Partitioning Hell

[Guest]

I used PartitionMagic to add a partition for XP Home to a Presario laptop. It came originally with WinME so XP offered dual boot at boot up after installation. My friend got a persistent virus on ME and decided she wanted ME, and its virus, gone. I used PM 8 to make the XP partition (NTFS) active, deleted the ME partition, and moved it to the beginning of the drive. It seemed like a simple thing. Now it should boot to XP and she'd be happy. Nope!

I got the NTLDR missing message so went into the Recovery console and copied it to c:\. Still won't boot. Thought XP may need to see the ME partition to be happy so moved the NTFS partition to make room and installed it at beginning of the drive from the recovery disk. ME runs OK. PM 8 shows the partitions pretty much as they were before I started all this. Tried setting the NTFS partition active (which hides ME) but success still eludes me. Now, computer shuts itself off after being in the recovery console for a short time but I see all the files from the XP install still there. Don't know if the "shut off" is hardware or software but it doesn't happen while ME is running.

Short of wiping everything out and starting over, what possibilities are there now?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


|I used PartitionMagic to add a partition for XP Home to a Presario laptop. It came originally with WinME so
XP offered dual boot at boot up after installation. My friend got a persistent virus on ME and decided she
wanted ME, and its virus, gone. I used PM 8 to make the XP partition (NTFS) active, deleted the ME partition,
and moved it to the beginning of the drive. It seemed like a simple thing. Now it should boot to XP and
she'd be happy. Nope!
|
| I got the NTLDR missing message so went into the Recovery console and copied it to c:\. Still won't boot.
Thought XP may need to see the ME partition to be happy so moved the NTFS partition to make room and installed
it at beginning of the drive from the recovery disk. ME runs OK. PM 8 shows the partitions pretty much as
they were before I started all this. Tried setting the NTFS partition active (which hides ME) but success
still eludes me. Now, computer shuts itself off after being in the recovery console for a short time but I
see all the files from the XP install still there. Don't know if the "shut off" is hardware or software but
it doesn't happen while ME is running.
|
| Short of wiping everything out and starting over, what possibilities are there now?
|
|

 

[Ed H]

You'll probably find that the repair install option will mot be displayed. I
have been in your shoes more times than I can count. I wrote here several
times, received many ideas but I never did resolve the problem. It seems
"boot.ini" gets corrupt some how during the installation of a second OS.
--
Ed H
Dell Dimension 4550, WinXP Home SP1
60 Gig. HD, 512 DDR, Pentium IV 2.40 GHz.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------


|I used PartitionMagic to add a partition for XP Home to a Presario

laptop. It came originally with WinME so

XP offered dual boot at boot up after installation. My friend got a

persistent virus on ME and decided she

wanted ME, and its virus, gone. I used PM 8 to make the XP partition

(NTFS) active, deleted the ME partition,

and moved it to the beginning of the drive. It seemed like a simple

thing. Now it should boot to XP and

she'd be happy. Nope!
|
| I got the NTLDR missing message so went into the Recovery console and

copied it to c:\. Still won't boot.

Thought XP may need to see the ME partition to be happy so moved the NTFS

partition to make room and installed

it at beginning of the drive from the recovery disk. ME runs OK. PM 8

shows the partitions pretty much as

they were before I started all this. Tried setting the NTFS partition

active (which hides ME) but success

still eludes me. Now, computer shuts itself off after being in the

recovery console for a short time but I

see all the files from the XP install still there. Don't know if the

"shut off" is hardware or software but

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

I have been dual booting and tri-booting and quad-booting for years. I have
never had any issues with corruption of the boot.ini file. I have booted
with various mixtures of Windows, Linux, Solaris, etc. I do not use
Partition magic to change an active partition that contains a boot OS. This
is only asking for problems. Given the scenario you presented, you should
have simply booted off the WInXP disk, formatted the drive, and installed
WinXP.

