"Invalid BOOT.INI file" / How to write manually my boot.ini file?

P

Paul Barasoa

A few days ago my boot partition crashed somehow and I got a message during bootup:

NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

Ok, So I did according to some recommendations a renewal of my boot files (with my recovery CD):

FIXMBR C:
FIXBOOT C:
COPY X:\I386\NTLDR C:\
COPY X:\I386\NTDETECT.COM C:\

After this operations I could successfully boot my Win2000 system.
However, since then during my boot up two new messages appear:

Invalid Boot.ini file
Booting from C:\WINNT\

Hmm, what does that mean?
Do I have to rewrite manually my boot.ini file?

If yes: How should it look like?

Again everything else seems to be fine with the Windows system.
I can work with it as before.
Only the new messages are somehow curious.

Paul
 
T

Tom Porterfield

Paul said:
A few days ago my boot partition crashed somehow and I got a message during bootup:

NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

Ok, So I did according to some recommendations a renewal of my boot files (with my recovery CD):

FIXMBR C:
FIXBOOT C:
COPY X:\I386\NTLDR C:\
COPY X:\I386\NTDETECT.COM C:\

After this operations I could successfully boot my Win2000 system.
However, since then during my boot up two new messages appear:

Invalid Boot.ini file
Booting from C:\WINNT\

Hmm, what does that mean?
Do I have to rewrite manually my boot.ini file?

If yes: How should it look like?

Again everything else seems to be fine with the Windows system.
I can work with it as before.
Only the new messages are somehow curious.
Click to expand...

You can have your boot.ini file rebuilt using bootcfg from the recovery
console. The options you want to look at are bootcfg /scan and bootcfg
/rebuild.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.
 
G

Galen

In Paul Barasoa <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:
A few days ago my boot partition crashed somehow and I got a message
during bootup:

NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

Ok, So I did according to some recommendations a renewal of my boot
files (with my recovery CD):

FIXMBR C:
FIXBOOT C:
COPY X:\I386\NTLDR C:\
COPY X:\I386\NTDETECT.COM C:\

After this operations I could successfully boot my Win2000 system.
However, since then during my boot up two new messages appear:

Invalid Boot.ini file
Booting from C:\WINNT\

Hmm, what does that mean?
Do I have to rewrite manually my boot.ini file?

If yes: How should it look like?

Again everything else seems to be fine with the Windows system.
I can work with it as before.
Only the new messages are somehow curious.

Paul
Click to expand...

See if this does the trick for you:

Insert and boot from your Windows XP CD.
At the first R=Repair option, press the R key
Press the number that corresponds to the correct location for the
installation of Windows you want to repair.
Typically this will be #1
Type bootcfg /list to show the current entries in the BOOT.INI file
Type bootcfg /rebuild to repair it
Take out the CD ROM and type exit

See also:

Problems with boot.ini :
http://kgiii.info/windows/XP/advanced/bootini.html

Galen
--

"Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and
its solution is its own reward."

Sherlock Holmes
 
P

Patti MacLeod

Hi Paul,

That means that your boot.ini file cannot be found so the system is
(correctly) booting from the most common location of the Windows files in 2K
(multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partiti­on(1)\WINNT)

Yes you will have to manually rewrite your boot.ini file. You can do this in
Notepad........copy what is between (but not including) the asterisks, then
paste it into Notepad:

************************************************************
[boot loader]
timeout=10
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
**************************************************************
Due to the length of the line under [operating systems], it may wrap so that
the /fastdetect looks like it is a separate line. Leave a space after
"Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" and this is where /fastdetect should
be located.

Save the Notepad file as Boot.ini in the root directory (do NOT save it in
the WINNT directory, as the system does not look there for the boot.ini
file).

Restart and see if that resolves the "Invalid Boot.ini" error message.



Regards,
 
B

Brian Cryer

Paul Barasoa said:
A few days ago my boot partition crashed somehow and I got a message during
bootup:

NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

Ok, So I did according to some recommendations a renewal of my boot files
(with my recovery CD):

FIXMBR C:
FIXBOOT C:
COPY X:\I386\NTLDR C:\
COPY X:\I386\NTDETECT.COM C:\

After this operations I could successfully boot my Win2000 system.
However, since then during my boot up two new messages appear:

Invalid Boot.ini file
Booting from C:\WINNT\

Hmm, what does that mean?
Do I have to rewrite manually my boot.ini file?

If yes: How should it look like?

Again everything else seems to be fine with the Windows system.
I can work with it as before.
Only the new messages are somehow curious.

Paul
Click to expand...

Paul,

there is probably a windows 2000 specific support newsgroup which might be a
better place to post.

I've no experience of "Invalid Boot.ini file", but assuming it is related to
your boot.ini file I've copied below the contents of the boot.ini from one
of our Windows 2000 workstations:

[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

you can edit this with notepad, and I have a feeling that the file must be
set hidden (which it is by default) but it might be happy for it not to be.

Hope this helps,

Brian.

www.cryer.co.uk/brian
 
G

Guest

Assuming that you have 1 hard drive and that w2000 is installed there:

Open notepad.

Paste in

[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" /fastdetect

save as "boot.ini" (the quotes are important) to root of your c: drive.

