HELP!!! Dual boot install failed, can't get into computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter dave
  • Start date Start date
D

dave

Hi:

Please help me if you can.

I had win98se on my computer. I tried to install winxp on an
empty hard drive, but the install failed. When I turned the computer
on, i would get a dual-boot screen screen letting me choose winxp or
win98.
If I chose winxp, a message comes up saying the system was halted
due to an error.

So I tried going into win98se. I was able to do it.
I noticed that a bunch of new files were on my C drive, including
boot.ini, ntldr, and some others.

I decided I wanted to get rid of this whole failed XP dual boot
setup, so I went through and renamed all the new files, putting an
"xxx" in front of their names. For instance, boot.ini now became
xxxboot.ini.

I did this to all the new files. I thought that would get rid
of the dual-boot screen that didn't work.

Well, I really screwed things up.

Now the computer won't boot at all. I even put in a win98se
boot floppy that has always worked in the past.

I am able to get the black dos-like screen that shaows c:\, but
I can't get any further.

Can someone please help me. I know I screwed up big-time, but
is there a way out of this.

If I can get back to win98se, I'll never touch that damned xp
again!!

Thank you.

dave
 
Get a Win98 boot floppy disk.
Try here www.bootdisk.com if you havent got one.

Boot up from it
Type sys c:

This will reload a useful bootsector for you.

Regards
Mark Drmer
 
Get a Win98 boot floppy disk.
Try here www.bootdisk.com if you havent got one.

Boot up from it
Type sys c:

This will reload a useful bootsector for you.

Regards
Mark Drmer


Hi Mark:

I tried it with the win98 floppy boot disk that I had.

I typed:

A:\sys c:

It replied: "system transferred"

however, it still won't do anything.

Any ideas what I can do next?

dave
 
Hi Mark:

I tried it with the win98 floppy boot disk that I had.

I typed:

A:\sys c:

It replied: "system transferred"

however, it still won't do anything.

Any ideas what I can do next?

dave


OK, here's some more info:

I got to c:L\win98se and typed in "win.com"

It returned a window called "Microsoft Registry Checker"

and it said:

Registry Repair Results
Windows found an error in your system files and was unable
to fix the problem. Try deleting some files to free up disk space
on your windows drive. If that doesn't work then you will need
to install windows to a new directory.

I hit "ok" button at bottom, and got a new blue screen of death
saying:

VFAT Device Initialization Failed

A device or resource required by VFAT is not present or is
unavailable. VFAT cannot continue loading.
System halted.

After that, I have to do a manual shut-off and restant to get back to
the dos screen.

This doesn't look good!!

And yet going through the dos directories shows that everything
appears to be intact.

My guess is that some vfat info file just has been put somewhere
during the failed dual-boot process, and just needs to be restored.

Any ideas?

dave
 
dave install XP on the second drive and put it as a primary, then attach the
one that has windows 98 on it and put it as a slave so that you can tranfer
your data from win98 to XP.

Forget about win98 its trash!

--

Hope this helps. Let us know.
_____________
Kenny S
http://www.computerboom.net
FREE programs and MORE!

---
 

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