Bobby

You'll probably find that the repair install option will mot be displayed.
I
have been in your shoes more times than I can count. I wrote here several
times, received many ideas but I never did resolve the problem. It seems
"boot.ini" gets corrupt some how during the installation of a second OS.
--
Ed H
Dell Dimension 4550, WinXP Home SP1
60 Gig. HD, 512 DDR, Pentium IV 2.40 GHz.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------


|I used PartitionMagic to add a partition for XP Home to a Presario

laptop. It came originally with WinME so

XP offered dual boot at boot up after installation. My friend got a

persistent virus on ME and decided she

wanted ME, and its virus, gone. I used PM 8 to make the XP partition

(NTFS) active, deleted the ME partition,

and moved it to the beginning of the drive. It seemed like a simple

thing. Now it should boot to XP and

she'd be happy. Nope!
|
| I got the NTLDR missing message so went into the Recovery console and

copied it to c:\. Still won't boot.

Thought XP may need to see the ME partition to be happy so moved the NTFS

partition to make room and installed

it at beginning of the drive from the recovery disk. ME runs OK. PM 8

shows the partitions pretty much as

they were before I started all this. Tried setting the NTFS partition

active (which hides ME) but success

still eludes me. Now, computer shuts itself off after being in the

recovery console for a short time but I

see all the files from the XP install still there. Don't know if the

"shut off" is hardware or software but

it doesn't happen while ME is running.
|
| Short of wiping everything out and starting over, what possibilities
are there now?
|
|

 

[Pegasus]

I used PartitionMagic to add a partition for XP Home to a Presario laptop.

It came originally with WinME so XP offered dual boot at boot up after
installation. My friend got a persistent virus on ME and decided she wanted
ME, and its virus, gone. I used PM 8 to make the XP partition (NTFS)
active, deleted the ME partition, and moved it to the beginning of the
drive. It seemed like a simple thing. Now it should boot to XP and she'd
be happy. Nope!

I got the NTLDR missing message so went into the Recovery console and

copied it to c:\. Still won't boot. Thought XP may need to see the ME
partition to be happy so moved the NTFS partition to make room and installed
it at beginning of the drive from the recovery disk. ME runs OK. PM 8
shows the partitions pretty much as they were before I started all this.
Tried setting the NTFS partition active (which hides ME) but success still
eludes me. Now, computer shuts itself off after being in the recovery
console for a short time but I see all the files from the XP install still
there. Don't know if the "shut off" is hardware or software but it doesn't
happen while ME is running.

Short of wiping everything out and starting over, what possibilities are

there now?

Your post does not really make it clear what you had
before and after - I assume it is something like this:

Before: WinME on drive C:, WinXP on drive D:
After: WinXP on drive C:.

If this is correct then you have two problems:
- The hidden file c:\boot.ini probably points to the wrong partition.
- WinXP saw the light of the day on drive D:, and this is where it
must remain.

The first problem is easily fixed. The second problem cannot
be fixed.

 

[Pegasus]

I have the same experience with multi-booting as you, with one
exception: I use PQMagic extensively, and it has never let me
down.

I have been dual booting and tri-booting and quad-booting for years. I have
never had any issues with corruption of the boot.ini file. I have booted
with various mixtures of Windows, Linux, Solaris, etc. I do not use
Partition magic to change an active partition that contains a boot OS. This
is only asking for problems. Given the scenario you presented, you should
have simply booted off the WInXP disk, formatted the drive, and installed
WinXP.

