boot problem....ntldr could not open drive...

  • Thread starter Thread starter soyabeans
  • Start date Start date
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soyabeans

Hey,

Here's the story:

New computer, 2 hard drives (possible were configured in a RAI
formation
since I have a folder on my System and Driver Restore CD called VI
SATA Raid
Controller\SATA\Winxp.

The computer became riddled with malware and spyware so I thought I'
format
my drives, however upon reinstalling Windows XP Home with
reinstallation CD
from a previous computer, which I was able to boot off. The setu
completes
and reboots the computer to as it does,
but then I'm greeted with the error message:

could not open drive: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)
NTLDR could not open drive: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)

any ideas?

I've tried running a boot disk but I just get the message:

'Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardwar
configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk
check the boot path and disk hardware.'

I've been having some help from a nice person on experts-exchange
where you
can follow the previous progress of the problem which has seemingl
been
relatively fruitless.

The URL is:
http://tinyurl.com/4mggf

Any help is much, much appriciated.

Cheers

To
 
soyabeans said:
Hey,

Here's the story:

New computer, 2 hard drives (possible were configured in a RAID
formation
since I have a folder on my System and Driver Restore CD called VIA
SATA Raid
Controller\SATA\Winxp.

The computer became riddled with malware and spyware so I thought I'd
format
my drives, however upon reinstalling Windows XP Home with a
reinstallation CD
from a previous computer, which I was able to boot off. The setup
completes
and reboots the computer to as it does,
but then I'm greeted with the error message:

could not open drive: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)
NTLDR could not open drive: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)

any ideas?

I've tried running a boot disk but I just get the message:

'Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware
configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk,
check the boot path and disk hardware.'

I've been having some help from a nice person on experts-exchange,
where you
can follow the previous progress of the problem which has seemingly
been
relatively fruitless.

The URL is:
http://tinyurl.com/4mggf

Any help is much, much appriciated.

Cheers

Tom
Click to expand...

As a first step, establish if your WinXP installation works, by booting
with a WinXP boot disk. Here is how to make one:
- Format a floppy disk on some other Win2000/XP PC.
Don't do it on a Win9x PC - it won't work.
- Copy these files from the \i386 folder of your WinXP CD to A:\
ntldr
ntdetect.com
- Create a file a:\boot.ini with these lines
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=3
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
- Boot the machine with this floppy

Now vary the number in "partition(1)" to (2) or (3). Note that you need to
change it in two places.

Report the results back here.
 
Thought it wasn't possible to install 1 XP OS on 2 machines - plus,
"re-installation CD" is not the full OS, but a "tailored" version for a
specific PC configuration ??

(Extract from original post ...." - however upon reinstalling Windows XP
Home with a reinstallation CD from a previous computer, which I was able
to boot off ....")

Just a thought, from a relative novice - my understanding from previous
posts is that initial set-up creates a 10 point checklist of hardware/CPU
etc. Subsequent PC changes are checked against that - if the "points" score
goes below 7 (checklist no longer substantially matches original hardware)
then the OS will no longer function ? "reinstalling" on a different PC will
surely result in a checklist score of Zero?

Since yr new PC was clearly working (with its own XP OS) prior to becoming
infected, surely you need to use the correct XP recovery disk?

Apols if my thoughts are based on misunderstanding - Len.
 
What you say is correct, but it applies to the MS registration
key, not the installation CD.

In other words, you can use the same WinXP CD to install
WinXP on as many PCs as you like - as long as you have
a separate registration key for each of them.
 
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