messed up Boot.ini

[GimpTG]

I was messing with my computer and I tyhink the boot.ini file was corrupted because my computer will not boot under windows XP(I'm using Linux right now), I can't even press F8 to go into safe mode or anything, all I get is a blank screen. Is there any way I can restore this file?

 

[Lord Evermore]

Why do you think the boot.ini file is corrupt? Does "messing with" the computer mean you were modifying the file? If not, why do you think it's that and not something else?

The XP CD has the Recovery Console, which has the command "bootcfg" which lets you edit the file (not sure if it's a text editor or a menu thing). Be careful with the RC, if you've got Linux dual-booting you could screw it up.

 

[adlep]

The XP CD has the Recovery Console, which has the command "bootcfg" which lets you edit the file (not sure if it's a text editor or a menu thing). Be careful with the RC, if you've got Linux dual-booting you could screw it up.

1. get the XP CD
2. logon to the recovery console
3. logon to your windows install
4. type bootcfg
5. observe, because it will spill out bunch of parameters...
6. pickup the one which rebuilds the boot.ini....
7. enjoy you new boot.ini file
8. There was no bootcfg command in Windows 2k and Windows NT. Life is so much better with Windows XP!
Good luck!

 

[imported_Phil]

I keep meaning to ask this- will bootcfg repair Windows if you've transferred the hard disk to a new motherboard? Reason I ask is that at work we often do this because the old one's failed, and XP/2k never, ever manage to boot from a different board, requiring a reinstall!

Thanks,

Dopefiend

 

[Lord Evermore]

Bootcfg only modifies the boot.ini file.

Use the repair option during the setup and it will revert all drivers and OS configuration to that of a fresh install, while leaving all applications installed and all their start menu entries and startup programs and all data files. Then you have to download and install all the drivers and updates again. The first option during setup is the recovery console. If you skip that, when Setup locates the existing installation, the repair option there is the one you want.

 

[Lord Evermore]

Of course, if you're trying to swap out machines because one failed, why not just replace it with the exact same model? Or even just have the one part replaced that failed?

 

[imported_Phil]

Well that would be the ideal way of doing it
However, we don't keep all the different makes and models of motherboards, especially as we're a store as opposed to call-out kinda service, so we have to replace with what's good and reliable and on the cheap side of things. Having said that, most motherboards I replace cost £70-90 because I go for the ones loaded up with features a bit so people won't come back :-D

Anyway. If the repair option is the simplest way to do it, then I'll have to stick with that. It's a shame there's no option to xfer a disk into a new mobo, as it would save us a lot of time, and therefore Joe Public a fair wodge o' cash too.

Dopefiend

 

[Lord Evermore]

Well, Microsoft would prefer you never change hardware or move the OS. They want you to buy an entirely new computer with a new copy of Windows.

You CAN remove all the hardware devices in Device Manager, along with all their entries in all the backup and current hardware profiles in the registry, then swap the hardware and it will usually detect and do driver setup, but you've still got all the old drivers sitting on the system that way.