setup files won't go away

[gib65]

I just installed a fresh copy of Windows XP Home onto a computer at work. Something strange is happening. It seems the setup files are not erasing upon reboot. Even after I take the CD out and reboot, I still get the option of loading Windows XP Home or Windows XP setup. What's worse is that Windows XP setup is the default option, so if I leave the computer to its own devices when starting up, it will commence the Windows XP installation program.

I've got two partitions. One is 40GB and seems to contain the setup files that keep prompting me with my choices on bootup. The other is 4.5 GB and contains the new installation of Windows. Obviously, I'm being prompted to load into either of these two at startup. The problem is, even if I load into the new installation of Windows, and I try to reformat the other partition from there, it fails half way through (my guess is that it encounters the setup files and aborts the operation).

If I could only get rid of those setup files, I (probably) wouldn't be prompted to choose what to boot into at startup nor would reformatting the large partition fail. Does anyone know how to get rid of setup files that just won't go away?

 

[The_Lucas]

No, even if you format the setup partition the boot option will no go away. You just caused yourself a lot of unnecessary headache. What you need to do is this:
Hold down the Windows key and press Pause/Break.
Go to the Advanced tab.
Under "Startup And Recovery", click "Settings".
You can then set the default startup OS.

As for that bummed partition, try formatting it again. It won't detect the setup files, this is not 2015.