Make partition bootable

Question

My 80 GB hard drive started out as the C drive, using Windows 2000. A couple of years ago, I installed Windows XP Home on a new partition “E”, (created using Partition Manager). The system now boots from Partition C, home of Windows 2000.  I get the choice to load Windows 2000 or Windows XP Home, which is in Partition E. (There is a third choice, Windows 200 Professional, which I had installed using an OEM disk, but when Microsoft refused to register it, I started all over and successfully loaded Windows XP Home.)

I always choose XP Home.  Have installed/migrated all applications and data to E and open/access them with XP Home. All has run fine for 2+ yrs using XP Home.  Never use Windows 2000. 

            But I’m running out of space on E.  Used Partition Manager to shrink C and expand E to their respective limits. According to Windows Explorer (Disk Properties), E now has 37.9 GB of used space and 21.6 GB of free space. But I really want more.  C  shows 7.09 GB of used space and 2.71 GB of free space. The 7.09 GB of used space on C consists mainly of C:\WINNT (Size = 3.39, Size on Disk = 3.03) and C:\Program Files\Windows NT (Size = 4.25, Size on Disk = 4.39.

            Really don’t want to move to larger drive.  E is not bootable by itself. It shows only two system operating files, hiberfil.sys and pagefil.sys. The only Boot.ini  is on C (with other system operating files).   Can I safely make E bootable, so that I can delete C and further expand E? If so, how do I make E bootable?

If not, can I safely delete C:\WINNT and C:\Program Files\Windows NT? I will have to use Windows Explorer Delete (or the Delete keyboard key) because the Add/Remove Programs function in Windows 2000 is gone (and intuitively, it seems unlikely that one could uninstall an OS using that OS?

Have searched the net using “ ‘Windows XP’ make partition bootable”, but no luck. Suggestions?  Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi,

·        Which version of Windows 2000 was originally installed on the C: drive?

You may be able to upgrade that version to Windows XP. Upgrade to Windows XP and check. I would suggest you to refer the articles mentioned below.

Windows XP supported upgrade paths

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/292607

Description of the Windows XP Upgrade Advisor

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307726

I would not advise deleting C:\winnt since this was an upgrade from Windows 2000 and there may be joint files.

Thank you and Regards.           

Thahaseena M

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer.

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.