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Re-installing windows / formating drive

 
 
Reply Tue 29 Jul, 2003 12:23 am
I had some problems with my Window XP prof two weeks ago, some files were "destroyed" and Windows was reacting at all.
Using the recovery disc, I had to install it again - what surprised me so much that I stoped the procedure.
And had to do it again.

Now, every time I start, a "DOS-like" message asks me, which of the installed Windows I'd like to run. And (of course?) the (my last) installed version isn't running smoothly at all.

I know, I should boost our economy and carry the computer to me pc-shop for repairing it. :wink:

This would, however, have the side effect of cutting my budget for the England vacancy, I start on Friday this week. Shocked

So, perhaps someone could give some advice how to fix this, which even I can understand and gets the maschine running afterwards? Very Happy
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 2,169 • Replies: 13
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Monger
 
  1  
Reply Tue 29 Jul, 2003 07:12 am
Walter, 2 things:

1. It's easy to fix.
2. If you do something wrong while fixing it you will need to be able to find a way to edit one text file without booting windows normally.

OK first of all you're seeing the message because you did not install over the previous copy of winXP, instead you installed a 2nd copy. The "damaged" copy is still taking space on your hard drive, but if you've got plenty of free space left that's no big deal.

To prevent Windows from displaying which operating system to boot to, you need only edit one text file, called boot.ini (which is located in the 'C:\' folder). However, it is a protected operating system file. To see this file in Explorer you have to first tell windows to show protected operating system files.

Here's a quicker way to get to it: Click the Start button, then click 'Run'. In the window that pops up where it asks you which program or file you want to open, type the following..

Code:notepad boot.ini


That opens the file in Notepad.

Within the file, under the [operating systems] heading, there'll be two lines something like..

Quote:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect


If you remove the line which points to the damaged XP installation, it'll get rid of the boot-up menu.

Which of the 2 lines to remove I can't tell you for sure without looking at your system. However, the first time Windows XP is installed it goes to the "\WINDOWS" folder by default, so it's a reasonably safe bet that that's the line to remove (as it was the first installation that's fouled up now). The second line, which you should leave well alone, will point to a folder with a name similar to "WINDOWS".

If you could copy & paste the entire contents of your boot.ini file to this thread I'll take out the unnessessary line & post the full text of what the file should have in it.
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Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Tue 29 Jul, 2003 07:32 am
Thanks, Monger!

Done so, removed the files, all seems to be okay.
(I had already deleted the previous Windows versions completely some time ago.)
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Monger
 
  1  
Reply Tue 29 Jul, 2003 08:36 am
Great, Walter!

Actually, I'd only said to remove a single line from the file, but the fact that it's working means, I guess, that if Windows can't find the information it needs from there it'll figure it out automatically. That's good to know..I've leaned from this too.

Cheers mate.
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Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2004 07:43 am
Well, I've the same problem ... again! Twisted Evil

This time, hoever (and don' ever ask for the reasons and if I have/had to re-install virtually everything again, this time!), Windows 'says', it has no "notepad boot.ini" Shocked

So, any good and simple (for me) working idea is again very welcome!
0 Replies
 
Monger
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2004 11:04 am
Do this: notepad c:\boot.ini
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Walter Hinteler
 
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Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2004 12:38 pm
Thanks a million:

http://images.postcards.net/vp/bagfull.gif
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satt fs
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2004 04:55 pm
The file "boot.ini" is a hidden file. You can make it seen through "folder option" for free editing. After editing, the setting of hiding hidden files should be retrieved.
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Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2004 10:33 pm
Thanks as well, satt!
0 Replies
 
Monger
 
  1  
Reply Sat 24 Apr, 2004 09:53 am
That's correct, satt, but it is not the reason Walter was not able to open it using the command he mentioned. The reason I recommended opening it using Start->Run was so that the option to hide protected operating system files didn't need to be messed with.
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satt fs
 
  1  
Reply Sat 24 Apr, 2004 02:45 pm
Monger..
Nothing wrong in adopting the option of seeing a hidden file by itself.
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timberlandko
 
  1  
Reply Sat 24 Apr, 2004 04:04 pm
Nothing per se wrong with it, satt ... just as there's nothing per se wrong with a loaded gun. Its all in what is done with the opportunity thereby afforded.
0 Replies
 
satt fs
 
  1  
Reply Sat 24 Apr, 2004 05:23 pm
Seeing invisible files has no danger to life.
0 Replies
 
timberlandko
 
  1  
Reply Sat 24 Apr, 2004 07:24 pm
Yeah, that's true ... and with a boot disk, you can usually revive a 'puter, no matter what's been done to the folders. My analogy was a little strong.

The point is, though, that some things are best left beyond the sight and reach of folks who aren't competent to manipulate them ... and most likely have no backups. If a technogeek trashes an app or an OS or even a drive, no biggie ... recovery is at hand, or, if not, its the geek's own fault. If the average computer user does it, odds are they'll wind up payin' a geek to sort it out, and still will have lost most if not all of of their personal files. There's a reason there are hidden files, which can be unhidden if need and circumstances warrant. Uninformed curiosity meets niether of those qualifications. There's nothin' wrong with pokin' around in critical files, as long as you know what you're doin', how to undo it if you need to, and what to do if even that didn't work. On the other hand, I derive pocket money sorting things out for folks who don't quite have the grasp of that concept.
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