HELP! - Boot manager

M

Michelle

Hello, I am at the end of my rope... I use Windows XP SP2 - and I tried to
load the beta (RC1) of Windows Vista on a new partition, the installation
was unsuccesful, and after the unsuccesful install attempt I can no longer
see the image on the CD, just a txt file. Anyway, this is incedental.

I have deleted the partition, the files have all disappeared (I assume
deleted with the partition), and I want to get back to normal, but at
startup, I get a message telling me tht some file is missing or corrupt,
then when I press enter, I get the boot manager that offers to start Earlier
version of windows, or (nonexistant) Windows Vista or something else that
doesn't work. I want to get rid of it all and just get back to normal
Windows XP startup.

What do I have to do?

Any ideas... please...

M
 
G

Guest

Hello

I also had multiple failures with install using the DVD I burned, ended up
formating an PATA drive (could not get Via drivers to work for my SATA)
installed XP Pro SP2 on the drive updated it via windows update (did not
install any programs) then copied the Vista Install DVD to a folder on the XP
disk and installed it from XP using the folder copy of the install disk.

went in like a charm,

I was very frustrated as the DVD was checksumed ok and just stopped
installing for some reason.

very cumbersome way to install, BUT the key is it installed and is working
well

my "bi*ch" is that UAC is unweldy and makes my MS Outlook 2007 Beta not able
to use hyperlinks or update from the help menu. I am using administrator
privileges and still cannot get away from the

" The operation has been canceled due to restrictions in effect on this
computer. Pleas contact your system administrator"

WHAT RESTRICTIONS, WOW

Good luck on your installs

Jones
 
C

Chad Harris

Hi Michelle--

Two Ideas.

1) Try to fix the XP if you have a Windows XP CD.

Do this. Try F8 Win Adv Options. This rationale is based on Chapter 28 of
the Windows XP Pro Resource Kit (MSFT Press)

Resources for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308041/en-us

Do this:

I always try to F8 to the Windows Adv Options Menu>try 3 safe modes there (I
don't use WGA) and Last Known Good>then I go to Win RE in Vista. That gives
you a choice of Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking,and Safe Mode with
Command Prompt.

You will need this reference:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449/en-us

The command to use for system restore at the safe mode cmd prompt is:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

The reason for doing this is one of these choices may work, when the
otherdoesn't. My experience is that people do not fully try F8 when they
thinkor have said they have. It is that they can almost always reach
Windows Advanced Options though.

2) You should be able to fix XP that way. You can also try to fix a broken
boot manager with these but you've already deleted so much I think that
horse left the barn and isn't coming back--if you still had the Vista on
there (but you've deleted all the files you might have made things right
using these--for future reference)

You should be able to re-establish your boot manager by using one of
these apps without having to resort to the cmd line BCDETIT:

http://www.vistabootpro.org/

http://www.pro-networks.org/forum/post-580795.html&sid=9f93849fb3dad5edd85df3d19778e44f

Perhaps these could assist in helping with XP's boot loader, but I would
stick to my directions in method #1 based on Chapter 28 of the MSFT Press XP
Pro Resource kit.

Resources for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308041/en-us

Best of luck--let us know how this comes out.

CH
 
C

Chad Harris

Michelle I should have made this clear:

Here's how to get to the Windows Advanced Options or F8 Menu:

Tap F8 to get to the Windows Advanced Options Menu--restart the computer and
then tap F8 once per second until it begins to boot to the F8 menu shown in
htis link:

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000626.htm

From there you can try 4 options --3 Safe Mode Options (I don't use the Safe
Mode WGA otpion for this) and then Last Known Good Configuration.

Game Plan When Can't Boot To Windows:
Restart and Tap F8 key once per second; try to use System Restore in any of
menu options that say Safe Mode except Safe Mode with Vga.

Think: I have 4 different ways to get back my XP at F8 and try 'em in order.
1) Safe Mode 2) Safe Mode with Cmd to Sys Restore which is simply a cmd
prompt in safe mode 3) Safe Mode with Neworking 4) LKG or Last Known Good
Configuration.

Think: I have 4 different ways to get back my XP at F8 and try 'em in order.
1) Safe Mode 2) Safe Mode with Cmd to Sys Restore which is simply a cmd
prompt in safe mode 3) Safe Mode with Neworking 4) LKG or Last Known Good
Configuration

In the 2nd F8 option to use if Safe Mode doesn't work, Safe Mode with Cmd,
you are going to need to know the cmd to use:

*CMD in safe mode for SR is (type it at the C:\ of the cmd prompt in safe
mode)
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
______________________________________

How to start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration
feature in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307852/en-us

Ways To Access System Restore (whether in Safe Mode or Windows)

Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore

Type msconfig in run box>system restore button

Type restore in run box>click third item down in folder>rstrui

System Restore

Don't ever turn off System Restore unless you are doing virus removal, but I
would encourage you to put sysdm.cpl in the run box and on the system
restore tab, push the slider to 2% because it defaults to 12% and that's a
lot of real estate to take up on a hard drive.

