XP Dual Boot Problem

B

Bob D

WINXP Pro was installed from a WIN98SE installation as a Dual Boot.
Worked fine for a few years. Then suddenly, the WIN98SE choice
displayed "non system disk" when selected. So I booted to a WIN98 Boot
disk and did a SYS C:. That fixed the WIN98 problem but wiped out the
dual boot menu or any ability access XP. I tried making the XP
partition, which is now hidden, Active w/ Partition Magic 8. But XP
wouldn't boot. Thankfully, I was able to undo that with a floppy boot.
The steps in the Post below look like an excellent solution for me
except that the Recovery Console wants the Administrator's Password
which I can not, for the life of me, remember from 4 years ago.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob D



Let's take this in steps. Your first three steps must be
a) to make the WinXP partition active
b) to create a proper MBR (Master Boot Record)
c) to create a proper Windows boot sector

a) Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk
(www.bootdisk.com), then run fdisk. Use it
to set the WinXP partition to "active".

b) Boot the machine with your WinXP CD, select
"Repair" when prompted, then select "Recovery Console"
when prompted. Now type fixmbr

c) While still in Recovery Console mode, type fixboot

You should now be able to boot up WinXP. However,
I suspect you won't be able to log on. WinXP keeps
returning you to the logon screen. We can resolve this
in the next post.

I case WinXP won't boot, boot from a floppy disk as a temporary measure:
- Format a floppy disk on some other WinXP/2000 PC.
Don't do it on a Win9x PC - it won't work.
- Copy these files from the \i386 folder of your WinXP CD to A:\
ntldr
ntdetect.com
- Create a file a:\boot.ini with these lines
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=3
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
- Boot the machine with this floppy

Select 2 where it says "x". If 2 does not work, try 1 or 3.
 
M

Menno Hershberger

Before you go too far... try an "FDISK /mbr" from your floppy disk.
I've been in the same boat... the SYS C: is a killer.
If that doesn't work, you can do a repair install of XP. You don't need
the password for that, but it takes a while. Boot from the Windows XP CD,
don't pick the first "R". Keep going like you were going to install
windows. It'll find your present installation and ask you if you want to
do a repair install. That's the "R" you want to use.

Bob D said:
WINXP Pro was installed from a WIN98SE installation as a Dual Boot.
Worked fine for a few years. Then suddenly, the WIN98SE choice
displayed "non system disk" when selected. So I booted to a WIN98
Boot disk and did a SYS C:. That fixed the WIN98 problem but wiped
out the dual boot menu or any ability access XP. I tried making the
XP partition, which is now hidden, Active w/ Partition Magic 8. But
XP wouldn't boot. Thankfully, I was able to undo that with a floppy
boot. The steps in the Post below look like an excellent solution for
me except that the Recovery Console wants the Administrator's
Password which I can not, for the life of me, remember from 4 years
ago. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob D



Let's take this in steps. Your first three steps must be
a) to make the WinXP partition active
b) to create a proper MBR (Master Boot Record)
c) to create a proper Windows boot sector

a) Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk
(www.bootdisk.com), then run fdisk. Use it
to set the WinXP partition to "active".

b) Boot the machine with your WinXP CD, select
"Repair" when prompted, then select "Recovery Console"
when prompted. Now type fixmbr

c) While still in Recovery Console mode, type fixboot

You should now be able to boot up WinXP. However,
I suspect you won't be able to log on. WinXP keeps
returning you to the logon screen. We can resolve this
in the next post.

I case WinXP won't boot, boot from a floppy disk as a temporary
measure: - Format a floppy disk on some other WinXP/2000 PC.
Don't do it on a Win9x PC - it won't work.
- Copy these files from the \i386 folder of your WinXP CD to A:\
ntldr
ntdetect.com
- Create a file a:\boot.ini with these lines
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=3
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
- Boot the machine with this floppy

Select 2 where it says "x". If 2 does not work, try 1 or 3.
 
P

Pegasus \(MVP\)

See below.

Menno Hershberger said:
Before you go too far... try an "FDISK /mbr" from your floppy disk.
I've been in the same boat... the SYS C: is a killer.
Not quite. While the command sys c: will remove the ability
to boot into WinXP, its effects are easily reversed, as the OP
found out for himself.
If that doesn't work, you can do a repair install of XP. You don't need
the password for that, but it takes a while.
A repair installation will not reset the administrator's password.
The OP will need it sooner or later, no matter what. This boot
disk will reset it:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html
Seeing that the administrator's password is equivalent to the
master key to the system, I'm sure that the OP will take good
care of it this time round.

