I had a windows xp x86 professional edition installed in my computer.But after installing windows 2000 my windows xp is damaged and wouldn't run from boot menu.What should I do?

NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM are backwards compatible, NOT forward compatible.

I.e. NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM from XP can boot BOTH 2K and XP, whilst the 2K version won't be able to boot a higher version.

When you installed 2K after XP, most probably the two files were overwritten with the 2K version, simply re-overwrite them with the ones from XP.

jaclaz

I had a windows xp x86 professional edition installed in my computer.But after installing windows 2000 my windows xp is damaged and wouldn't run from boot menu.What should I do?

did you install the Windows 2k in the same directory where window XP is installed?

try to repair Windows XP!

Whenever you want a dual-boot system, you should always install the different versions of Windows in chronological order (oldest > newest). That way all should be fine.

NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM are backwards compatible, NOT forward compatible.

I.e. NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM from XP can boot BOTH 2K and XP, whilst the 2K version won't be able to boot a higher version.

When you installed 2K after XP, most probably the two files were overwritten with the 2K version, simply re-overwrite them with the ones from XP.

Will I have to use dos to do this or puppy linux live cd will work.

And besides will my remote connection details remain safe?

Thanks for helping me.

Boot off of your Windows XP CD, and when you get to the first options screen, press R to open the recovery console. Log on to your Windows XP installation in the recovery console. Then type the following commands:

fixboot

This will fix the boot loader

cd C:   <--or whatever your systemdrive is for XP
attrib NTLDR -S
attrib NTLDR -R
attrib NTDETECT.COM -S 
attrib NTDETECT.COM -R

This removes the system and read-only attributes from NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM

copy D:\i386\NTLDR C:\NTLDR
copy D:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C:\NTDETECT.COM

Replace D: with whatever the CD drive is. Make sure not to copy NTLDR from windows 2000. You can run

dir D:

to list the contents of D:, and if it looks like the CD structure then you're good to go.

attrib NTLDR +S 
attrib NTLDR +R
attrib NTDETECT.COM +S
attrib NTDETECT.COM +R

This will restore the system and read-only attributes.

As a final step...

fixmbr

Which will fix the master boot record for you as well.

Then type exit, remove the cd and XP should load succesfully.

Oh and I'm not sure what these remote connection details are that you speak of, but this process shouldn't modify any other system settings or saved information whatsoever.

Edited June 4, 200818 yr by Idontwantspam

@Idontwantspam

For the record, there is no need for the fixboot and fixmbr steps, just replacing NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM will be enough in the case of 2K "overinstalled" on XP.

MBR and bootrecords are the same.

@specialbao1

but doesn't the Win2k start normally?

You can well use it to replace these two files.

If not, there might be another problem, like a failed installation and what not.

jaclaz

Edited June 4, 200818 yr by jaclaz

Thanks for the tip jacalz. I'm pretty sure that Windows 2000 won't let you touch the NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM that it uses, even if they're on a different drive, because it's picky like that. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's how it works.

windows 2000 doesn't allow me to change the file

And will my windows xp remain safe.I have used the product key three times and next time i will have to buy a new one.

Edited June 5, 200818 yr by specialbao1

I'm pretty sure that Windows 2000 won't let you touch the NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM that it uses, even if they're on a different drive, because it's picky like that. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's how it works.

The files are System and Hidden.

If you remove the attributes you can change them allright, unless you are not Administrator and it'a NTFS volume with restricted access, however the procedure with Recovery Console is pretty straightforward.

An alternative, just in case, is making a NT loader bootfloppy:

http://www.tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm

http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy33.htm

jaclaz

So i should use recovery console of windows xp or 2000 they both are the same.But i doubt if something will happen if i use some other version.Since i am not much expert so i am leaving this question to the experts.

Use the XP one!! Using the 2000 recovery console will just replace it with the 2000 NTLDR which is the one you're trying to evict!

Your XP installation should be just fine - this won't affect any of your data and settings.

Thank you to all who contributed.I have successfully repaired my computer.

Thanks to you all

Edited June 6, 200818 yr by specialbao1

Glad to hear that it worked.

For the help of those reading this thread in the future with similar problems, may I ask - what solution ended up working for you?

Glad to hear that it worked.

For the help of those reading this thread in the future with similar problems, may I ask - what solution ended up working for you?

This one worked for me

Boot off of your Windows XP CD, and when you get to the first options screen, press R to open the recovery console. Log on to your Windows XP installation in the recovery console. Then type the following commands:

<div class="codetop">
 </div><div class="codemain">fixboot</div>

This will fix the boot loader

cd C:   <--or whatever your systemdrive is for XP
 attrib NTLDR -S
 attrib NTLDR -R
 attrib NTDETECT.COM -S 
 attrib NTDETECT.COM -R

This removes the system and read-only attributes from NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM

<div class="codemain">copy D:\i386\NTLDR C:\NTLDR
 copy D:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C:\NTDETECT.COM</div>
 [code]Replace D: with whatever the CD drive is. Make sure not to copy NTLDR from windows 2000. You can run

<div class="codemain">dir D:</div>

to list the contents of D:, and if it looks like the CD structure then you're good to go.

<div class="codemain">attrib NTLDR +S 
 attrib NTLDR +R
 attrib NTDETECT.COM +S
 attrib NTDETECT.COM +R</div>

This will restore the system and read-only attributes.

As a final step...

CODEfixmbr

Which will fix the master boot record for you as well.

Then type exit, remove the cd and XP should load succesfully