Bobby

You'll probably find that the repair install option will mot be displayed.
I
have been in your shoes more times than I can count. I wrote here several
times, received many ideas but I never did resolve the problem. It seems
"boot.ini" gets corrupt some how during the installation of a second OS.
--
Ed H
Dell Dimension 4550, WinXP Home SP1
60 Gig. HD, 512 DDR, Pentium IV 2.40 GHz.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

------------------------------------------------------------------------- -
----------------
laptop. It came originally with WinME so
persistent virus on ME and decided she
(NTFS) active, deleted the ME partition,
thing. Now it should boot to XP and
copied it to c:\. Still won't boot. NTFS
partition to make room and installed
shows the partitions pretty much as
active (which hides ME) but success
recovery console for a short time but I
"shut off" is hardware or software but

 

[Guest]

Re: your earlier post, I, too, have never had a failure with Partition Magic. I doubt that is what this is. The answer to your next question is that ME was on C:, the Presario system save files were on D: so XP was somewhere else, either E: or F:, depending on the assigned letter for the CD. I confess that I foolishly thought this would be easy so didn't pay much attention to assigned drive letters. If this was my machine, I would have long ago sucked up and done a clean install. It is not, though, so I am trying to do whatever it takes to get this back together.

Is there any way to use a shell on the NTFS partition so I can move around better? For reasons I haven't discovered, this Presario will run for hours under ME but, when I start the XP CD, it gets into the Recovery Console, then lasts only a couple of minutes, long enough to get started but not much more, then shuts off as if it was overheating.

If not, can I convert NTFS in PM 8 to FAT32, then make the partition visible, and very carefully investigte it from ME, then convert back and proceed to attempt the changes? I'd at least know where the target files are and might be ableto look at the contents.

 

[Guest]

No douby, you are right. I should have done things very differently. At this point, I need to make every effort to undo the mess I have made.

Thanks

I have been dual booting and tri-booting and quad-booting for years. I have
never had any issues with corruption of the boot.ini file. I have booted
with various mixtures of Windows, Linux, Solaris, etc. I do not use
Partition magic to change an active partition that contains a boot OS. This
is only asking for problems. Given the scenario you presented, you should
have simply booted off the WInXP disk, formatted the drive, and installed
WinXP.

Bobby

You'll probably find that the repair install option will mot be displayed.
I
have been in your shoes more times than I can count. I wrote here several
times, received many ideas but I never did resolve the problem. It seems
"boot.ini" gets corrupt some how during the installation of a second OS.
--
Ed H
Dell Dimension 4550, WinXP Home SP1
60 Gig. HD, 512 DDR, Pentium IV 2.40 GHz.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------


|I used PartitionMagic to add a partition for XP Home to a Presario

laptop. It came originally with WinME so

XP offered dual boot at boot up after installation. My friend got a

persistent virus on ME and decided she

wanted ME, and its virus, gone. I used PM 8 to make the XP partition

(NTFS) active, deleted the ME partition,

and moved it to the beginning of the drive. It seemed like a simple

thing. Now it should boot to XP and

she'd be happy. Nope!
|
| I got the NTLDR missing message so went into the Recovery console and

copied it to c:\. Still won't boot.

Thought XP may need to see the ME partition to be happy so moved the NTFS

partition to make room and installed

it at beginning of the drive from the recovery disk. ME runs OK. PM 8

shows the partitions pretty much as

they were before I started all this. Tried setting the NTFS partition

active (which hides ME) but success

still eludes me. Now, computer shuts itself off after being in the

recovery console for a short time but I

see all the files from the XP install still there. Don't know if the

"shut off" is hardware or software but

it doesn't happen while ME is running.
|
| Short of wiping everything out and starting over, what possibilities
are there now?
|
|

 

[Guest]

I suspect it isn't even corrupted, only pointing to a location that no longer exists.

Thanks.

