Deleted Startup disk remains default...

[Guest]

This one is new to me.... I have one disk with two startup partitions and a third as a "backup". I was working on the two startups partition disk and both worked fine. But recently one of the System Preference panels for Spotlight was corrupted so I did an "archive and install" on that partition. But when I did the restart after the archive and install I was unable to boot into the newly installed Leopard disk. Furthermore the machine default booted into the OTHER partition. So I tried to log into that one and the password input says I was putting in the wrong password (I was not). So I tried holding down the Option Key at startup and selected the startup disk I wanted  - again, it booted to the other and the password was somehow fubarred. So I went ahead and "dismantled" that pesky defaulting startup disk, trashing both the system and the library folders - but on reboot it STILL boots to that disk even though now it doesn't exist AT ALL. Even the name remains? ***?  I went ahead and revealled all the invisible files - trashed those. I did Option+S at start up and fsck. I used TechTool Pro to repair, I used Disk Utility and permissions... UGH. Why is this deleted startup STILL showing up and booting off the other present startup system on the other partition (Note: If I hold down Option key at start up I can still boot into the third OS I keep). What is interesting is that everytime I reboot and check the "pesky" startup disk from the other one I see a new System folder added to that (remember, I deleted it). After the invisible files were deleted it no longer did this. But, again, still boots into a non-existent login screen. I know the "simple" answer is to reinstall and reformat this disk - but on the other "pesky" partition I have 750GB of data I'd rather not migrate (it's in the default user's folder that I didn't delete). And I'd like to learn what the heck is going on.  Thanks for anyone's illuminating insights on the phantom startup disk.

[Guest]

BTW, I'm not some newbie - I don't know why but the forums say this is my first post - I've been here for TEN YEARS. Hello... APPLE? ***?

[Guest]

Hi, I vaguely rember you from before, but nothing here is the same as before, as it is with OSX in general!  Have you done a PRAM reset, CMD+Option+p+r... http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238 Does it boot into Open Firmware with CMD+Option+o+f ? http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42642 reset-nvram (press Enter)set-defaults (press Enter)reset-all (press Enter) What shows as boot choices if you hold the Option/alt key down at bootup?