Little help with boot.ini

scooter4n · Feb 18, 2003

Long story short, I need to fix my boot.ini on my server. I had two HD's with W2k on it, I formatted one, the D drive, now system want to boot to it, and it's not there. i want it to boot to C drive, witch have existing W2k, working and all. Just need to go thru the DOS, and set my boot to C drive. Please help.
Thanks

Audioaficionado · Feb 18, 2003

post your boot.ini text and we'll have a look.

scooter4n · Feb 18, 2003

I can't get to the Win, it stops in the DOS, right on the boot.

scooter4n · Feb 18, 2003

All it is, is regular system with 2 HD's, C and D, regular partition, that's it. All I need is to make to boot from C with existing W2k pro.

scooter4n · Feb 18, 2003

I have another computer with about same configs, and W2k, and I can copy that boot file to the problem PC, but I need info on how to

cullam3n · Feb 18, 2003

Can you boot from the cd for Win2k? ANd get into the windows recovery console?

-PC

(<--- Cache-L2)

scooter4n · Feb 18, 2003

Im sure I can, then what

cullam3n · Feb 18, 2003

Hmm... I think there's something in the Windows Help place that shows you how you can edit something in text form in the recovery console... lemme find it..

-PC

cullam3n · Feb 18, 2003

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it...

Can't you just boot into DOS from a start-up floppy, copy the boot.ini onto the floppy and then edit it on the other computer? And then put it back?

-PC

scooter4n · Feb 18, 2003

I can do that, so how you do it? copy C, D??? please line up for me.
Thanks

rayik · Feb 18, 2003

I've had dual boot 2k systems in the past (using 2 different hard drives - one for each).

In such a dual boot system, the C drive will contain system files that are not on the D drive. So if you are trying to make your former D drive into the main drive (or only drive) you will need to put more than boot.ini on it.

I'm on a 2k machine now (but not my dual boot one). It looks like your C drive should also contain these system files:

io.sys
msdos.sys
pagefile.sys
config.sys
detect.com
ntldr

Without them, you probably still won't be able to boot even if you put the boot.ini file on the drive.

When I've run into this problem, I've just reinstalled 2k from the floppy boot discs (but choose not to format or otherwise change your HD partition). I've only done clean intalls. Perhaps an "upgrade" install will fix it. (assuming you can't get to the "repair" selection).

Good luck. If you need it, I can look on my dual boot system latter to see exactly what system files need to be on the C drive.

scooter4n · Feb 18, 2003

Im "slow" when it comes to dos commands

rayik · Feb 18, 2003

Sorry, I may be off base with my post above.

Re-reading the thread, your existing C drive has the 2k installation and won't boot. You're boot. ini file can be created in notepad and for 2k to boot from a C drive with no other OS present, should be exactly as below:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

I'd attach a copy of this boot.ini file but can't figure out how to do it right now. You should be able to just copy the above into notepad and save as boot.ini.

However, your boot.ini file should be on your primary partition. If it's not on that HD then the system files noted in my post above may also not be on that HD. In that case you will need them. If you've previously made a "recovery disc" that probably would contain those needed files.

Good luck

scooter4n · Feb 18, 2003

Thanks. That's what I need.
When I get to DOS, what commands I type?
copy ......??
Thanks.

mw521 · Feb 18, 2003

scooter4n said:
Im "slow" when it comes to dos commands

Dos is easy, bout as easy as it gets, you just slow period!!!
Go into your bios and set it to boot first from hdd0, that should be ya C drive. Actually i got mine set to boot first from floppy, then from hdd0, you can put it in any order ya want but try hdd0 first and make sure your disk is ok.

rayik · Feb 18, 2003

If your HD is NTFS, then you will need NTFS DOS to access the HD. Regular old DOS (such as win98 would create), won't recognize (or read / write to ) NTFS partitions.

If you have NTFS hd and don't have NTFS DOS you are not going to be able to do anything to the hd (such as copying files, etc).
If your hd is NTFS, you might just want to reinstall 2k (trying to repair or upgrade the installation).

I don't mean to be negative. Good luck.

scooter4n · Feb 19, 2003

Ok, got that fixed, thanks all.

mw521 · Feb 19, 2003

rayik said:
If your HD is NTFS, then you will need NTFS DOS to access the HD. Regular old DOS (such as win98 would create), won't recognize (or read / write to ) NTFS partitions.

If you have NTFS hd and don't have NTFS DOS you are not going to be able to do anything to the hd (such as copying files, etc).
If your hd is NTFS, you might just want to reinstall 2k (trying to repair or upgrade the installation).

I don't mean to be negative. Good luck.

Yeah, I run win2k pro and had a tuff time fooling with NTFS so I just format my drives now to fat32.

Little help with boot.ini

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