Boot.ini

[PeTe]

Hi. When i start up my pc it says something like Invalid
boot.ini booting from c:/windows is there a way i can
restore the file ps i cant use system restore because i
deleted all of the restore points and i am running win xp
home

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

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

HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;289022


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| Hi. When i start up my pc it says something like Invalid
| boot.ini booting from c:/windows is there a way i can
| restore the file ps i cant use system restore because i
| deleted all of the restore points and i am running win xp
| home

 

[davetest]

Hi. When i start up my pc it says something like Invalid
boot.ini booting from c:/windows is there a way i can
restore the file ps i cant use system restore because i
deleted all of the restore points and i am running win xp
home

If it's fat32 partition, you can access it by using a windows
98 bootdisk, download from www.bootdisk.com.

If it's NTFS you may need to use the recovery console and
bootcfg.

Dave

 

[Alex Nichol]

Hi. When i start up my pc it says something like Invalid
boot.ini booting from c:/windows is there a way i can
restore the file ps

Provided you have a 'proper' XP CD and not some OEM restore one, Set the
BIOS to boot CD before Hard Disk. Boot the XP CD and, instead of Setup,
take the immediate R for Repair. Assume any password requested is
blank, and TAB over. Give
BootCfg /Rebuild

If you can't do that you will have to do a manual edit. have Folder
Options - View set to show Hidden files, and *not* Hide Protected mode
ones then edit C:\boot.ini with Notepad.

Provided this is a simple setup, with XP in the C:\windows and no older
partitions around the disk from a dual boot; the file should look
something like

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP" /fastdetect

(Note /fastdetect is not on a new line)

There is also a useful free editor for the boot.ini file that you can
run from a DOS bootable floppy (even if C: is NTFS), so can be used if
you run into trouble - having things say 'can't find hal.dll indicates
that there is something wrong, probably the partition(n) items. Get
that at the free tools section at www.bootitng.com