Am I dumb or what??

Conbon · 04-07-2007, 10:52 AM

Hi,
I thought that I knew a little about installing programs.
Well I installed a new xp application to this computer. I just forgot to uninstall it first!
I was trying to figure out how to uninstall it and couldn't find it in the add/remove programs or any uninstall info for it. Then I thought that the CD would take care of it.
I found out that I couldn't install it , then couldn't delete... that was another option. Then I was able to choose a different partition of the hard drive and so I chose that. Now I have 2 xp applications on my computer and I only want one. How do I uninstall one? Or do I have to uninstall both?
Also, since I couldn't find info about how to uninstall xp, can someone tell me the correct way to do this??

Thank you.......Conbon

Geekgirl · 04-07-2007, 12:38 PM

I am not understanding what you mean when you say

Quote:

Well I installed a new xp application to this computer. I just forgot to uninstall it first!

Are you trying to install a newer version/upggrade?

Try using the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility. As long as you installed the application using the Windows Installer, this utility will remove all the folders, files, registry keys, and entries from your system and allow you to start over with a clean slate.

Download the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
Locate and run msicuu2.exe to install the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility.
Locate and launch the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility on the Start menu.
From the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility window, locate the application in the list and click the Remove button.
Once the application has been removed, click the Exit button to close the utility.

Conbon · 04-07-2007, 12:53 PM

Hi,
Well what I meant was..... I had xp installed originally on this computer. Then I was having problems with the black screen at start up and the error messages all the time, so I decided to reinstall xp home addition.
I wanted to uninstall the xp that was already on it so that I would have a clean slate again but I didn't know how to uninstall it.
So I put the disc in and thought that I could uninstall it that way. Well, it turns out that it wouldn't let me uninstall it, and it wouldn't let me delete it, so I installed another xp application to a different part of the harddrive.
Now I have xp on two partitions, and I want the original one gone.

So, should I back up the registry even if I have another application of xp on the harddrive? I have never backed up the registry before, so I will follow the link that you gave me for that if I need to do it.

Thank you and will be waiting to hear from you soon.
Conbon

Geekgirl · 04-07-2007, 12:59 PM

O now I understand, you should have been able to format the drive and install a fresh copy of XP.
You start the computer up and boot to the cd as before, then you format the partition.
My suggestion would be to start over, format the drive and then you will have only 1 install on the system

Conbon · 04-07-2007, 01:06 PM

So when I put in the cd and it asks me if i want to delete anything , do I?
And should both of the xp applications be in the list to choose from when I go to uninstall?
If so, the only way that I know how to choose, is by the new addition, which the computer named :E

Geekgirl · 04-07-2007, 01:14 PM

Start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM. To do this, insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD drive or DVD drive, and then restart your computer.
2. When you see the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press any key to start the computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.
3. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to start Windows XP Setup.
4. Read the End-User License Agreement, and then press F8.
5. Follow the instructions on the screen to select and format a partition where you want to install Windows XP.
6. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Windows XP Setup.

Conbon · 04-07-2007, 01:32 PM

Ok, I understand how to do the install, but what about taking off one of the applications of xp? How do I delete one?

~~Girderman~~ · 04-07-2007, 01:44 PM

Okay, here's the thing you need to know.

You had a choice to either do a New Install or a Repair Install, and you chose a New Install.

Then you were given a choice to overwrite the existing installation or start a new one and you chose #2. That is how you got two installations.

Next time, pay closer attention the menu choices. When it asks, pick a NEW Installation (and not a Repair). Then it will ask if you want a format; pick "YES". XP will automatically format the HD and do a New Install on a fresh HD. Note you will lost ALL data, so make sure to back up anything you don't want to lose forever.

EDIT***
On re-reading my post I am not so sure about exactly how the options are presented, but the ideas are still valid. You want a New Install, you want to overwrite the existing one(s) it finds, and you want a format. Those are the basic ideas...

Also, it's a REAL good idea to run a very good AV scan like Trendmicro or Kaspersky before doing this, as there are some types of malware that can survive a format and can interfere with a New Install. Same thing for running "chkdsk" as HD errors can also corrupt a New Install and it will have problems forever. I am speaking from personal experience here.

You can access Chkdsk from Start>run and then type "chkdsk /f" and select "Yes" when it asks if it can run at next Start.

After you reboot, check the chkdsk log ("C:\chkdsk.log" is usually where it is...) and make sure there were NO errors. If not, then go ahead with format & reinstall. If there were errors, run the chkdsk again and keep doing so until there are NO errors. If there are chronic errors, that is a sign of a failing HD and it is not worth the risk of trying the re-install, and you should plan on buying a new HD in the near future...

