The functioning version is on volume 2. I have two physical disks labeled C: and D: but I also have three partitions in disk 1 (which is drive C: I suppose) and the partitions are: *:System Reserved (status - active & system), C: (status - boot) and an unnamed partition *: (status - none). Disk 2 (single partition) is supposed to be a data drive but its status is active. All partitions are set as primary and NTFS. Is drive D: also volume 2? If it is, why there is no windows directory in the drive? The other windows can't run because the error said there is no winload.exe on it but the file does exist on c:\windows. Does the running windows is installed in drive D: and boot from drive C:?
How come I have two versions of Windows 10 installed in my pc?
- Thread starter Ciaran
- Start date
Based on the configuration you've mentioned, it appears the Boot Manager reads from the "System Reserved" partition which contains essential boot files like BCD (Boot Configuration Data). Meanwhile, your active Windows 10 installation is likely on drive C: as its status is "boot", suggesting it's where Windows loads from.
To understand the different statuses, here's a simplified description:
- Active: This is the main partition that your PC’s BIOS looks for (and boots from) when the computer starts up. The partition marked as Active must contain boot files (i.e., the Boot Manager).
- System: This is the partition where the boot files are stored. The boot partition will contain the Windows and Boot Manager folders.
- Boot: This label means that there is a Windows OS installed in this partition, and the current running OS is in this partition.
In this case, you seem to have multiple partitions set as 'active', which isn't typically necessary and can sometimes result in boot conflicts or errors.
As for your D: drive or disk 2, if it's intended to be primarily for data and doesn't contain a Windows directory, its status being active may simply be due to improper configuration, rather than a sign of another OS installation. The status of being active can be changed to match its intended use as a data drive.
Concerning the second Windows version you mentioned: If the OS was previously installed in another partition and that partition isn't present or correctly configured anymore, you might get a winload.exe missing or not found error even if the file does exist in C:\Windows. This may happen for instance if the boot configuration is corrupt or isn't accurately pointing to where the actual OS files are.
The currently running Windows shouldn't be installed on drive D: as you mentioned there is no Windows directory there. It is instead installed and running from your C: drive, which is also where it boots from since the C: partition status is marked as 'boot'.
To resolve and clean up your PC configuration:
1. Make sure your essential data is backed up.
2. It may be best to remove the unused second Windows installation from your boot manager.
3. Change the boot status of your D: Drive if it's solely intended for data storage.
These changes should be done carefully or with assistance from an expert or knowledgeable friend to avoid potential data loss or rendering your system unbootable.
To understand the different statuses, here's a simplified description:
- Active: This is the main partition that your PC’s BIOS looks for (and boots from) when the computer starts up. The partition marked as Active must contain boot files (i.e., the Boot Manager).
- System: This is the partition where the boot files are stored. The boot partition will contain the Windows and Boot Manager folders.
- Boot: This label means that there is a Windows OS installed in this partition, and the current running OS is in this partition.
In this case, you seem to have multiple partitions set as 'active', which isn't typically necessary and can sometimes result in boot conflicts or errors.
As for your D: drive or disk 2, if it's intended to be primarily for data and doesn't contain a Windows directory, its status being active may simply be due to improper configuration, rather than a sign of another OS installation. The status of being active can be changed to match its intended use as a data drive.
Concerning the second Windows version you mentioned: If the OS was previously installed in another partition and that partition isn't present or correctly configured anymore, you might get a winload.exe missing or not found error even if the file does exist in C:\Windows. This may happen for instance if the boot configuration is corrupt or isn't accurately pointing to where the actual OS files are.
The currently running Windows shouldn't be installed on drive D: as you mentioned there is no Windows directory there. It is instead installed and running from your C: drive, which is also where it boots from since the C: partition status is marked as 'boot'.
To resolve and clean up your PC configuration:
1. Make sure your essential data is backed up.
2. It may be best to remove the unused second Windows installation from your boot manager.
3. Change the boot status of your D: Drive if it's solely intended for data storage.
These changes should be done carefully or with assistance from an expert or knowledgeable friend to avoid potential data loss or rendering your system unbootable.
So, how do I remove the unused second Windows and how to locate its directory?
Here's how you can find where the other Windows system files are located and remove the unused Windows boot option:
1. **Find the Location of the Unused Windows Installation:** Open File Explorer and navigate through each of your system's drives. Usually, a Windows directory will exist and be clearly marked on the drive where Windows is installed. Since you've already checked Drive D: and it doesn't have a Windows directory, it is recommended to verify the other drives or partitions.
2. **Identify the Unused Boot Option and Remove It from Startup:**
a. Press the "Windows key" + "R" on the keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Type "msconfig" and press "Enter" to open the System Configuration utility.
b. Go to the "Boot" tab. Here, you'll see a list of all operating systems installed on your computer. Check the "Current OS; Default OS" line to confirm which OS you're currently using.
c. Once you've identified the unused second Windows installation, select it from the list and then click "Delete".
Only follow these steps if you're sure the second Windows installation isn't required. It's always recommended to backup all necessary data before making such changes.
If for some reason you can't locate the second Windows installation folder but you're sure it does exist (as it appears on your boot options), it might be hidden. In this case, it would be helpful to show hidden files and folders or use command prompt or a third-party partition manager to view it.
In any case, if you're not comfortable navigating these steps, consider consulting with an expert or Microsoft's official customer support. Making changes to your boot options and system files can potentially cause significant issues if not done correctly.
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