[Help] Altered boot.ini

[wildbill411]

I was tweaking my boot.ini, (someone in another forum said I'd be safe making deletions)

And now there is no getting into windows. I tried safe mode and this does not work.

I have my XP PRo disk in now and tried to bypass the first repair option to get to the next one but only have a choice to reinstall.

So I am currently in recovery console and am wondering if any of these options can help me,, such as; FIXBOOT?

Or am I up a creek without a computer?

I have partitions so if the recovery console is not an option can I install XP Pro to another partition and then go in and fix the boot.ini file in my primary partition?

I am standing by if someone could please assist I'd be Very pleased.

I am running (trying to) XP Pro

Thanks

Title edited -- Please, use [TAGS] in your topic's title.

Please follow XP Forum Rules from now on.

--Sonic

[snafumaster]

There are a bunch of ways to fix this, so don't fret.

If you have a Windows PE disk or a Knoppix Live CD or any of the bunch of the bootable CDs just edit and save the file as decribed HERE.

Basically you are looking for a bootable program that lets you read NTFS files and edit them. The Knoppix Live cd is a free download, and you may learn a bit about Linux as well.

http://www.knoppix.org/

Don't be alarmed if the page is not in your language. just click the apropriate flag towrds the top of the page.

Do not reformat, all you data is fine if it happened as you described.

[wildbill411]

snafumaster,

I am checking it out. thanks so much

Someone in another forum has me in recovery console trying boocfg /rebuild it is in progress.

I am happy you sound confident I'll be ok.

I think worst comes to worst I can load Xp to another partition and get in and fix it??

KNOPPIX®? seems kinda big?? The pc im on only has a CD burner??

[Scubar]

knoppix comes in two forms, cd and dvd. If you dont have fast internet you could always download Slax, its much smaller and is just as useful.

[forex]

try it:

Boot from your XP Setup CD and enter the Recovery Console

Run "Attrib -H -R -S" on the C:\Boot.ini file

Delete the C:\Boot.ini file

Run "Bootcfg /Rebuild"

Run Fixboot

picked from here: http://www.informationweek.com/story/showA...cleID=185301251

[Takeshi]

The Recovery Console's

bootcfg /rebuild

command should do it for you nicely. I've done this more than once.

It's not necessary to delete the existing boot.ini or to modify its attribute. The bootcfg will just take care of it. Just follow the prompts.

In situations like this I always favour the least complicated approach and the RC will be the best option. Using WinPE or Linux is just to complicate things unnecessarily for the non-expert user.