Erasing Partition

[cucolinwin]

Hi guys, I have 2 partitions Win2000 and WinXP. I want to get rid of win2k, and only log in the winxp partition. I know how to edit the .ini file. So should I just erase everything in the win2k partition which is C:, do I have to move the WINNT folder to the G:(winxp partition)? Can I format drive C: and able to boot normally to the winxp? I have partition magic, will this do the trick? Please let me know if any ideas!

Thank you very much...

[jaclaz]

cucolinwin,

what you want to do might be risky business, if you don't do it properly.

First thing, the partition seen as "C:" drive is most probably the BOOT partition, and should be a "Primary" type one and marked as "Active".

The partition seens as "G:" drive is most probably a "Logical" volume inside an Extended Partition.

If you want to simply keep C: and G: like they are now it is quite simple:

1) Make sure that on C: drive there exist (you might need to select "Show hidden and System files" in Explorer):

a) BOOT.INI

b) NTLDR

c) NTDETECT.COM

d) (only if you have a SCSI HD) NTBOOTDD.SYS

See here for reference:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25365

Open BOOT.INI in notepad, you should have a line like this:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

and another one like this:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional"

Depending on which OS is preselected, you will have also a line like this:

Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT

OR like this:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

Once you have DOUBLE CHECKED that you need NOONE of the files on C: drive, you can delete everything BUT the three (or four) files listed above.

Than you can delete from the BOOT.INI file the line referencing the unneeded OS, making sure that the "Default=" line points to the remaining OS.

If you want to make just one big partition, the procedure is MUCH more complex, involving the use of partition magic or similar utility and editing the Registry, if you decide you want to do this, I can give you some hints, but in both procedures a SINGLE error might render the system UNBOOTABLE.

Fact is that some links in the Registry point to G:, so that if you make just one partition or move the XP files, the partition will became C:.

Have a look at these articles for reference:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q223188/

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...;249321&sd=tech

http://www.petri.co.il/change_system_drive..._windows_xp.htm

http://www.michna.com/kb/WxMove.htm

jaclaz