Cannot boot Windows XP in dual boot configuration after W2K repair.

[Smeusje]

After repairing w2k (blue screen CDFS.SYS) on my primary disk C: with the
original setup CD , XP stopped loading on my secundary disk D.
Now XP doesn't start.
On selecting XP from boot.ini options a message comes as if w2k is being
booted, and then a blue blank freezes.
"windows 2000 (???) cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt"
I know the workaround to copy Ntldr and NTDETECT.COM from XP, in the root
directory from the C: disk, when i will restart in xp after working in W2K.
Vice versa when I will restart in W2K leaving the Windows Xp envirionnement,
I have to copy the W2K versions. It's annoying to change every time.
Please Help

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

After repairing w2k (blue screen CDFS.SYS) on my primary disk C: with the
original setup CD , XP stopped loading on my secundary disk D.
Now XP doesn't start.
On selecting XP from boot.ini options a message comes as if w2k is being
booted, and then a blue blank freezes.
"windows 2000 (???) cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt"
I know the workaround to copy Ntldr and NTDETECT.COM from XP, in the root
directory from the C: disk, when i will restart in xp after working in W2K.
Vice versa when I will restart in W2K leaving the Windows Xp envirionnement,
I have to copy the W2K versions. It's annoying to change every time.
Please Help

This is incorrect. The WinXP version of the two boot files you
mention will work for Win2000 too.

 

[Smeusje]

When I have the NTDETECT and NTLDR files from XP in the rootdirectory
C:\ (W2K drive)
i can't boot W2K.When I have the NTDETECT and NTLDR files from W2K in
the rootdirectory C:\ (W2k drive)
i can't boot Xp (D:\ drive.) We are talking about two different disks,
not partitions?
THX.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

As far as the three boot files are concerned (ntldr, ntdetect.com,
boot.ini), it is irrelevant whether you have two partitions for your
OSs or two disks. The three files must always reside on the
active partition of the primary master disk.

You write "When I have the NTDETECT and NTLDR files from
XP in the rootdirectory C:\ (W2K drive) i can't boot W2K."
It would be helpful if you provided full details rather than leaving
us guessing. What happens during the Win2000 boot, how far
does it get, what messages do you see on the screen? Note
also that the correct file name is ntdetect.com, not ntdetect as
you suggest.


When I have the NTDETECT and NTLDR files from XP in the rootdirectory C:\ (W2K drive)
i can't boot W2K.When I have the NTDETECT and NTLDR files from W2K in the rootdirectory C:\ (W2k drive)
i can't boot Xp (D:\ drive.) We are talking about two different disks, not partitions?
THX.

Pegasus (MVP) wrote:
After repairing w2k (blue screen CDFS.SYS) on my primary disk C: with the
original setup CD , XP stopped loading on my secundary disk D.
Now XP doesn't start.
On selecting XP from boot.ini options a message comes as if w2k is being
booted, and then a blue blank freezes.
"windows 2000 (???) cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt"
I know the workaround to copy Ntldr and NTDETECT.COM from XP, in the root
directory from the C: disk, when i will restart in xp after working in
W2K.
Vice versa when I will restart in W2K leaving the Windows Xp
envirionnement,
I have to copy the W2K versions. It's annoying to change every time.
Please Help

This is incorrect. The WinXP version of the two boot files you
mention will work for Win2000 too.

 

[Ron Sommer]

Post the contents of your boot.ini file.
--
Ron Sommer

When I have the NTDETECT and NTLDR files from XP in the rootdirectory C:\
(W2K drive)
i can't boot W2K.When I have the NTDETECT and NTLDR files from W2K in the
rootdirectory C:\ (W2k drive)
i can't boot Xp (D:\ drive.) We are talking about two different disks, not
partitions?
THX.

Pegasus (MVP) wrote:

After repairing w2k (blue screen CDFS.SYS) on my primary disk C: with the
original setup CD , XP stopped loading on my secundary disk D.
Now XP doesn't start.
On selecting XP from boot.ini options a message comes as if w2k is being
booted, and then a blue blank freezes.
"windows 2000 (???) cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt"
I know the workaround to copy Ntldr and NTDETECT.COM from XP, in the root
directory from the C: disk, when i will restart in xp after working in

W2K.

Vice versa when I will restart in W2K leaving the Windows Xp

envirionnement,

I have to copy the W2K versions. It's annoying to change every time.
Please Help


This is incorrect. The WinXP version of the two boot files you
mention will work for Win2000 too.

 

[Smeusje]

The two OS booting fine when I have, prior to booting, their
own NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR file in the c:\
When chosing the wrong OS in the start up menu, I'm
getting a blue screen.
So every time I shutting down, I have to put the exact files in C:\
for the OS system at next reboot.
Boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
Blue screens
For Windows XP

windows 2000 ???? cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt

For Windows W2K

windows 2000 ???? cannot be started for file
winnt/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt

Kind regards

 

[Smeusje]

The two OS booting fine when I have, prior to booting, their
own NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR file in the c:\
When chosing the wrong OS in the start up menu, I'm
getting a blue screen.
So every time I shutting down, I have to put the exact files in C:\
for the OS system at next reboot.
Boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
Blue screens
For Windows XP

windows 2000 ???? cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt

For Windows W2K

windows 2000 ???? cannot be started for file
winnt/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt

Kind regards

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Your experience is at variance with mine and I can offer no
explanation why this should happen. If this was my machine
then I would select either of these work-arounds:

- If booting into one OS much less frequently than into the
other then I would create a boot diskette for that OS. It
would have nothing other than the three boot files.

- If frequently booting into both OSs then I would install a
proper boot manager (which I would have done right at
the beginning anyway). My choice would be XOSL (free!)
but there are, of course, others. XOSL needs to reside on
any of your existing FAT partitions or it can reside in its
own dedicated 15 MByte partition on either disk. With a
boot manager each OS will use its own boot files, thus
avoiding the problem you currently face.

The two OS booting fine when I have, prior to booting, their
own NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR file in the c:\
When chosing the wrong OS in the start up menu, I'm
getting a blue screen.
So every time I shutting down, I have to put the exact files in C:\
for the OS system at next reboot.
Boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
Blue screens
For Windows XP

windows 2000 ???? cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corruptFor Windows W2K

windows 2000 ???? cannot be started for file
winnt/system32/config/system is missing or corruptKind regards

Pegasus (MVP) wrote:

As far as the three boot files are concerned (ntldr, ntdetect.com,
boot.ini), it is irrelevant whether you have two partitions for your
OSs or two disks. The three files must always reside on the
active partition of the primary master disk.

You write "When I have the NTDETECT and NTLDR files from
XP in the rootdirectory C:\ (W2K drive) i can't boot W2K."
It would be helpful if you provided full details rather than leaving
us guessing. What happens during the Win2000 boot, how far
does it get, what messages do you see on the screen? Note
also that the correct file name is ntdetect.com, not ntdetect as
you suggest.