invalid boot.ini

[Guest]

I am getting a message on black screen when starting computer: invlaid
boot.ini - booting from C:\windows then it starts up like there is nothing
wrong, except in control panel, the Administrative Tools is blank.

when I go to system - advance - startup/recovery - settings - I get "the
C:\boot.ini file cannot be opened, operating system and timeout settings
cannot be changed" OK - then under EDIT I get "cannot find C:\boot./ini
file, Do you want to create a new file?" yes/no/cancel

I don't know when this started for sure, but I was having trouble with the
PC-Cillin engine and had to re-install it this month

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

You may use the Bootcfg command to rebuild the Boot.ini file.

Use the bootcfg /rebuild command in the Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307061

Microsoft Windows XP - Bootcfg:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/bootcons_bootcfg.mspx

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I am getting a message on black screen when starting computer: invlaid
boot.ini - booting from C:\windows then it starts up like there is nothing
wrong, except in control panel, the Administrative Tools is blank.

when I go to system - advance - startup/recovery - settings - I get "the
C:\boot.ini file cannot be opened, operating system and timeout settings
cannot be changed" OK - then under EDIT I get "cannot find C:\boot./ini
file, Do you want to create a new file?" yes/no/cancel

I don't know when this started for sure, but I was having trouble with the
PC-Cillin engine and had to re-install it this month

 

[Guest]

how do I know what to rebuild it to say?

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

bootcfg /rebuild

Iterate through all Windows installations and allow the user to choose which
to add.


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


how do I know what to rebuild it to say?

 

[Guest]

As far as I know I ony have one Windows installation, XP Home, version 2002 -
SP2.
I did try a system restore that "fixed" it, but it didn't stay fixed.... If
it is booting into windows, then what is invalid?

bootcfg /rebuild

Iterate through all Windows installations and allow the user to choose which
to add.


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


how do I know what to rebuild it to say?

You may use the Bootcfg command to rebuild the Boot.ini file.

Use the bootcfg /rebuild command in the Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307061

Microsoft Windows XP - Bootcfg:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/bootcons_bootcfg.mspx

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I am getting a message on black screen when starting computer: invlaid
boot.ini - booting from C:\windows then it starts up like there is nothing
wrong, except in control panel, the Administrative Tools is blank.

when I go to system - advance - startup/recovery - settings - I get "the
C:\boot.ini file cannot be opened, operating system and timeout settings
cannot be changed" OK - then under EDIT I get "cannot find C:\boot./ini
file, Do you want to create a new file?" yes/no/cancel

I don't know when this started for sure, but I was having trouble with the
PC-Cillin engine and had to re-install it this month

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

If it is booting into windows, then what is invalid?

The "invalid" thing might be the boot.ini file is missing. And it appears
that it loads the Windows installation from C:\

As I said, creating a new boot.ini should fix the problem. Here is a sample
boot.ini file (from my system)

- - -
[boot loader]
timeout=3
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(5)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(5)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional - Visual Studio" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
- - -

I have a parallel installation of Windows XP in partition(5) [ in my G:\
drive ]

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


As far as I know I ony have one Windows installation, XP Home, version
2002 -
SP2.
I did try a system restore that "fixed" it, but it didn't stay fixed.... If
it is booting into windows, then what is invalid?

bootcfg /rebuild

Iterate through all Windows installations and allow the user to choose
which
to add.


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


how do I know what to rebuild it to say?

You may use the Bootcfg command to rebuild the Boot.ini file.

Use the bootcfg /rebuild command in the Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307061

Microsoft Windows XP - Bootcfg:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/bootcons_bootcfg.mspx

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I am getting a message on black screen when starting computer: invlaid
boot.ini - booting from C:\windows then it starts up like there is
nothing
wrong, except in control panel, the Administrative Tools is blank.

when I go to system - advance - startup/recovery - settings - I get "the
C:\boot.ini file cannot be opened, operating system and timeout settings
cannot be changed" OK - then under EDIT I get "cannot find C:\boot./ini
file, Do you want to create a new file?" yes/no/cancel

I don't know when this started for sure, but I was having trouble with
the
PC-Cillin engine and had to re-install it this month

 

[Guest]

well, I have found a boot.ini.backup in C:\Windows.pss
I am very leery of attempting changes to system files, but I guess I will
try it and see what happens....
Should I do this in safe mode?
Would a virus have caused it to dissapear?
shann

The "invalid" thing might be the boot.ini file is missing. And it appears
that it loads the Windows installation from C:\

As I said, creating a new boot.ini should fix the problem. Here is a sample
boot.ini file (from my system)

- - -
[boot loader]
timeout=3
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(5)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(5)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional - Visual Studio" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
- - -

I have a parallel installation of Windows XP in partition(5) [ in my G:\
drive ]

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


As far as I know I ony have one Windows installation, XP Home, version
2002 -
SP2.
I did try a system restore that "fixed" it, but it didn't stay fixed.... If
it is booting into windows, then what is invalid?

bootcfg /rebuild

Iterate through all Windows installations and allow the user to choose
which
to add.


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


how do I know what to rebuild it to say?

You may use the Bootcfg command to rebuild the Boot.ini file.

Use the bootcfg /rebuild command in the Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307061

Microsoft Windows XP - Bootcfg:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/bootcons_bootcfg.mspx

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I am getting a message on black screen when starting computer: invlaid
boot.ini - booting from C:\windows then it starts up like there is
nothing
wrong, except in control panel, the Administrative Tools is blank.

when I go to system - advance - startup/recovery - settings - I get "the
C:\boot.ini file cannot be opened, operating system and timeout settings
cannot be changed" OK - then under EDIT I get "cannot find C:\boot./ini
file, Do you want to create a new file?" yes/no/cancel

I don't know when this started for sure, but I was having trouble with
the
PC-Cillin engine and had to re-install it this month

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Good idea. You could copy the file to C:\ and rename it as boot.ini. This
can be done from Normal mode itself.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


well, I have found a boot.ini.backup in C:\Windows.pss
I am very leery of attempting changes to system files, but I guess I will
try it and see what happens....
Should I do this in safe mode?
Would a virus have caused it to dissapear?
shann