Help with dual boot

[freewheeling]

Hi:

I have two hard drives, and the XP installation on one of the drives
crashed. I tried everything I could to salvage it, but eventually gave
up and reinstalled on another disk. (Drive H). But even though one of
the installations doesn't work I still get a dual boot situation, and
can't access my personal files on the other drive. In general I'm not
too concerned about my personal files, because most of the stuff that's
important was duplicated in a portable folder on a thumb drive. But I
would like to reclaim the disk with the original boot so I can use it
for something else, and would like to get rid of the dual boot situation.

First, is there an easy way to modify the dual boot config and at least
set it up so that it autoboots to the installation that actually works?
Second, is there a way to ultimately delete the installation that
doesn't work, and get rid of the dual boot and reformat that drive?
Finally, is there any way to reclaim those files that I can't access
because of personal security before reformatting, or are those lost?

[Galen]

In ,
freewheeling had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

> Hi:
>
> I have two hard drives, and the XP installation on one of the drives
> crashed. I tried everything I could to salvage it, but eventually gave
> up and reinstalled on another disk. (Drive H). But even though one of
> the installations doesn't work I still get a dual boot situation, and
> can't access my personal files on the other drive. In general I'm not
> too concerned about my personal files, because most of the stuff that's
> important was duplicated in a portable folder on a thumb drive. But I
> would like to reclaim the disk with the original boot so I can use it
> for something else, and would like to get rid of the dual boot situation.
>
> First, is there an easy way to modify the dual boot config and at least
> set it up so that it autoboots to the installation that actually works?
> Second, is there a way to ultimately delete the installation that
> doesn't work, and get rid of the dual boot and reformat that drive?
> Finally, is there any way to reclaim those files that I can't access
> because of personal security before reformatting, or are those lost?

Take owenership:

How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

Move the files.

Delete the old installation.

Fix the boot.ini:

Repairing a Multi-Boot:
http://kgiii.info/windows/XP/general/repair_multi-boot.html

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/ http://kgiii.info/

"Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and its
solution is its own
reward." - Sherlock Holmes

[freewheeling]

Galen wrote:
> In ,
> freewheeling had this to say:
>
> My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:
>
>> Hi:
>>
>> I have two hard drives, and the XP installation on one of the drives
>> crashed. I tried everything I could to salvage it, but eventually gave
>> up and reinstalled on another disk. (Drive H). But even though one of
>> the installations doesn't work I still get a dual boot situation, and
>> can't access my personal files on the other drive. In general I'm not
>> too concerned about my personal files, because most of the stuff that's
>> important was duplicated in a portable folder on a thumb drive. But I
>> would like to reclaim the disk with the original boot so I can use it
>> for something else, and would like to get rid of the dual boot situation.
>>
>> First, is there an easy way to modify the dual boot config and at least
>> set it up so that it autoboots to the installation that actually works?
>> Second, is there a way to ultimately delete the installation that
>> doesn't work, and get rid of the dual boot and reformat that drive?
>> Finally, is there any way to reclaim those files that I can't access
>> because of personal security before reformatting, or are those lost?
>
> Take owenership:
>
> How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421
>
> Move the files.
>
> Delete the old installation.
>
> Fix the boot.ini:
>
> Repairing a Multi-Boot:
> http://kgiii.info/windows/XP/general/repair_multi-boot.html
>
Thanks!