Clean XP removal

[peekaboo]

I've installed XP on a second HD.
I used it for testing purposes (I'd enter the bios and select that HD whenever I wanted to boot to that installation).
Now I'd like to get rid of the installation but the HD is one partition and I have data on that HD that I do not want to lose.
How do I cleanly (and completely) remove the XP installation from that HD?

[doubledragon5]

Transfer your files to a disk, and then download the hd tools from the manufactures site of the hd and do a zero fill.

[peekaboo]

Originally Posted by doubledragon5 Transfer your files to a disk, and then download the hd tools from the manufactures site of the hd and do a zero fill.

i know i can copy my files to another disk or create a partition and copy the files there and then format the original partition but i was hoping for something a little more elegant.

[glc]

You can't cleanly and completely remove it without a reformat.

[peekaboo]

Originally Posted by glc You can't cleanly and completely remove it without a reformat.

alrighty, format it is.

[Negeva]

Originally Posted by peekaboo I've installed XP on a second HD. I used it for testing purposes (I'd enter the bios and select that HD whenever I wanted to boot to that installation). Now I'd like to get rid of the installation but the HD is one partition and I have data on that HD that I do not want to lose. How do I cleanly (and completely) remove the XP installation from that HD?

If, one understands that correctly you have at least two hdd with XP on each. If so, can't you just edit the boot.ini to remove the drive you don't want and then delete the XP install?

[gods_son_is_me]

Negeva, that's what I was thinking, too.

[peekaboo]

Originally Posted by Negeva If, one understands that correctly you have at least two hdd with XP on each. If so, can't you just edit the boot.ini to remove the drive you don't want and then delete the XP install?

i don't have it set up as dual boot.
i disconnected the other drives when installing the second copy of xp.
when i try to delete the "windows" and "documents and settings" etc folders from that drive, i get an error message and cannot delete them.
when i enable viewing of system files i can see more files but i'm unsure what is from the secondary xp install and what belongs to my main install (on a separate disk). does it all belong to the secondary install?

[glc]

This is why I suggest format.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by peekaboo i disconnected the other drives when installing the second copy of xp. when i try to delete the "windows" and "documents and settings" etc folders from that drive, i get an error message and cannot delete them.

Are you running in Windows install that you're trying to delete things from or from the other hard drive? Windows won't let you "harm" it while it's running.

Originally Posted by peekaboo when i enable viewing of system files i can see more files but i'm unsure what is from the secondary xp install and what belongs to my main install (on a separate disk). does it all belong to the secondary install?

Each installation will be separate...anything done on the first installation will remain with the first installation. Anything done on the second installation will remain with the second installation. They don't cross over because each installation of Windodws doesn't know about the other installation...they're operating independently of each other.

Cricket

[Negeva]

Originally Posted by peekaboo i don't have it set up as dual boot. i disconnected the other drives when installing the second copy of xp. when i try to delete the "windows" and "documents and settings" etc folders from that drive, i get an error message and cannot delete them. when i enable viewing of system files i can see more files but i'm unsure what is from the secondary xp install and what belongs to my main install (on a separate disk). does it all belong to the secondary install?

Ah, that explains a lot. Mistakenly thought you left the second drive in place. Should have worked it out from the BIOS comment that wasn't the case, from the first post. I know many ppl state to remove all drives apart from the one you wish to install on, but I've never had to nor had any issues leaving drives in place.