A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307852http://su

How to Run System Restorepport.microsoft.com/kb/315222

http://www.theeldergeek.com/system_restore.htm

and

How to Use System Restore
http://bertk.mvps.org/

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding System Restore in Windows XP from MSFT:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/plan/faqsrwxp.mspx

Using System Restore
http://tinyurl.com/dvekb

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449

If these Windows Advanced Options (all 4) are tried and don't work at the F8
Menu, and you have an XP CD, you have a very reliable tool to fix using a
Repair Install in Windows XP:
Repair Install: (This option has the best chance of succeeding and it
preserves everything in your OS--you do not lose anything with this option):

Make sure the CD you have is an XP CD.

Pitfalls: If the CD came from friend or relative or P2P, you may have
problems. P2P besides being illlegal in many countries including the U.S.
can be corrupt. If CD came from friend or relative, they may have given
you the CD to use but if product key is in use, MSFT is not going to accept
it for activation. Make sure you clean the CD carefully using proper
cleaning fluid and strokes that radiate from center like spokes on a wheel.



Again a repair install has the most likely chance to succeed, but you need
to have an XP CD. If you try a Repair Install and end up at a C:\ prompt
(dos prompt) you are in the Recovery Console and need to try again carefully
to follow the simple steps in the repair link, and make sure you enabled
CD-Rom as first in the bios setup boot order.

First, in order to do a Repair Install You must boot to the bios setup and
position booting from the CD first in the boot order.

Booting to Bios Setup:

How To Enable CD Rom Support (put CD boot first) in bios setup boot order:
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org/how_do_i_enable_cdrom_support_i.htm

Screenshot of XP CD #1 in Bios Setup Boot Order:
http://www.loughborough.ac.uk/computing/desktop/reps-xp/images/bootscreen1.jpg


Repair Install Does Not Lose Anything; you may need to try 2-3 times but
that's rare.

(Note in the rare instance that a repair install is done on a box that where
the OS has systemically destroyed partitions, or if there is a multi-boot
setup with a linux boot loader like Grub or Lilo in the picture, you will be
blocked from reaching a repair install setup).

How To Repair Install
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341#XSLTH3127121122120121120120

How to Perform a Repair Install (Doug Knox MSFT MVP)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

Screen Shot Repair Install
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winxppro/installxpcdrepair/indexfullpage.htm

Other Options with Slim Chances of Success:

Boot Discs:
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

How To Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305595

How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310994

Recovery Console:

The Recovery Console is very low odds for getting back your OS with it's 13
original dos cmds, but references are included. It should be your last
option, even when the MSFT KB article offers only it. When they do this,
they disregard their own Resource KB listed at the top as well as their own
XP Resource Kit Chapter 28.

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058/EN-US/

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654/

The recovery console can be installed via a cmd to your HD from the XP CD
and it occupies nearly 7.36MB of space.

Good luck,

CH
___________________________________________________________
 
R

Rick Rogers

Hi Michelle,

Boot your system with the WinXP CD, hit 'r' when prompted to repair the
system and logon using the admin password. From the command prompt, run
fixmbr, then fixboot. Exit the command prompt and restart the system without
the CD.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
J

John Barnes

If you did not change the boot priority in the BIOS when you installed
Vista, insert your XP install CD and enter Recovery Console at the first
option page. In Recovery Console, enter the command fixmbr This will
restore your XP master boot record. At the same time you can do the command
bootcfg /rebuild use this to make sure you have an entry in your boot.ini
file to point to your xp partition. After you get back to XP you can go
into system properties/advanced/start up to edit your boot.ini to clean up
any entries you no longer need.
 
M

mikeyhsd

download and install VistaB ootPro, you can use its options to remove the vista boot information and force XP as primary boot.



(e-mail address removed)



Hello, I am at the end of my rope... I use Windows XP SP2 - and I tried to
load the beta (RC1) of Windows Vista on a new partition, the installation
was unsuccesful, and after the unsuccesful install attempt I can no longer
see the image on the CD, just a txt file. Anyway, this is incedental.

I have deleted the partition, the files have all disappeared (I assume
deleted with the partition), and I want to get back to normal, but at
startup, I get a message telling me tht some file is missing or corrupt,
then when I press enter, I get the boot manager that offers to start Earlier
version of windows, or (nonexistant) Windows Vista or something else that
doesn't work. I want to get rid of it all and just get back to normal
Windows XP startup.

What do I have to do?

Any ideas... please...

M
 
C

Chad Harris

Fixmbr and the rest of the 13 original dos commands in the Recovery Console
:

I should have put this in the list, and it's

A great concept for fixing Windows outside Windows, discarded in Vista,
with less than the same chance of success in the Recovery Console for every
one of its commands that there will be a Subway World Series between the New
York Yankees and the New York Mets beginning Oct. 21, 2006:

http://mrudolf.tripod.com/subway/

CH
 

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