Good Luck

dai · 04-07-2007, 08:41 PM

just format the original partition and as the the boot sector is on that partition you will have to boot into the recovery console and run fixboot afterwards to get the second install to boot
or as said above format the whole drive and reinstall again

04-07-2007, 10:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
Conbon Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 47 OS: XP home addition upgrade	Am I dumb or what?? Hi, I thought that I knew a little about installing programs. Well I installed a new xp application to this computer. I just forgot to uninstall it first! I was trying to figure out how to uninstall it and couldn't find it in the add/remove programs or any uninstall info for it. Then I thought that the CD would take care of it. I found out that I couldn't install it , then couldn't delete... that was another option. Then I was able to choose a different partition of the hard drive and so I chose that. Now I have 2 xp applications on my computer and I only want one. How do I uninstall one? Or do I have to uninstall both? Also, since I couldn't find info about how to uninstall xp, can someone tell me the correct way to do this?? Thank you.......Conbon

04-07-2007, 12:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
Conbon Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 47 OS: XP home addition upgrade	Re: Am I dumb or what?? Hi, Well what I meant was..... I had xp installed originally on this computer. Then I was having problems with the black screen at start up and the error messages all the time, so I decided to reinstall xp home addition. I wanted to uninstall the xp that was already on it so that I would have a clean slate again but I didn't know how to uninstall it. So I put the disc in and thought that I could uninstall it that way. Well, it turns out that it wouldn't let me uninstall it, and it wouldn't let me delete it, so I installed another xp application to a different part of the harddrive. Now I have xp on two partitions, and I want the original one gone. So, should I back up the registry even if I have another application of xp on the harddrive? I have never backed up the registry before, so I will follow the link that you gave me for that if I need to do it. Thank you and will be waiting to hear from you soon. Conbon

04-07-2007, 12:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
Geekgirl Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 12,404 OS: 98SE/WinXP Home/WinXP Pro Blog Entries: 1	Re: Am I dumb or what?? O now I understand, you should have been able to format the drive and install a fresh copy of XP. You start the computer up and boot to the cd as before, then you format the partition. My suggestion would be to start over, format the drive and then you will have only 1 install on the system __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM

04-07-2007, 01:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
Conbon Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 47 OS: XP home addition upgrade	Re: Am I dumb or what?? So when I put in the cd and it asks me if i want to delete anything , do I? And should both of the xp applications be in the list to choose from when I go to uninstall? If so, the only way that I know how to choose, is by the new addition, which the computer named :E

04-07-2007, 01:14 PM	#6 (permalink)
Geekgirl Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 12,404 OS: 98SE/WinXP Home/WinXP Pro Blog Entries: 1	Re: Am I dumb or what?? Start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM. To do this, insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD drive or DVD drive, and then restart your computer. 2. When you see the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press any key to start the computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM. 3. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to start Windows XP Setup. 4. Read the End-User License Agreement, and then press F8. 5. Follow the instructions on the screen to select and format a partition where you want to install Windows XP. 6. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Windows XP Setup. __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM

04-07-2007, 01:32 PM	#7 (permalink)
Conbon Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 47 OS: XP home addition upgrade	Re: Am I dumb or what?? Ok, I understand how to do the install, but what about taking off one of the applications of xp? How do I delete one?

04-07-2007, 01:44 PM	#8 (permalink)
~~Girderman~~ Register user Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,096 OS: XP Pro	Re: Am I dumb or what?? Okay, here's the thing you need to know. You had a choice to either do a New Install or a Repair Install, and you chose a New Install. Then you were given a choice to overwrite the existing installation or start a new one and you chose #2. That is how you got two installations. Next time, pay closer attention the menu choices. When it asks, pick a NEW Installation (and not a Repair). Then it will ask if you want a format; pick "YES". XP will automatically format the HD and do a New Install on a fresh HD. Note you will lost ALL data, so make sure to back up anything you don't want to lose forever. EDIT*** On re-reading my post I am not so sure about exactly how the options are presented, but the ideas are still valid. You want a New Install, you want to overwrite the existing one(s) it finds, and you want a format. Those are the basic ideas... Also, it's a REAL good idea to run a very good AV scan like Trendmicro or Kaspersky before doing this, as there are some types of malware that can survive a format and can interfere with a New Install. Same thing for running "chkdsk" as HD errors can also corrupt a New Install and it will have problems forever. I am speaking from personal experience here. You can access Chkdsk from Start>run and then type "chkdsk /f" and select "Yes" when it asks if it can run at next Start. After you reboot, check the chkdsk log ("C:\chkdsk.log" is usually where it is...) and make sure there were NO errors. If not, then go ahead with format & reinstall. If there were errors, run the chkdsk again and keep doing so until there are NO errors. If there are chronic errors, that is a sign of a failing HD and it is not worth the risk of trying the re-install, and you should plan on buying a new HD in the near future... Good Luck Last edited by Girderman : 04-07-2007 at 01:46 PM.

04-07-2007, 08:41 PM	#9 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 44,112 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: Am I dumb or what?? just format the original partition and as the the boot sector is on that partition you will have to boot into the recovery console and run fixboot afterwards to get the second install to boot or as said above format the whole drive and reinstall again __________________