HELP!!! OS Boot Problem..

[XP PRO]

I had installed Windows XP on my C: drive and I installed Windows 98se on my D: drive. My XP messed up and I had to format the drive, so I installed Windows XP again. Everytime I boot up my computer it just goes to XP, how do I fix it to get the nice menu back so I can access my windows 98? Please help if you can I really need to fix this soon.

 

[Lonman]

I really don't know if this will help you out at all, but here's a copy of my boot.ini file:

[boot loader]
timeout=2
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
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

I don't know if you can modify your boot.ini to load 98 or not. I'm set up with Win2k on my Primary partition (C:\) and XP on my D:\ partition.

 

[XP PRO]

Thank you but this did not help, anyone???

 

[MdSalih]

In XP u can mess with boot.ini in a nice looking window:
Control Panel -> System and click the "advanced" tab and select the button "Settings" under the last option 'Start up and recovery'

If this doesn't help then e-mail me: mdsalih@hotmail.com

I'll help u further...

MdSalih

 

[pc_tek]

dual boot.

i woulda thought that xp would have "automagically" edited the boot.ini for dual doot.

try booting from xp cd again, do a repair and repair the boot section only. this should detect it and set it up for you. if not, you will have to do it manually. follow instructs above from MDsalih. it should look something like this.

[boot loader]
timeout =10
default = multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS = "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS = "Microsoft Windows 98"


this might not be exact. this is assuming that you have 1 hard drive and it is partitioned, that c: is your first partition and d: is second partition.


hope this helps!

im gonna have to set mine up for dual boot just to learn this shtuff again =)

 

[pc_tek]

DING GANG IT!!!!!

why didnt i think of this before..... errrrr..

this is what happened.. you had xp installed on c: and then installed 98 on d:. when you install 98 on d: it still puts boot files on c:, but you formated c: so now those boot files are missing.

reinstall 98 onto d: to fix this. then it will only boot into 98. boot from your xp cd and repair the boot section. it will automagically setup the dual boot.

This should work!

 

[budwesting]

boot from your xp cd,

it will start installing files,

then select R for repair, press enter

it will ask for administrator password. supply that

then select any partition,

then tyep "bootcfg /rebuild"

it will ask do you want to add C: or something to your boot, say yes, and then name it whatever version of windows you have installed, press enter to 3rd question.

it will again ask if you want to add D: , supply the version of windows here too.

then exit

 

[Lonman]

great post bud, that's one for the bag-o-tricks. 😀

 

[pc_tek]

is bootcfg/rebuild only available from the boot disk?

I goto command prompt and type bootcfg/? and that is not an option that it gives for help. Is it one of the undocumented features?

I typed bootcfg/rebuild at the command prompt to see if it would rebuild the mbr/boot.ini because I have posts in here asking if there was an easy way to do this. Anyways, still did not word, invalid parameter. Just wondering if maybe this "/rebuild" switch was only available from the xp disk during the repair?

 

[budwesting]

notice the space between bootcfg and rebuild

bootcfg /rebuild

 

[pc_tek]

same thing.. this is what i get in the command prompt:

C:\Documents and Settings\username>bootcfg /rebuild
ERROR: Invalid syntax.
Type "BOOTCFG /?" for usage.


BOOTCFG /parameter [arguments]

Description:
This command line tool can be used to configure, query, change or
delete the boot entry settings in the BOOT.INI file.

Parameter List:
/Copy Makes a copy of an existing boot entry [operating
systems] section for which you can add OS options to.

/Delete Deletes an existing boot entry in the [operating
systems] section of the BOOT.INI file. You must specify
the entry# to delete.

/Query Displays the current boot entries and their settings.

/Raw Allows the user to specify any switch options to be
added for a specified boot entry.

/Timeout Allows the user to change the Timeout value.

/Default Allows the user to change the Default boot entry.

/EMS Allows the user to configure the /redirect switch
for headless support for a boot entry.

/Debug Allows the user to specify the port and baudrate for
remote debugging for a specified boot entry.

/Addsw Allows the user to add predefined switches for
a specific boot entry.

/Rmsw Allows the user to remove predefined switches for a
specific boot entry.

/Dbg1394 Allows the user to configure 1394 port debugging
for a specified boot entry.

/? Displays this help/usage.

Examples:
BOOTCFG /Copy /?
BOOTCFG /Delete /?
BOOTCFG /Query /?
BOOTCFG /Raw /?
BOOTCFG /Timeout /?
BOOTCFG /EMS /?
BOOTCFG /Debug /?
BOOTCFG /Addsw /?
BOOTCFG /Rmsw /?
BOOTCFG /Dbg1394 /?
BOOTCFG /Default /?
BOOTCFG /?

 

[pc_tek]

i did find this at the microsoft KB site..

The bootcfg /rebuild command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows NT, Windows 2000, or Windows XP installations, and then displays the results. You can add the detected Windows installations.

An example of the message that may be displayed:
Total Identified Windows Installs: 2

[1] C:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu)
Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)

[2] D:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu)
Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)

=)

must be one of those kinda undocumented things..cool

 

[Lonman]

You need to submit this to waddy for the tips and tweaks section pc_tek. Very useful info for a lot of folks multi-booting. That way it won't get lost in the forum and it gives a quick reference to those of us who know where to look. Good job!!

 

[Kr0m]

I guess this is why they say to install the newest OS last.