Re: Boot.Ini and recovery Console

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Did you write all of that by hand? To avoid errors you can copy and paste the contents between the === lines. Just make sure that there are no hard returns in the multi.... lines these are one line each shown with their line numbers [#]:

[1] [boot loader]
[2] timeout=30
[3] default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[4] [operating systems]
[5] multi ... partition(1)\WINDOWS="...01" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
[6] multi ... partition(2)\WINDOWS="...02" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
[7] multi ... partition(1)\WINDOWS="...11" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
[8] multi ... partition(2)\WINDOWS="...12" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect


Or, for your convenience I have attached a copy of the file to this post. You can use it, just change the extension from .txt to .ini to use the file on your diskette.

John




Dave wrote:

John - Followed your instructions to the letter and created the disk. Took a little time to write the boot.ini file in Notepad. Wanted to be sure I didn't make any mistakes so went over it three times to be sure.
Will use the disk after the close of business today and let you know what happens.
Thanks

"John John" wrote:


Ok, being that you are a bit reluctant to use the Recovery Console to repair the boot.ini file we will try another method. If this method fails you will still be able to boot the computer as you do now, so there is little risk of damaging the Windows installation. This method is safe because it changes nothing on the drive when you do the trial.

Build yourself a boot floppy diskette, then try to boot the computer with the diskette. If you can successfully boot Windows with the diskette then we will build a new boot.ini file for the Windows installation.

To build the boot diskette do the following:

1- Format a floppy diskette with your Windows XP installation, do not format the diskette using a Windows 9x installation, if you do the diskette will fail to boot Windows XP. The diskette has to have an NT boot sector, the boot sector is written when the diskette is formatted, if you format the diskette with Windows 2000/XP the format utility will write an NT boot sector to the diskette, if you format it with a W9x operating system it will not contain the proper boot sector. To format the diskette put a diskette in the drive and open a Command Prompt (cmd), at the command prompt issue the following command:

format a: /u

2- *Copy* the files NTDETECT.COM and ntldr onto the floppy diskette. These are hidden system files in the root of the system partition. To see the files you may have to go in the Folder Options and enable the option to see hidden and system files. On standard Windows XP installations the files will be in the root folder C:\, copy the files to the diskette, making sure to leave the original files in their current location.

3- Create a Boot.ini file and copy it to the diskette. To create a boot.ini file create a new Notepad file (text document) and copy the text between the == lines to the file:

================================================
[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 01" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 02" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 11" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 12" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

============================================

Rename the text file to boot.ini and copy it to the diskette.

Now try to boot the computer with the floppy diskette, insert the diskette in the drive and reboot the computer. If the computer boots to the diskette properly you will be shown a boot menu, if you do not see the boot menu and if the computer boots directly to the hard drive you will have to go in the BIOS and change the boot order so that the diskette drive is the first boot device. When the computer boots to the boot menu try the different boot options. Can you boot the computer with one of the boot options? Most likely the first option should boot to Windows.

John

Dave wrote:


Yes I do.

"John John" wrote:



Do you have a floppy diskette drive on your machine?

John

Dave wrote:



Mark - Wanted to say thanks for your help. I loaded the RC disk at boot up and read the information on the screen. Most of the warning messages were serious in nature talking about potential loss of information/data, etc. I felt that using the RC console at the moment was beyond my technical capacity so I stopped the program.

Since my system still boots to windows with just a quick "C:/ invalid boot.ini message on the screen, then opens windows i think I'll just leave it alone. I have quite a bit of valuable business related data on my system that I can't afford to lose.

Thanks again for your help.

"Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:




Yes. Boot to CD. The one I used had a menu.

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Mark L. Ferguson

.
"Dave" <Dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:F321A382-8C34-450B-A4F3-944060D06AE3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



Mark - Downloaded and burned the RC to disk. How do I use it? Do I insert in
the CD drive then restart ? What will I see and what do I do?

Sorry to be a pain.........Thanks.

"Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:




If you can't open the recovery console it is more than just boot.ini that is
damaged. Since your Windows does start, there should be nothing stopping
the start or even total install of Recovery Console. You probably have
damaged original setup media.

There is a burnable CD that has the RC on it.
How To Create a bootable CD to access the Recovery Console:
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/tools/bootdiscs/xp_rec_con.zip
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Mark L. Ferguson

..
"Dave" <Dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:D3E341C1-FE17-45A5-A665-5A36CA918790@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



Mark - Thanks for your reply. I've tried that process the service
bullentin
talks about and no luck. I press R in the welcome/setup window and it
refuses
to go to the recovery console and opens up the windows program.

"Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:




330184 - Invalid Boot.ini or Windows Could Not Start Error Messages When
You
Start Your Computer - hal-dll:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;330184

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Mark L. Ferguson

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"Dave" <Dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:E3ECB1C5-ACB2-4AF1-B75D-15AA9D1908C3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



Have Windows XP Home Edition upgrade from prior OS Windows ME.

Noticed during boot process error message appears quickly that says:
Invalid Boot.INI then it goes on the open windows without a problem.

I have tried several times to get to and install the recovery console
but
it
won't take and keeps saying the boot.ini is invalid or could not be
found.

A well meaning friend said that the recovery console is not include
with
the
XP home edition upgrade pack.

The installation disk also says it includes service pack 2 , version
2002.

I've tried looking and following several MS service bullentins to
install
or
find the recover console but noth8ng works.

I'm not an expert or advanced user by any means and everything still
works
in XP so it's not like I can't use my PC. Any advice would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks


[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 01" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 02" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 11" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 12" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
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