[Spectrum]

I have Windows XP Home edition installed on the D: drive. For a reason which doesn't matter here, I wanted to install Windows 98 as well. It wouldn't allow me to choose on which partition to install, however. Instead, it warned me that it might have to "deactivate" my existing OS. I clicked "YES" to this. Then it proceeded to tell me that it couldn't install at all on my NTFS-formatted partitions and would have to re-format them (to FAT I guess). I didn't want it do this at all, so I aborted installation (so Win98 was never installed).

Unfortunately, it did disable my WinXP. Meaning that the computer simply wouldn't boot from the hard drive, telling me that some boot record was missing (it was the only OS I had installed). I got out my WinXP CD and made a new installation of it on the H drive. So far so good, now it would boot, but naturally, it doesn't read my original settings. Looking at my hard drive, I can see that all of my files are still there, including the original Windows installation on the D drive. It just won't boot from it.

Can someone help me? How do I "reactivate" my Windows installation, so it'll show up in the boot menu, and so I can run it? Thanks in advance.

 

[DocDVD]

Boot problems

Can someone help me? How do I "reactivate" my Windows installation, so it'll show up in the boot menu, and so I can run it? Thanks in advance.

Normally you just boot from the install cd and boot into the recovery console. There are some commands that can fix boot record problems, but as you already installed a new OS...

What you can do (rather tricky):

Modify the boot.ini so that the "old" WinXP installation is selectable and boot from there again. However you need to know how to construct the right arc-path derscription or the system will boot into a bluescreen.
(best thing here is to copy the entry for the new os and modify the second line to boot the old one - this way if you made an error you can still boot to the new installtion and correct the boot.ini).

Some more info about that path syntax you'll find in the MS Knowledge base article 102873.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Spectrum]

Where do I find boot.ini?

NP: Freedom Call - Over the rainbow

 

[dmath1n]

in the c or d root.

 

[Spectrum]

I don't see it (and I do have the comp set to show hidden files). A search of all my drives for a "boot.ini" yielded no result, either.

NP: Freedom Call - Graceland

 

[SPEEDO]

What brand of hard drive do you have in that computer?

Oh! Welcome to the forums.................Spectrum

 

[DocDVD]

boot.ini

The file is (normally) hidden, you'll have to activate the option "show hidden files & folders" and "show system files".

The you should find it (I hope)... :winkgrin:

 

[Spectrum]

I managed to solve the problem on my own. What I did was install the Recovery Console through WinXP Pro. From it I was able to scan my hard drives for Windows installations, and then add them to the boot menu. Now it works and I have access to my original Windows once again! I couldn't really get any of your tips to work, but thanks for trying to help me out.

Anyway, I thought it called for a celebration, so I wrote a song about it. It's based on "Crown of glory" by Virgin Steele, and it's entitled "Windows XP unscarred". Here it is:

Turn on your screen and see me
Clicking faster, clicking far
Turn of your RAM and feel me
Catch the click beyond the stars

Files and folders affirm the Windows' gain
Are you installed to run again?

You'll never die with the
Files racing on your F: drive
I can see where they are
I will defy no respite
From the boot sector war
Windows XP unscarred

Gaze at the screen unblinking
Go where only hackers dare
Type now while life is in you
Before the blue screen eats your soul

Touch me now and feel Windows return
Show the screen within the code

You'll never die with the
Files racing on your F: drive
I can see where they are
Why must you cry for the
OS you are leaving behind?
Windows XP unscarred

What was forbidden now is open
The recovery console of the Sun
All that's installed consider holy, holy, holy
Hard drive and boot are reconciled
And folders and files remember their love
An option of boot leads me to you
To truth

I'm watching you now, I'm watching you load
I watch as the false boot menu dies
I see with new sight the infinite files
Start menu and desktop all are mine
No longer denied, my comp as my bride
The doors to my settings open wide
And every shutdown is a startup
Victory waits within the hard drive

You'll never die with the
Files racing on your F: drive
I can see where they are
I will defy no respite
From the boot sector war
Windows XP unscarred

See you.

NP: Luca Turilli - War of the Universe