Re: Invalid boot.ini file cannot be opened

Let's make doubly sure that the file isn't there, at the command prompt issue the following command:

dir /a %systemdrive%\boot.ini

If you get a message saying "File Not Found" then the file truly non existent.

I'm not sure why you would have a copy of the file in the folder you mention, to tell you the truth I'm not certain why you would have a \WINDOWS\pss folder. I don't know what this folder is or where it would have come from, I'm thinking that it may have something to do with Microsoft Product Support Services but that is nothing more than a guess. In any case...

The backup file may be usable but you will have to make sure that it is a good boot.ini file, if the file is corrupt or if it doesn't contains a valid ARC path it may prevent Windows from booting altogether. Windows can boot without the boot.ini file but if the file has incorrect or invalid entries the boot process usually chokes.

The file belongs in the root folder of the system drive, usually C:\ The file typically looks like something this:


[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect


The file can be edited with notepad. You could compare the contents of your backup copy with the above and see if the backup appears to be valid. Or you could copy the above to a notepad document and then save it as boot.ini and put it in the C:\ root folder. After you copy the file to its proper location in the root folder try the Msconfig utility again and have it check the validity of the boot path.

John

figaro4 wrote:
John: thx for help: tried your ?, got this screen: "Windows cannot find 'C\boot.ini, Search for file usinf Search" Did that, got: boot.ini.backup, in C;\WINDOWS\pss. What shud I do with that to fix the boot.ini problem?
.

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