2003 server and xp pro dual boot

[tchg]

Hi to everyone:

I am searching for an answer to the follow issue that i created to myself, it is a very careless mistake (i, guess) without thinking through first. Hope someone can help out...

- I installed an evaluation copy of win server 2003 into one of my pc which originally installed windows xp pro on it. I only have 1 harddrive with 1 primary partition (all 320 Gig). Win 2003 server installation created a dual boot with logical partition now. I would like to remove the win server 2003 on the pc and just keep the win xp pro. Not sure what is the proper way to do it without reformatting my hard drive.

thanks for helping out...
tchg

[Expertz]

windows server 2003 is a server OS. and server can only have ONE OS for its best performance. therefore, windows server 2003 is design in such a way that it can't be dual boot with other OSes. why you want to have so many OS in a PC??..it will actually degrade the performace of your PC. please refer to some articles as well as some professional advice before you jump to any conclusion or decision.

[tchg]

Expertz, thank you for your advice. If I have the $, I will get a new box for it. Unfortunately, I don't have $ and is running it on the same box. I am using it mainly for learning/testing purpose. In perfect world, I wish I can have a server to work with for each OS too!
Also, Windows 2003 servers can dual boot and is design to do so and provide boot menu. At least that is how i install it.

[Lillebror]

Other Windows operating systems can be removed from the drive by logging in another operating system that is dual booted. You can just delete the Windows folder from the drive in which Windows server 2003 is installed. But it is always better to format the drive for removing the OS. As there are certain files in 'program files' as well as some registry entries. To remove the option from boot-up screen, access boot.ini file and remove the line containing Windows server 2003.

[tchg]

Thank you, Lillebror. I appreciate your help and just removed the line from boot.ini file. Also, removed the windows server 2003.

[Lillebror]

Thank you, Lillebror. I appreciate your help and just removed the line from boot.ini file. Also, removed the windows server 2003.

Did you have any problems with XP after removing server 2003? I guess it should not be. Anyways, glad to have helped you

And yes, if you want you can install server 2003 dual booting with XP. There is no harm. Its only in the big organizations where server 2003 is used on actual servers that manages all its domain computers. In such cases, there should only be Server OS and no dual booting as it may create load on server... crashing it.

[tchg]

Hi Lillebror
Thanks for following up. So far, the XP is running ok. I didn't experience any issue after getting rid of servers 2003. Basically i modified the boot.ini to get rid of the dual boot. Then, yesterday night, I simply re-formatted the logical drive that host the 2003 server also.
Again, thanks.