XP Justice

I have a, unique?, situation here. One my clients attempted to install XP on an older system, Pentium 1.4 512MB, 40GB, Geforce 3, Sound Blaster Audigy, allowing XP to create the dual boot for him but the install c**ps out on reboot. No doubt because he was trying to use an illegitimate copy of XP (serves him right). Anyways he wants to get rid of the dual boot withou losing data. Partion magic will only see info regarding the original configuration; before he tried to install XP. I ghosted the 98 image to an external HDD, formatted the drive and then ghosted with the 98 image back. Guess what? It now tries to dual boot again with two options: Install Windows XP or Windows. Is there a way to get rid of this without losing any data? He he claims he doesn't want to have to reinstall the software. He hasn't provided me with any software with which to reinstall either which only makes me suspicious about thier authenticity as well.

If there isn't a quick fix I don't want to bother with it. The way I see it he got what he deserved.

I think Fdisk /mbr would do the trick here, if he only wants to single boot W98. Then afterwards delete boot.ini, ntdetect.com & ntldr from the root folder of C:

Thanks for the reply but that really bolloxed things right up. D**n thing kept rebooting right after POST. Good thing I had ghosted the drive. ;)

The guys father came to pick up the system. He wasn't too amused paying $34.95 in Service fees and receinving the system back in the same shape. I explained that my fee is usually twice that but to be fair I wasn't going to charge the full rate seing as how the problem can't be fixed without risk of data being lost.

I went on to explain the ramifications of using pirated software, which this system was filled with and that it was pirated software that caused the problem in the first place. I offered to reinstall the original operating system and software if he would provide me with authentic CDs. And yes I would charge the full price to do so.

After dealing with this irate customer for 15 minutes I provided him with a copy of a Microsoft Web Page with the 1-800-are-you legit and reminded him I have his address and phone number with which I could provide to M$ along with his burnt copy of XP which I insist on holding on to. That shut him up pretty quick.

His wife came back in the shop shortly after and purchased a copy of XP but declined my offer to install it for them. :)