windows question--did something stupid

[vusteveii]

ok...i was going to upgrade from win98 to xp and put in my disc and went through the first part of the install where it goes and restarts your computer, but i had second thoughts about the upgrade and decided i wanted to stick with 98 for the time being.  Now everytime i boot the computer up it wants me to put the xp disc in so it can upgrade or scroll down and boot 98.  choosing 98 works like a charm, but how do i make it forget about the upgrade?

also...what is the prefered os for a cab anyway, i had my second thoughts when reading about some sort of dual mouse problem with xp.  When they get released i plan on buying two of the act labs tv guns.

steve

[slug54]

Warning: This could render your OS non-bootable, Use at your own risk.

I think you can boot a 98 floppy that you have copied the sys.com file to, from the a: prompt type SYS C:
then remove the floppy and reboot.

If that doesn't do it I think you have to edit a hidden file called boot.ini

                     Good luck

                      Slug

[Spaced Invader]

Don't think there is a clean way out of that...gonna be stray files all over the place even if you manage to take the boot process back from XP. I'm interested to see how this is resolved...keep us updated.  

[helios]

Spaced Invader is right--Even if you do remove the dual boot, there will still be stray files. If you wanna remove anyways, here goes-- Boot into Win 98, and open up 'boot.ini', which should be located in your "windows", or "windows/system32" folder--can't remember for 98 (may be a hidden file). Once it is open (in notepad) you should see something like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Win98" /fastdetect

I hope that shows up fine up there--you may have to maximize the screen. In any case, delete the line for Windows XP (multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="WinXP" /fastdetect). This will stop the dual boot from happening. If you don't want to remove this, you could switch the lines, (Win98 to top, WinXp to bottom) and then set the timeout to 2 seconds. Either way, this should solve the boot problem. Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

[P-Funk]

It's been a long time, but what about:

boot off of a boot disk with fdisk on it and type:
fdisk /mbr

Wont that wipe the master boot record.  Which will rebuild itself on the next reboot?

Like I said, its been a while since I messed with this so I may be wrong.  Anyone?

[SirPeale]

It's been a long time, but what about:

boot off of a boot disk with fdisk on it and type:
fdisk /mbr

Wont that wipe the master boot record.  Which will rebuild itself on the next reboot?

Like I said, its been a while since I messed with this so I may be wrong.  Anyone?

This only replaces the master boot record.  It won't help in this case.  What helios says is the correct way to do this.

[paigeoliver]

The "Right" OS to use on a cabinet really depends on the computer you are using. I used to use Win 2K on my handmade cocktail. My old Pac-Mame used Windows 95. I chose Windows 98 for my Artic Mini Mame, but only because I couldn't find my Windows 95 OSR2 CDROM. I am currently using Win 98 on my Amazing Mame as well. I would have gone with 95, but once again, the 98 CD was just right in front of me, and my 95 CD was off in limbo somewhere.

I probably wouldn't choose XP myself, but that is only because my comps in my cabinet farm are a 733, a 650, a 350, and a 166. None of those are really XP material in my mind.