of reformatting either partiton - especially c: ; although you could 'safely' reformat d: if so wished via XP Admin-Tools/Disk Admin. BUT do NOT reformat c: . If you prefer to simply reformat both c: and d: partitions (remember it will remove all the unrequired OS/info etc. - and the XP boot-files...), then first - copy the ntldr/ntdetect/boot.ini to a fat32 (or fat16) floppy; keep it safe. Then when you have reformatted (as fat32) the c: and d: partitions (via a '98 boot-disk), you copy back the files from the floppy to the c: partition. Next run XP setup\repair option (CD boot or the 6 floppies) and use the "fixmbr" route to restore/rewrite the mbr to XP version. Afterwards you should be able to boot to XP OK. Then boot to XP, set default OS to boot to XP, and edit out references to deleted OS. If c: = ntfs post back if intending to try the reformat of c: route; it may/will not be that straightforward... Personally I can't see any reason to go the reformatting of c : routine.

Hi hockeygirl29, I think you've got some sort of virus or spyware on your computer which loads itself when Windows starts. Can you be specific as to when this message comes up - before or after Windows starts loading? Windows SafeMode can be entered at the very start of the Windows loading process by pressing the F8 button(bit tricky when exactly). You will then get a menu with choices(Boot normally - safemode - vgamode - ...) I'll post this first - I'm trying to remember a suggestion by JohnW about a good program that allows you to check and alter the startup stuff on the next boot. I'll let you know... svg