Lost ability to sellect OS at boot

[dmbauer]

HELP!

For some reason I keep losing the ability to select the OS on system
start-up. I run Win98 on Drive C and WinXP Pro on Drive D (second partition
of the drive). In order to repair the Boot.ini file, I begin to re-install
XP then stop the installation (I don't want to delete the data that is
already on Drive D) This gives me a boot.ini with WinXP, WinXp Pro setup,
and Win98 to select. I edit the boot.ini and remove the "WinXP Pro setup"
line and then save the file. But eventually I lose that and the system
boots directly to Win98 without giving me the option to select the OS. If
anyone can tell me what's happening or how to correct this, I'd be a very
happy camper.

Thanks--DMB

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Could you please post the contents of your boot.ini file?

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User


| HELP!
|
| For some reason I keep losing the ability to select the OS on system
| start-up. I run Win98 on Drive C and WinXP Pro on Drive D (second partition
| of the drive). In order to repair the Boot.ini file, I begin to re-install
| XP then stop the installation (I don't want to delete the data that is
| already on Drive D) This gives me a boot.ini with WinXP, WinXp Pro setup,
| and Win98 to select. I edit the boot.ini and remove the "WinXP Pro setup"
| line and then save the file. But eventually I lose that and the system
| boots directly to Win98 without giving me the option to select the OS. If
| anyone can tell me what's happening or how to correct this, I'd be a very
| happy camper.
|
| Thanks--DMB

 

[dmbauer]

Hello Will,

Here is a copy of my boot.ini

[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\="Microsoft Windows"

I might add that I just did a partial re-install of WinXP Pro to rebuild
this file this morning and to get to XP but it looks no different than what
it was before....and since I'm still in XP and haven't rebooted I'm not sure
if I'll get the opportunity to select the OS on startup if I reboot. Would
it be possible for you to maybe reply to the newsgroup and to my e-mail
address ... that way if XP doesn't show up as a selection I can still read
your reply.

Also, while I have your eyes, I have two folders/directories on C drive:

$WIN_NT$.~BT
$WIN_NT$.~LS

I know that one of them is put there by the install of XP but what is the
other one and how did it get there?
..
Thanks Again--DMB

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

I can see the partial reinstall - "Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT" Those two folders are from the partial reinstall.

Rename boot.ini to boot.001 or what ever. Then open Notepad and type or copy/paste the following:

[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

and save that file as boot.ini where the original file was. Reboot your system. This should also stop the partial reinstall. If you have Win 98 installed as well, you will have to edit boot.ini to include that after you have booted back into XP. You can then delete those two folders:

$WIN_NT$.~BT
$WIN_NT$.~LS

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User


| Hello Will,
|
| Here is a copy of my boot.ini
|
| [Boot Loader]
| Timeout=5
| Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT
| [Operating Systems]
| multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
| Professional" /fastdetect
| C:\="Microsoft Windows"
|
| I might add that I just did a partial re-install of WinXP Pro to rebuild
| this file this morning and to get to XP but it looks no different than what
| it was before....and since I'm still in XP and haven't rebooted I'm not sure
| if I'll get the opportunity to select the OS on startup if I reboot. Would
| it be possible for you to maybe reply to the newsgroup and to my e-mail
| address ... that way if XP doesn't show up as a selection I can still read
| your reply.
|
| Also, while I have your eyes, I have two folders/directories on C drive:
|
| $WIN_NT$.~BT
| $WIN_NT$.~LS
|
| I know that one of them is put there by the install of XP but what is the
| other one and how did it get there?
| .
| Thanks Again--DMB

 

[dmbauer]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

Hello again Will,

Ok now I'm a little confused. I have never been able to find the boot.ini
file in WinXP Pro. I can view the boot.ini using msconfig, but it does not
allow me to add or edit the file. I can sure find it in Win 98, as I do it
often enough trying ot correct this problem. Is it called something else in
WinXP?

Again, thanks
DMB

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

The boot.ini file in XP is hidden. You need to go into Windows Explorer then Tools>Folder Options>View and enable 'Show hidden files and folders' - restart WE. You will be able to double click on boot.ini to open it in Notepad.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User


|
|
| > multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
|
| Hello again Will,
|
| Ok now I'm a little confused. I have never been able to find the boot.ini
| file in WinXP Pro. I can view the boot.ini using msconfig, but it does not
| allow me to add or edit the file. I can sure find it in Win 98, as I do it
| often enough trying ot correct this problem. Is it called something else in
| WinXP?
|
| Again, thanks
| DMB

 

[Squire]

Do the following in XP:

Click Start, right click My Computer and select Properties,
Click Advanced tab and under Startup and Recovery click the settings button,
then click Edit.

Make and save your changes, exit to desktop and Reboot.

 

[sgopus]

You can also visit this link, and read up all about how to
fix your master boot record, using the recovery console
within XP.

http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/notes.htm#03

-----Original Message-----
Hi

The boot.ini file in XP is hidden. You need to go into

Windows Explorer then Tools>Folder Options>View and
enable 'Show hidden files and folders' - restart WE. You
will be able to double click on boot.ini to open it in
Notepad.

 

[Alex Nichol]

For some reason I keep losing the ability to select the OS on system
start-up. I run Win98 on Drive C and WinXP Pro on Drive D (second partition
of the drive). In order to repair the Boot.ini file, I begin to re-install
XP then stop the installation (I don't want to delete the data that is
already on Drive D) This gives me a boot.ini with WinXP, WinXp Pro setup,
and Win98 to select. I edit the boot.ini and remove the "WinXP Pro setup"
line and then save the file. But eventually I lose that and the system
boots directly to Win98 without giving me the option to select the OS.

This can happen if you run a SYS C: from the Win98 startup floppy - or
other things under the 98 that puts back standard Win98 code in the boot
sector of the partition. which could indicate a virus, thought I do not
know one specifically.

If it happens again, an easier way to repair the boot.ini is

Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard Disk. Boot the XP CD and, instead
of Setup, take the immediate R for Repair. Assume any password
requested is blank, and TAB over.
Give:
ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\Boot.ini
DEL C:\Boot.ini
(thus deleting the old one)
BootCfg /Rebuild

 

[Alex Nichol]

Ok now I'm a little confused. I have never been able to find the boot.ini
file in WinXP Pro. I can view the boot.ini using msconfig, but it does not
allow me to add or edit the file. I can sure find it in Win 98, as I do it
often enough trying ot correct this problem. Is it called something else in
WinXP?

When you set up a dual boot from a Win98, the initial boot is to the
Win98 partition, using the XP boot code. It is in that partition (the
C: of either) that you find boot.ini. To see it in XP you need have
Folder Options - View set to show Hidden files, and *not* Hide Protected
mode ones

Easiest way to get to edit it in XP is Control Panel - System - Advanced
and click Settings in Startup and Error recovery, then click Edit to
load it to Notepad.

But see my other post

 

[dmbauer]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I might add that the boot.ini file used
by XP is actually the same boot.ini used by Win98 and is located on that
drive. There is no boot.ini located in the XPWindows directory even after
checking in the folder options to show hidden files.. After following the
directions offered by Will, neither of the OS's would boot. I'm sure I
misunderstood his instructions but should have changed the boot.ini in Win98
prior to restarting the computer. Thankfully there was boot.bak that I
could use in DOS to restore my system via the XP Repair Console, and a long
distance call to my geek brother.