Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : Getting rid of WinME. How?


Fresny
November 1st, 2003, 05:23 AM
Hello all,

I have a C-drive with WinME (primary), and a D-drive with WinXP (dual-boot). I want to get rid of WinME. So... I've read that first I need to edit Boot.ini, make XP default, change time-out into 0, delete line with WinME, and then?? :confused: I'm not allowed to format my C-drive because it contains the boot-info, right? Is Boot.ini the only document I need to keep on C?
Another small question: will XP on D have problems when I delete my C:\WINDOWS folder? :eek:

Thanks in advance for the help. :rolleyes:

Waldo2k2
November 5th, 2003, 11:36 PM
Well the last time I wiped out a dual boot it was with 2k/linux...and I just reloaded the bootloader so I didn't have to worry about whether the format screwed it up or not...but here's what you do:
Edit boot.ini as you've mentioned, you seem to know what to do.
Go into XP, Delete everything in C:\ except for the boot files and anything that looks like it might be a DOS boot file (never know if it'll need it or not, I don't know exactly how your comp was set up). So now you have an empty drive with just the boot files. Run defrag on that drive, it's the same as if you formatted it, only now you still have your boot files.
Deleting your C:\windows will have no effect on your xp install whatsoever, the only thing I can think of it hurting is if you installed stuff to the C drive that XP has links to (installed it from xp onto the c drive). If not, then you're golden. Good luck.

Fresny
November 6th, 2003, 02:36 AM
Thank you Waldo2k2, that s a very clear answer :D
I ll do it right away :)

hometown
November 6th, 2003, 09:13 AM
I also want to stop using WinMe but I dont know what to do...:(
Where is that boot.ini ? I searched but found nothing....

Thanks,

Hometown

hometown
November 6th, 2003, 09:18 AM
By the way, I dont know how to read an .ini file, could you tell me how or where i can find materials as tutorials ?
Thanks so much...

Hometown

Waldo2k2
November 6th, 2003, 11:41 AM
First of all, open up windows explorer.
Go to (view or tools, can't remember which one), folder options, and under one of the tabs it has a bunch of radio buttons for options. Choose to view hidden files and folders, and if neccessary, protected system files if it's an option.
Now navigate to the root of C:, if the files still aren't there, then check D:, xp may have made that drive the master boot drive. so if the files are on C:, go into xp, control panel, system, advanced tab, startup and recovery. Make xp the default OS, set the timer to 0. That will edit the file for you.
BTW ini files are just text files, and they're pretty straightforward if you just open one up you'll figure it out.

So, recap, if the boot files were on C: do as I said earlier...if they were on D:, then you can just format C:.
To check for sure, open up your computer case. Unhook drive C:.
If you can boot into xp from your OS choices, then the boot files were on D: and it's safe to format C:. If not, don't format C:, use hte instructions i gave earlier. Good luck.