Boot from the Windows XP CD,
don't pick the first "R". Keep going like you were going to install
windows. It'll find your present installation and ask you if you want to
do a repair install. That's the "R" you want to use.

Bob D said:
WINXP Pro was installed from a WIN98SE installation as a Dual Boot.
Worked fine for a few years. Then suddenly, the WIN98SE choice
displayed "non system disk" when selected. So I booted to a WIN98
Boot disk and did a SYS C:. That fixed the WIN98 problem but wiped
out the dual boot menu or any ability access XP. I tried making the
XP partition, which is now hidden, Active w/ Partition Magic 8. But
XP wouldn't boot. Thankfully, I was able to undo that with a floppy
boot. The steps in the Post below look like an excellent solution for
me except that the Recovery Console wants the Administrator's
Password which I can not, for the life of me, remember from 4 years
ago. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob D



Let's take this in steps. Your first three steps must be
a) to make the WinXP partition active
b) to create a proper MBR (Master Boot Record)
c) to create a proper Windows boot sector

a) Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk
(www.bootdisk.com), then run fdisk. Use it
to set the WinXP partition to "active".

b) Boot the machine with your WinXP CD, select
"Repair" when prompted, then select "Recovery Console"
when prompted. Now type fixmbr

c) While still in Recovery Console mode, type fixboot

You should now be able to boot up WinXP. However,
I suspect you won't be able to log on. WinXP keeps
returning you to the logon screen. We can resolve this
in the next post.

I case WinXP won't boot, boot from a floppy disk as a temporary
measure: - Format a floppy disk on some other WinXP/2000 PC.
Don't do it on a Win9x PC - it won't work.
- Copy these files from the \i386 folder of your WinXP CD to A:\
ntldr
ntdetect.com
- Create a file a:\boot.ini with these lines
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=3
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
- Boot the machine with this floppy

Select 2 where it says "x". If 2 does not work, try 1 or 3.
 
B

Bob D

Thanks a lot for your input.
I tried the 'pnordahl' and all other hacks I could find to get the
password without success. It couldn't log onto the partition.
Most are geared for NTFS Partitions. And yes I have checked passwords
and made password recovery disks for the other PC's in my home office.
I definetely won't let this happen again.
Anyway, I decided to try a reload from the CD. It did see the
previous installation and it did restore the Dual Boot without asking
for a password. Win 98 still works fine, but, XP says it can't find'
'Autochk - Skipping Autocheck' , gets a Fatal System Error -
'Stop C000021a' and shuts down.
My guess is I'm doomed to a full reload but any further suggestions
would be welcome.
BoB D

See below.

Menno Hershberger said:
Before you go too far... try an "FDISK /mbr" from your floppy disk.
I've been in the same boat... the SYS C: is a killer.
Not quite. While the command sys c: will remove the ability
to boot into WinXP, its effects are easily reversed, as the OP
found out for himself.
If that doesn't work, you can do a repair install of XP. You don't need
the password for that, but it takes a while.
A repair installation will not reset the administrator's password.
The OP will need it sooner or later, no matter what. This boot
disk will reset it:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html
Seeing that the administrator's password is equivalent to the
master key to the system, I'm sure that the OP will take good
care of it this time round.

Boot from the Windows XP CD,
don't pick the first "R". Keep going like you were going to install
windows. It'll find your present installation and ask you if you want to
do a repair install. That's the "R" you want to use.

Bob D said:
WINXP Pro was installed from a WIN98SE installation as a Dual Boot.
Worked fine for a few years. Then suddenly, the WIN98SE choice
displayed "non system disk" when selected. So I booted to a WIN98
Boot disk and did a SYS C:. That fixed the WIN98 problem but wiped
out the dual boot menu or any ability access XP. I tried making the
XP partition, which is now hidden, Active w/ Partition Magic 8. But
XP wouldn't boot. Thankfully, I was able to undo that with a floppy
boot. The steps in the Post below look like an excellent solution for
me except that the Recovery Console wants the Administrator's
Password which I can not, for the life of me, remember from 4 years
ago. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob D



Let's take this in steps. Your first three steps must be
a) to make the WinXP partition active
b) to create a proper MBR (Master Boot Record)
c) to create a proper Windows boot sector

a) Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk
(www.bootdisk.com), then run fdisk. Use it
to set the WinXP partition to "active".

b) Boot the machine with your WinXP CD, select
"Repair" when prompted, then select "Recovery Console"
when prompted. Now type fixmbr

c) While still in Recovery Console mode, type fixboot

You should now be able to boot up WinXP. However,
I suspect you won't be able to log on. WinXP keeps
returning you to the logon screen. We can resolve this
in the next post.