If you get a save error you may need to open a command prompt (start=>run,
cmd, ENTER)

type:

cd \
attrib -s -h boot.ini
del boot.ini
exit

then try saving your new boot.ini file.
 
D

Doug Knox MS-MVP

A typical XP boot.ini file (1 hard disk, 1 partition) looks like this, with SP2 installed.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Manny Borges said:
Assuming that you have 1 hard drive and that w2000 is installed there:

Open notepad.

Paste in

[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" /fastdetect

save as "boot.ini" (the quotes are important) to root of your c: drive.

If you get a save error you may need to open a command prompt (start=>run,
cmd, ENTER)

type:

cd \
attrib -s -h boot.ini
del boot.ini
exit

then try saving your new boot.ini file.



Paul Barasoa said:
A few days ago my boot partition crashed somehow and I got a message during bootup:

NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

Ok, So I did according to some recommendations a renewal of my boot files (with my recovery CD):

FIXMBR C:
FIXBOOT C:
COPY X:\I386\NTLDR C:\
COPY X:\I386\NTDETECT.COM C:\

After this operations I could successfully boot my Win2000 system.
However, since then during my boot up two new messages appear:

Invalid Boot.ini file
Booting from C:\WINNT\

Hmm, what does that mean?
Do I have to rewrite manually my boot.ini file?

If yes: How should it look like?

Again everything else seems to be fine with the Windows system.
I can work with it as before.
Only the new messages are somehow curious.

Paul
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
M

Manny Borges

Yeah, and thats probably what I would have pasted in if the poster hadn't
explictly stated windows 2000.

:)

Just ribbing ya, thanks for the followup, its good info to have.

--
Manny Borges
MCSE NT4-2003 (+ Security)
MCT, Certified Cheese Master

The pen is mightier than the sword, and considerably easier to write with.
-- Marty Feldman
A typical XP boot.ini file (1 hard disk, 1 partition) looks like this, with
SP2 installed.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN
/FASTDETECT

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Manny Borges said:
Assuming that you have 1 hard drive and that w2000 is installed there:

Open notepad.

Paste in

[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"
/fastdetect

save as "boot.ini" (the quotes are important) to root of your c: drive.

If you get a save error you may need to open a command prompt (start=>run,
cmd, ENTER)

type:

cd \
attrib -s -h boot.ini
del boot.ini
exit

then try saving your new boot.ini file.



Paul Barasoa said:
A few days ago my boot partition crashed somehow and I got a message
during bootup:

NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

Ok, So I did according to some recommendations a renewal of my boot files
(with my recovery CD):

FIXMBR C:
FIXBOOT C:
COPY X:\I386\NTLDR C:\
COPY X:\I386\NTDETECT.COM C:\

After this operations I could successfully boot my Win2000 system.
However, since then during my boot up two new messages appear:

Invalid Boot.ini file
Booting from C:\WINNT\

Hmm, what does that mean?
Do I have to rewrite manually my boot.ini file?

If yes: How should it look like?

Again everything else seems to be fine with the Windows system.
I can work with it as before.
Only the new messages are somehow curious.

Paul
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
B

balpgm55

The boot.ini file tells windows where to find the operating system.
Here is an example of mine:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
 
G

GotBonus?

Invalid Boot.ini file
Booting from C:\WINNT\

Hmm, what does that mean?
Do I have to rewrite manually my boot.ini file?

If yes: How should it look like?

Again everything else seems to be fine with the Windows system.
I can work with it as before.
Only the new messages are somehow curious.

Paul
Click to expand...
I have been having this problem for a while. I THOUGHT it was because I had
the first boot device set as CDROM and it was telling me...
Invalid boot.ini file( because it was trying to boot from CDrom and couldn't
find a boot.ini file) and it was then telling me..
(I am) booting from C:\windows\ ( because it couldn't boot from the cdrom)
Two different events( I thought)
Did that make sense?

Anyway, today I changed the boot order and I still see the same error. So
now I see its telling me the boot.ini file is invalid while trying to boot
from C:\windows\.

What's weird is that error flashes for a second or so , goes away and the
system boots right up.

What is going on?

I am running XP pro with all updates EXCEPT SP2.
AMD 64 2800 MSI K7N neo Platinum with a Gig of ram (2 x 512)and a 256meg
9600XT. (should I get SP2?)

The system DOES seem (always has) to lag when opening apps. it should just
fly me thinks.
Could the invalid boot.ini file be the culprit?

Thanks all for insight and if someone can post a boot.ini file that I could
use as well.

CAZ
 
I

ionicacomputer

The boot.ini file is the startup file that windows reads in order to
understand where all your system files are located. The boot.ini file
should be located on your c: drive. The file may be hidden. In order
to view this file, open up windows explorer-->tools-->folder options
-->view tab and uncheck the hide operating system files. Once you find
it it can be edited in notepad or any other text editor you like.
Finally for a more in depth explanation just do a google search for
boot.ini and you'll find numerous articles explaining all the other
info in that file.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads

invalid boot.ini file 1
w2k doesnt keep boot.ini 3
Invalid boot.ini file 1
Invalid Boot.INI File 1
Invalid Boot.INI corrupt: <Windows 2000 Root>\sys32\NTOSKRNL.EXE 20
boot.ini file deleted by mistake 1
invalid boot.ini file in win 2k 2
"NTLDR is missing" 12

Top