System thinks I have multiple OS's – how fix

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I asked a question in tthe Security & backups area, under Comodo Time Machine, that probably better belongs here.
I migrated from XP to Windows Home Premium. When trying to install the Comodo Time Machine, it told me it detected multiple OS’es on my machine.
I only have W7.
However, when I boot up, the system gives me 3 choices:
earlier version of Windows
W7
Recovery Console

If I click on “earlier version . . .” all I get is a blinking cursor; and have to reboot and select W7.
How do I modify the boot sequence so that it will not think I still have an “earlier version”?
I’m asking because I have a 3-partition system, and dont want to muck anything else up while trying to get rid of this “earlier version” indicator.

Thanks for any help offered,
Dick

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Hi and welcome

You can remedy that by using something like bcdedit, to modify the menu. Its pretty easy. let us know if you need help

Ken J

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Have you checked disk management. Type computer in the search box. Choose computer management. When the computer management window opens, under Storage choose Disk Management. This will show all the partitions on your PC. You should see your Win 7 partition. You may see the other partitions as well. The recovery partition is a manufacturer added partition that should contain an image to the original OS. I have no idea what the earlier version of Windows might be. You should be able to delete this partition, reformat, then extend the volume for your Win 7 partition.

On the earlier versions partition, right click and choose delete. When finished right click and choose format. When finished, choose your Win 7 partition, right click and choose extend. A window will open asking how much to extend, choose the entire amount. This should make you win 7 partition take up the whole amount the earlier versions partition used to occupy.

Please, anyone, if I have left out a step, post it.

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……How do I modify the boot sequence so that it will not think I still have an “earlier version”?
I’m asking because I have a 3-partition system, and dont want to muck anything else up while trying to get rid of this “earlier version” indicator……

Go to Control Panel->Admin Tools->System Configuration->Start & choose the options you wish to delete. HTH

…..On the earlier versions partition, right click and choose delete. When finished right click and choose format. When finished, choose your Win 7 partition, right click and choose extend. A window will open asking how much to extend, choose the entire amount. This should make you win 7 partition take up the whole amount the earlier versions partition used to occupy…..

When did the OP specifically ask to remove the other partitions from his system? He has said that he “doesn’t want to muck up” his 3-partition system.

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Go to Control Panel->Admin Tools->System Configuration->Start & choose the options you wish to delete. HTH

I do not believe this will do anything to solve the problem. It does not appear to be an app starting that causes his problem, it appears to be a partitioning problem. The program believes there are multiple OSs on his PC, which he states there is not. That leaves me to believe a partition problem instead of app problem.

When did the OP specifically ask to remove the other partitions from his system? He has said that he “doesn’t want to muck up” his 3-partition system.

No, he said he does not want to muck anything up while getting rid of the earlier version indication. After deleting and reformating that partition, he can use it as a 3rd partition without extending his win 7 if he so desires. I’m sorry, I did forget to mention that this cleaned partition could be another partition for your use. I guess I assumed you just wanted to be rid of it.

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I do not believe this will do anything to solve the problem. It does not appear to be an app starting that causes his problem, it appears to be a partitioning problem. The program believes there are multiple OSs on his PC, which he states there is not. That leaves me to believe a partition problem instead of app problem…….

From the sound of it Comodo is getting the information from the OP’s Boot Menu. This is borne out by the extra choices at booting – neither of which the OP wants. Thus, in any event, his Boot Menu will be simplified.

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Easiest and most understandable way to modify the boot menu to reflect the absence of XP (earlier versions of Windows) from within Vista or Win 7 (at least for me) is to download and use a program called EasyBCD.

You can also use Malcom’s indicated method if you understand which entries to delete.

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Thank you all for your responses. I have downloaded and installed EasyBCD. The Overview/display mode says:

There are a total of 2 entries listed in the Vista Bootloader.
Bootloader Timeout: 15 seconds.
Default OS: Windows 7

Entry #1

Name: Earlier Version of Windows
BCD ID: {ntldr}
Drive: C:
Bootloader Path: ntldr

Entry #2

Name: Windows 7
BCD ID: {current}
Drive: C:
Bootloader Path: Windowssystem32winload.exe
Windows Directory: Windows

I have, of course, taken a backup; but before I move forward, my thought is to use EasyBCD to delete Entry #1. Is that correct?

Also, I may have added confusion with my comments about my 3 partitions. I have 3 logical partitions (C, F, and G) that I set up on my one hard-drive. F and G have important data files for me; and that’s why I didn’t want to accidently lose a data partition while trying to get rid of the “multiple OS’es issue.

Thanks again for your help and verification that all I need to do is use EasyBCD to delete Entry #1.

Dick

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If you are nervous about deleting anything, you can do the safer way by going to System, Advanced System Settings, Startup and recovery, choose the Windows 7 OS as the default and reduce the wait time to automatically start Win 7 after 1 to10 seconds. Leave the second time out at 30 seconds in case of trouble.That earlier OS sounds a lot like the bootloader and I’d be hesitant to delete it. You might get a missing bootloader error message. Read this article

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Well, that’s interesting. When I go to System, Advanced System Settings, Startup and recovery it already shows W7 as the default. When I boot, the first line is “earlier version of windows”; the second is W7, and this is highlighted as the default. Of course, what I’m trying to accomplish is for the system to have W7 as the primary and only OS that it knows about (since it’s the only one I have.)

Thanks,
Dick

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I still feel this is a partition problem and any one of the fine partitioning tools including the built in Disk Manager will help to get rid of this partition. What’s the worse that could happen. You have to clean install windows again!

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If you paste a screenshot from Disk Managment of your disk/partition layout, we should be able to work out the correct boot settings.

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You are going to want to remove the #1 entry for the cleanest boot though reducing the timeout to nil would have the same effect and you wouldn’t even see the screen (or maybe just a second of it). Since 7 was installed after XP, the bootloader should be on the Win 7 partition and not pose a problem.

If you go to Disk Management you can check to see which partition is active. If its the Win 7 partition no problem but I have heard that it needs to be marked as the active partition if it isn’t. Perhaps someone else knows for sure.

Edit: I just scrolled up and noted that your boot info from EasyBCD indicates that they’re both pointing to the same partition so it looks to me like the Earlier version entry is just a ghost entry and can be removed without any consequence whatsoever.

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Thanks all:

The last suggestion did it for me. I used EasyBCD and a “belt and suspenders” approach to:
Try the tool by changing the order of the 2 entries, and rebooting. That worked, so I:
deleted the “ghost” entry and rebooring. That worked, so I:
installed Comodo’s Time Machine, and it no longer asked about multiple OS’es, so I am all set, and:

Grateful for all the help offered.

Dick

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