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Remove Windows 9x/Me from Dual-Boot with XP or 2000
Last reviewed: February 2009
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This page describes how to remove Windows 95, 98, 98SE, or Millennium from a dual-boot with Windows XP, or 2000. This will result will in a single Windows (XP/2K) system that boots normally without a boot menu. The hard disk space currently allocated to the Windows 9x/Me will then be available for use under the retained Windows XP/2K.
Do not use these instructions if you use a third-party boot utility like BootMagic. The instructions presume you have a natural dual-boot - in this situation, the boot files for the two Windows are all on the first FAT or FAT32 partition and the Windows boot loader (NTLDR) controls the boot menu. This first FAT/32 partition is also the Active drive and has a boot sector for Windows XP or 2000.
Note: In methods #1 and #2, the Windows XP/2K installation should remain on its present partition/drive. If you have a partition utility like PartitionMagic, you can later resize the original Win9x drive to about 300-500 MB, but the current Win9x partition should remain. Method #3 totally removes the Win9x/Me partition but is not suitable for all users. In all three methods the drive letter currently allocated to Windows XP/2K will remain unaltered and this is highly recommended.
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METHOD #1: Remove Win9x/Me & Keep XP/2000 (no Format of Win9x drive)
You just make XP/2K/NT the Default OS. Then edit Boot.ini to remove the Win 9x line. XP/2K/NT will now boot directly. The Win 9x directory can then be deleted.
Do not use System or Msconfig to disable the Win9x - that's unsatisfactory.
Example: Uninstall Windows 9x from a Dual-Boot with XP: (2K/NT are similar)
Tip: Uninstall any Win9x-only software.
Tip: Create a temporary Rescue Boot Disk for your current situation (1 floppy disk).
- Bootup to XP.
- Backup C:\Boot.ini
- Go to Control Panel > System > Advanced tab.
In Startup and Recovery, click Settings.
In Default operating system:, select Microsoft Windows XP (or 2000).
- Click the Edit button to edit the startup options file (Boot.ini) manually, and
delete the Win9x line [C:\="Microsoft Windows 9x"].
Click File, and then Save, to save Boot.ini.
- Reboot. Only XP will boot from now on.
Delete the Win9x installation directory (usually C:\Windows) and any non-essential Win9x data.
Delete the Win9x boot files on C: - Io.sys & Msdos.sys (Hidden files) & Command.com.
When all is satisfactory, create a new Rescue Boot Disk to reflect your new situation.
Warning: Do not Format the partition containing Boot.ini.
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METHOD #2: Remove Win9x/Me & Keep XP/2000 (with Format of Win9x drive)
Warning: This method deletes all data on the Win9x partition (C:) so backup any vital data from there first!
Warning: Use Methods #1 or #3 if the first partition uses the NTFS file system.
- Make sure you can boot from a bootable CD (read How to Boot from a bootable CD).
You need a floppy drive, an empty formatted floppy, any Win98 boot disk, and any Windows XP/2000 CD that gives access to the Recovery Console on bootup.
- Bootup to XP/2K.
- Go to Control Panel > System > Advanced tab.
In Startup and Recovery, click Settings.
In Default operating system:, select Microsoft Windows XP (or 2000) if not already selected.
Now click the Edit button to edit the startup options file (Boot.ini) manually, and
delete the Win9x line [C:\="Microsoft Windows 9x"].
Click File, and then Save, and then close Boot.ini.
- Copy the hidden XP/2K boot files from root of Win9x drive to a blank formatted floppy.
These files are Boot.ini, NTLDR, Ntdetect.com, and also Ntbootdd.sys if it's present
(you must also copy Arcldr.exe and Arcsetup.exe if using Windows 2000).
- Remove the Attributes of those files on 'that' floppy by typing in
ATTRIB -r -s -h A:\*.* from a Command Prompt (Start > Programs > Accessories >).
Remove 'that' floppy.
- Bootup from a Win98/Me boot disk.
- Type in (and then press [Enter])
FORMAT C: /Q
When Format is finished, replace the boot disk with 'that' floppy, and
copy the saved boot files from 'that' floppy back to the C: drive, using
COPY A:\*.* C:
Reinsert your Win9x boot disk, and type
ATTRIB +r +s +h C:\*.*
- Bootup from your XP/2K CD, and press R (and then C for 2K) to open the Recovery Console.