I case WinXP won't boot, boot from a floppy disk as a temporary
measure: - Format a floppy disk on some other WinXP/2000 PC.
Don't do it on a Win9x PC - it won't work.
- Copy these files from the \i386 folder of your WinXP CD to A:\
ntldr
ntdetect.com
- Create a file a:\boot.ini with these lines
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=3
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
- Boot the machine with this floppy

Select 2 where it says "x". If 2 does not work, try 1 or 3.
 
P

Pegasus \(MVP\)

I have never seen a machine whose password could not
be reset by the Nordahl disk. Would you care to tell us
just how you used it and what happened?

On a FAT/FAT32 partition it is fairly easy to recover from
a forgotten password:
1. Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk from www.bootdisk.com.
2. Locate the SAM file on the WinXP partition.
3. Rename it to SAM.bad
4. Reboot the machine.

You will now find that the machine has exactly one account,
"administrator", with a blank password. If you wish to recover
any of your existing profiles then you have to use the "copy profile"
feature provided in the Control Panel / System.


Thanks a lot for your input.
I tried the 'pnordahl' and all other hacks I could find to get the
password without success. It couldn't log onto the partition.
Most are geared for NTFS Partitions. And yes I have checked passwords
and made password recovery disks for the other PC's in my home office.
I definetely won't let this happen again.
Anyway, I decided to try a reload from the CD. It did see the
previous installation and it did restore the Dual Boot without asking
for a password. Win 98 still works fine, but, XP says it can't find'
'Autochk - Skipping Autocheck' , gets a Fatal System Error -
'Stop C000021a' and shuts down.
My guess is I'm doomed to a full reload but any further suggestions
would be welcome.
BoB D

See below.

Menno Hershberger said:
Before you go too far... try an "FDISK /mbr" from your floppy disk.
I've been in the same boat... the SYS C: is a killer.
Not quite. While the command sys c: will remove the ability
to boot into WinXP, its effects are easily reversed, as the OP
found out for himself.
If that doesn't work, you can do a repair install of XP. You don't need
the password for that, but it takes a while.
A repair installation will not reset the administrator's password.
The OP will need it sooner or later, no matter what. This boot
disk will reset it:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html
Seeing that the administrator's password is equivalent to the
master key to the system, I'm sure that the OP will take good
care of it this time round.

Boot from the Windows XP CD,
don't pick the first "R". Keep going like you were going to install
windows. It'll find your present installation and ask you if you want to
do a repair install. That's the "R" you want to use.

Bob D <> wrote in

WINXP Pro was installed from a WIN98SE installation as a Dual Boot.
Worked fine for a few years. Then suddenly, the WIN98SE choice
displayed "non system disk" when selected. So I booted to a WIN98
Boot disk and did a SYS C:. That fixed the WIN98 problem but wiped
out the dual boot menu or any ability access XP. I tried making the
XP partition, which is now hidden, Active w/ Partition Magic 8. But
XP wouldn't boot. Thankfully, I was able to undo that with a floppy
boot. The steps in the Post below look like an excellent solution for
me except that the Recovery Console wants the Administrator's
Password which I can not, for the life of me, remember from 4 years
ago. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob D
wrote:

Let's take this in steps. Your first three steps must be
a) to make the WinXP partition active
b) to create a proper MBR (Master Boot Record)
c) to create a proper Windows boot sector

a) Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk
(www.bootdisk.com), then run fdisk. Use it
to set the WinXP partition to "active".

b) Boot the machine with your WinXP CD, select
"Repair" when prompted, then select "Recovery Console"
when prompted. Now type fixmbr

c) While still in Recovery Console mode, type fixboot

You should now be able to boot up WinXP. However,
I suspect you won't be able to log on. WinXP keeps
returning you to the logon screen. We can resolve this
in the next post.

I case WinXP won't boot, boot from a floppy disk as a temporary
measure: - Format a floppy disk on some other WinXP/2000 PC.
Don't do it on a Win9x PC - it won't work.
- Copy these files from the \i386 folder of your WinXP CD to A:\
ntldr
ntdetect.com
- Create a file a:\boot.ini with these lines
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=3
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
- Boot the machine with this floppy

Select 2 where it says "x". If 2 does not work, try 1 or 3.
 
