W2000 won't boot using WinXP boot loaders

[Britt Dickson]

I recently upgraded Windows 2000 SP4 to XP Sp1 and then SP1a.

I now cannot boot into Window 2000 unless I use ntldr and ntdetect.com
from one of the Win2000 versions. This includes the original CD, SP2,
SP3 and SP4, from which I have extracted these 2 files and placed them
in C:\. When any one of them is present, I can boot Win2000, but not
XP.

When I switch to the XP versions, including the Base install, Sp1,
Sp1a, or Sp2, I can boot to XP, but not to W2000.

The error is the same for all:

'Windows 2000 (or Windows XP) could not start because the following is
missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.'

The message then says to do a Repair from CD.

This is driving me crazy, as I've followed all the instructions I can
find in the KB, including 283433,
which says I should be fine if I copy them from \i386 on the XP CD.

Does anyone have a fix OTHER THAN a 3rd part boot manager?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

What do you mean by upgrading? It sounds more like you installed XP in a
dual boot system. Do you have two different partitions with W2k Pro on one
and XP Pro on the other?

 

[Andre Da Costa]

Its possibility that he accidentally installed Windows XP in the WINNT
folder.

Andre

 

[Britt Dickson]

I had 2 Win2000s, one on C: and another on U: (I have a multi-OS system
which worked fine
before I added XP). I upgraded C: to XP, which should have and did modify
boot.ini to show
'Windows XP Professional' and 'Windows 2000 Professional', along with
Command Console.

Both partitions run OK, except as explained below.

Briefly, If I use XP's ntldr and ntdetect in C:\, I can boot XP, but not 2K.
If I use 2000's ntldr and ntdetect I can boot 2000 but not XP.

BD

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I recently upgraded Windows 2000 SP4 to XP Sp1 and then SP1a.

If you'd actually performed an "upgrade," you wouldn't be able to
boot into Win2K at all, nor would there be any remnants of Win2K left
on the computer.

I now cannot boot into Window 2000 unless I use ntldr and
ntdetect.com
from one of the Win2000 versions. This includes the original CD,
SP2,
SP3 and SP4, from which I have extracted these 2 files and placed
them
in C:\. When any one of them is present, I can boot Win2000, but not
XP.

When I switch to the XP versions, including the Base install, Sp1,
Sp1a, or Sp2, I can boot to XP, but not to W2000.

The error is the same for all:

'Windows 2000 (or Windows XP) could not start because the following
is
missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.'

The message then says to do a Repair from CD.

What you're describing sounds like a failed attempt to create a
dual-boot configuration. Was that your intent? (not the failure, but
the dual-boot) Do you, by any chance have both operating systems
installed on to the same partition?


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Britt Dickson]

I lost a line when I copied this from Notepad. I had 2 Win2000 installs, as
explained above.

BD

 

[Alex Nichol]

I recently upgraded Windows 2000 SP4 to XP Sp1 and then SP1a.

I now cannot boot into Window 2000 unless I use ntldr and ntdetect.com
from one of the Win2000 versions. This includes the original CD, SP2,
SP3 and SP4, from which I have extracted these 2 files and placed them
in C:\. When any one of them is present, I can boot Win2000, but not
XP.

When you say upgraded, just what *did* you do. An upgrade, running an
XP Pro CD from the Win2000 will upgrade to XP *over* the Win2000 in the
original folder, you will then have only XP around, not 2000.

If you took instead New Install you could specify the folder for XP and
hence set up a dual boot. That *must* be to a different folder at the
very least, and ought to be to a different partition. It sounds to me
as if you have done a new install of XP into the *same* folder (probably
C:\WINNT) as the 2000 - in which case you have an irretrievable mess, to
be sorted only by a format and clean start (after backing up all data)

 

[Britt Dickson]

I HAD 2 partitions with separate Windows 2000s. I upgraded the first one (C
by inserting the XP Pro CDROM and selecting Upgrade. The 2nd (U was not
touched in any way.

I missed a line (the one above) when I posted this for the 3rd time. So far the
only help I've been offered is to get a 3rd party boot manager.

I just want it to work the way it's supposed to.


Britt Dickson



| Britt Dickson wrote:
|
| >I recently upgraded Windows 2000 SP4 to XP Sp1 and then SP1a.
| >
| > I now cannot boot into Window 2000 unless I use ntldr and ntdetect.com
| > from one of the Win2000 versions. This includes the original CD, SP2,
| > SP3 and SP4, from which I have extracted these 2 files and placed them
| > in C:\. When any one of them is present, I can boot Win2000, but not
| > XP.
|
| When you say upgraded, just what *did* you do. An upgrade, running an
| XP Pro CD from the Win2000 will upgrade to XP *over* the Win2000 in the
| original folder, you will then have only XP around, not 2000.
|
| If you took instead New Install you could specify the folder for XP and
| hence set up a dual boot. That *must* be to a different folder at the
| very least, and ought to be to a different partition. It sounds to me
| as if you have done a new install of XP into the *same* folder (probably
| C:\WINNT) as the 2000 - in which case you have an irretrievable mess, to
| be sorted only by a format and clean start (after backing up all data)
|
|
| --
| Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
| Bournemouth, U.K. (e-mail address removed)8E8L.org (remove the D8 bit)