- Log onto your installed Windows XP/2K (press Enter for Password unless you have one).
- Type in: (press [Enter] after each)
MAP
and identify the drive letter allocated to the Win9x partition.
FIXBOOT C:
(where C: is the letter just identified).
Press Y and [Enter] to confirm.
EXIT
- Reboot. You will boot directly into Windows XP or 2000 without any boot menu.
- When all is satisfactory, create a new Rescue Boot Disk to reflect your new situation
Never delete those boot files on the FAT/32 partition.
You can delete the Win9x installation directory if it was not on the first FAT/32 partition.
If you wish to execute a fresh install of Win9x/Me, follow the instructions at:
Install Win9x/Me on a Windows XP/2K/NT system that uses NTFS
or
Install Win Me/98/95b,c on XP/2K (FAT/32)
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METHOD #3: Remove Win9x/Me & Keep XP/2000 (remove the Win9x drive)
Caution: This method removes the Windows 9x/Me partition permanently so backup any vital data from there first!
Caution: These instructions assume Windows XP/2000 is on the first NTFS partition of the first hard disk.
This method works just fine but is recommended only if your Windows XP uses the C: drive letter when booted. Read Warning below.
The Windows XP partition will be made Active, given the boot files, and resized (larger) to include all of the Windows 9x/Me partition. The drive letter currently allocated to the Windows XP partition will remain unchanged.
Note: If your Windows XP/2000 was installed after your Win9x/Me installation, then XP/2K should not have C: as its installation drive/partition. Otherwise both operating systems may use C: when booted. To avoid possible confusion, these instructions will use 'W9x' and 'Wxp' to identify which drive is being referred to. A drive's size is also an important identification factor.
- Boot Windows XP
- Label the Win9x drive W9x, and label the Windows XP drive Wxp - you can use right-click in Windows Explorer to label.
- Copy the hidden XP/2K boot files from root of W9x: drive to root of Wxp:
These files are Boot.ini, NTLDR, Ntdetect.com, and also Ntbootdd.sys if it's present
(you must also copy Arcldr.exe and Arcsetup.exe if using Windows 2000).
- Edit the Boot.ini that's on Wxp(): in Notepad:
Set Default to default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS (or \WINNT for Windows 2000)
- note the 1 (number one) in partition()
and, in the line under [operating systems], change the partition(?) to partition(1).
Now delete the line C:\="Microsoft Windows" (it's the line that calls Win9x/Me).
Save this Boot.ini back to Wxp():
- Open Disk Management
Skip the next step if Wxp(): is a Primary partition and 'Mark Partition as Active' is an option when Wxp() is right-clicked.
- Boot to PartitionMagic or your own partition management utility.
- Convert Wxp(): from Logical to Primary partition and click Apply.
- Reboot back to Windows XP and go back to Disk Management.
- With Windows XP booted and in Disk Management:
- Right-click Wxp():, select Mark partition as Active, and click Yes.
- Right-click W9x():, select Delete partition, and click Yes
(click OK for 'The partition number ... has changed ...').
- Boot to PartitionMagic.
- Resize the NTFS partition to include all the disk space that was used by W9x. Click Apply.
- Boot to Windows XP.
- Reboot again when requested ('Windows has finished installing new devices ...') - it's adjusting to changed disk geometry.
Windows XP/2000, plus installed software, will function exactly as previously.
Your retained Windows will retain its original drive letter.
You will not need to run FIXBOOT from the Recovery Console unless unknown factors are involved.
Warning:
The following warning does not apply if your Windows XP currently uses C: as its drive letter.
Many tests using Method #3 were always successful. The end state even survived a later test Repair installation of Windows XP, i.e. if XP had been on drive E:, it remained on E: after a Repair install and everything continued to function normally.
However, further testing showed that if you need to remove a partition preceding the XP partition and then later repair the MBR (using FIXMBR or FDISK /MBR), the drive letter allocated to Windows XP will be changed to C:. You would then have to execute a Repair installation to get XP booting again and also use PartitionMagic's Drive Mapper (or a similar utility) to change the drive letter of your installed software to C: and you'll probably need to re-register XP again and maybe reinstall some software.
Most users will never need to repair the MBR but you should be aware of this issue.
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