B

Bob D

I sure wish I would have known that handy trick a few days ago.
Since I can no longer recreate the conditions as they were, my best
recollection follows.
I booted from the CD created from the downloaded file. It booted and
displayed the 'steps' screen. It saw the drive correctly and I
accepted that choice. It then listed 3 paths and incorrectly showed
WINNT\system32\config as the default choice for the registry
directory. I changed that to windows\system32\config. The FAQ says it
looks for the registry files in all those 3 location. It said it was
unable to mount (not positive that's the right word) the directory. I
tried it several times with the same result. It didn't say why.
I do have a tape b/u of the drive but XP security won't allow a
restore from W98. Next step will be a clean install of XP and a
restore from tape.
Thanks for your assistance. Another hard lesson learned.
BoB D


I have never seen a machine whose password could not
be reset by the Nordahl disk. Would you care to tell us
just how you used it and what happened?

On a FAT/FAT32 partition it is fairly easy to recover from
a forgotten password:
1. Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk from www.bootdisk.com.
2. Locate the SAM file on the WinXP partition.
3. Rename it to SAM.bad
4. Reboot the machine.

You will now find that the machine has exactly one account,
"administrator", with a blank password. If you wish to recover
any of your existing profiles then you have to use the "copy profile"
feature provided in the Control Panel / System.


Thanks a lot for your input.
I tried the 'pnordahl' and all other hacks I could find to get the
password without success. It couldn't log onto the partition.
Most are geared for NTFS Partitions. And yes I have checked passwords
and made password recovery disks for the other PC's in my home office.
I definetely won't let this happen again.
Anyway, I decided to try a reload from the CD. It did see the
previous installation and it did restore the Dual Boot without asking
for a password. Win 98 still works fine, but, XP says it can't find'
'Autochk - Skipping Autocheck' , gets a Fatal System Error -
'Stop C000021a' and shuts down.
My guess is I'm doomed to a full reload but any further suggestions
would be welcome.
BoB D

See below.

Before you go too far... try an "FDISK /mbr" from your floppy disk.
I've been in the same boat... the SYS C: is a killer.
Not quite. While the command sys c: will remove the ability
to boot into WinXP, its effects are easily reversed, as the OP
found out for himself.

If that doesn't work, you can do a repair install of XP. You don't need
the password for that, but it takes a while.
A repair installation will not reset the administrator's password.
The OP will need it sooner or later, no matter what. This boot
disk will reset it:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html
Seeing that the administrator's password is equivalent to the
master key to the system, I'm sure that the OP will take good
care of it this time round.


Boot from the Windows XP CD,
don't pick the first "R". Keep going like you were going to install
windows. It'll find your present installation and ask you if you want to
do a repair install. That's the "R" you want to use.

Bob D <> wrote in

WINXP Pro was installed from a WIN98SE installation as a Dual Boot.
Worked fine for a few years. Then suddenly, the WIN98SE choice
displayed "non system disk" when selected. So I booted to a WIN98
Boot disk and did a SYS C:. That fixed the WIN98 problem but wiped
out the dual boot menu or any ability access XP. I tried making the
XP partition, which is now hidden, Active w/ Partition Magic 8. But
XP wouldn't boot. Thankfully, I was able to undo that with a floppy
boot. The steps in the Post below look like an excellent solution for
me except that the Recovery Console wants the Administrator's
Password which I can not, for the life of me, remember from 4 years
ago. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob D
wrote:

Let's take this in steps. Your first three steps must be
a) to make the WinXP partition active
b) to create a proper MBR (Master Boot Record)
c) to create a proper Windows boot sector

a) Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk
(www.bootdisk.com), then run fdisk. Use it
to set the WinXP partition to "active".

b) Boot the machine with your WinXP CD, select
"Repair" when prompted, then select "Recovery Console"
when prompted. Now type fixmbr

c) While still in Recovery Console mode, type fixboot

You should now be able to boot up WinXP. However,
I suspect you won't be able to log on. WinXP keeps
returning you to the logon screen. We can resolve this
in the next post.

I case WinXP won't boot, boot from a floppy disk as a temporary
measure: - Format a floppy disk on some other WinXP/2000 PC.
Don't do it on a Win9x PC - it won't work.
- Copy these files from the \i386 folder of your WinXP CD to A:\
ntldr
ntdetect.com
- Create a file a:\boot.ini with these lines
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=3
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
- Boot the machine with this floppy

Select 2 where it says "x". If 2 does not work, try 1 or 3.
 

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