Preamble;
I have a dual HD system, Drive C has WinXP HE, Drive D was used as Slave for storage. I decided to try Linux so installed it to Drive D. I didn't like it but found I had no idea how to un-install it. My brainwave was to install WinXP onto Drive D thus formatting and cleaning the drive. Then I couldn't un-install windows, so I used McAfee shredder to erase it. I am left with 2 folders , Recycler and System Volume Info both show as empty files but they cannot be deleted.
My problem;
When I reboot I am presented with the "OS choices menu" which still shows 2 x WinXP HE. Is it possible to prevent this?
Phil.Can you boot with your xp disk then delete & recreate the D drive partition?
Then abort the xp install and format d drive.That allowed me to format the disc but I'm still STUCK with the "OS Choices Menu". The problem with that is if I'm not quick enough to select the real version, it trys to load the non existent version. I imagine it's something that requires editting the registry, but I don't KNOW enough about that to try without help.
PhilLoad the real version then press the L-H Windows key and the Pause/Break key to open System Properties. Click on Advanced and then the Settings button in StartUp and Recovery.

Now click on the Edit button top open the boot.ini file.

Carefully remove the line referring to partition (2)

If you are UNSURE, copy and paste your current boot.ini file here.

E.G. Edit....

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

To...

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

Ignore the line...

C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

...if you don't have the Recovery Console installed on the hard-drive.

Great, that cracked it. I had tried editing the boot ini but I didn't have "/noexecute=optin /fastdetect" included.
Thanks for the help Mac.
Phil.My PLEASURE Phil.

Btw, if you have a spare floppy and haven't done this already, copy the boot.ini , ntldr and ntdetect.com files to it as it can get you out of a jam if any of these files are damaged.

Need to unhide them first. When you test the bootfloppy you'll see that it will take you to the hard-drive.Thanks Mac I'll do that.
PhilThank a lot. You helped me with an almost instant wrong OS choice in the OS choices menu by editing the boot.ini