You'll probably find that the repair install option will mot be displayed. I
have been in your shoes more times than I can count. I wrote here several
times, received many ideas but I never did resolve the problem. It seems
"boot.ini" gets corrupt some how during the installation of a second OS.
--
Ed H
Dell Dimension 4550, WinXP Home SP1
60 Gig. HD, 512 DDR, Pentium IV 2.40 GHz.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------


|I used PartitionMagic to add a partition for XP Home to a Presario

laptop. It came originally with WinME so

XP offered dual boot at boot up after installation. My friend got a

persistent virus on ME and decided she

wanted ME, and its virus, gone. I used PM 8 to make the XP partition

(NTFS) active, deleted the ME partition,

and moved it to the beginning of the drive. It seemed like a simple

thing. Now it should boot to XP and

she'd be happy. Nope!
|
| I got the NTLDR missing message so went into the Recovery console and

copied it to c:\. Still won't boot.

Thought XP may need to see the ME partition to be happy so moved the NTFS

partition to make room and installed

it at beginning of the drive from the recovery disk. ME runs OK. PM 8

shows the partitions pretty much as

they were before I started all this. Tried setting the NTFS partition

active (which hides ME) but success

still eludes me. Now, computer shuts itself off after being in the

recovery console for a short time but I

see all the files from the XP install still there. Don't know if the

"shut off" is hardware or software but

it doesn't happen while ME is running.
|
| Short of wiping everything out and starting over, what possibilities are there now?
|
|

 

[Guest]

Thanks. Very comprehensive link. Unfortunately, the problem persists. Whatever I did, it is not responsive to the suggestions in the link.

 

[Pegasus]

Re: your earlier post, I, too, have never had a failure with Partition

Magic. I doubt that is what this is. The answer to your next question is
that ME was on C:, the Presario system save files were on D: so XP was
somewhere else, either E: or F:, depending on the assigned letter for the
CD. I confess that I foolishly thought this would be easy so didn't pay
much attention to assigned drive letters. If this was my machine, I would
have long ago sucked up and done a clean install. It is not, though, so I
am trying to do whatever it takes to get this back together.

Is there any way to use a shell on the NTFS partition so I can move around

better? For reasons I haven't discovered, this Presario will run for hours
under ME but, when I start the XP CD, it gets into the Recovery Console,
then lasts only a couple of minutes, long enough to get started but not
much more, then shuts off as if it was overheating.

If not, can I convert NTFS in PM 8 to FAT32, then make the partition

visible, and very carefully investigte it from ME, then convert back and
proceed to attempt the changes? I'd at least know where the target files
are and might be ableto look at the contents.
Before deciding how to solve your problem, you must decide
if it is solvable.

You write that WinXP resided on drive D: or E:. This means
that it must always run on drive D: or E:. It will never run on
drive C:.

Two solutions come to the mind:
- Reload WinXP from scratch
- Create one or two small dummy partitions in order to
force the correct drive letter assignment for WinXP.

I don't know your system well enough to give you a definitive
answer - you will have to work it out for yourself.

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

In essence, your XP install is hosed (all the registry entries
references D: not C: - and there are literally 1000's of them) - you
can try creating a small C: partition, say 50-80MB to hold the boot
files and leave XP on the D: partition.

--

Star Fleet Admiral Q @ your service
--------------------------------------------------------

I used PartitionMagic to add a partition for XP Home to a Presario

laptop. It came originally with WinME so XP offered dual boot at boot
up after installation. My friend got a persistent virus on ME and
decided she wanted ME, and its virus, gone. I used PM 8 to make the
XP partition (NTFS) active, deleted the ME partition, and moved it to
the beginning of the drive. It seemed like a simple thing. Now it
should boot to XP and she'd be happy. Nope!

I got the NTLDR missing message so went into the Recovery console

and copied it to c:\. Still won't boot. Thought XP may need to see
the ME partition to be happy so moved the NTFS partition to make room
and installed it at beginning of the drive from the recovery disk. ME
runs OK. PM 8 shows the partitions pretty much as they were before I
started all this. Tried setting the NTFS partition active (which
hides ME) but success still eludes me. Now, computer shuts itself off
after being in the recovery console for a short time but I see all the
files from the XP install still there. Don't know if the "shut off"
is hardware or software but it doesn't happen while ME is running.