"Colin Trunt" <
colin@trunt.com> wrote in message
news:0qvvn.227986$
0t.149913@newsfe17.ams2...
>
> "John John - MVP" <
audetweld@nbnot.nb.ca> wrote in message
> news:%
23z32bB41KHA.3320@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> Colin Trunt wrote:
>>> "John John - MVP" <
audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
>>> news:
OGcvyI11KHA.5880@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>> Colin Trunt wrote:
>>>>> "John John - MVP" <
audetweld@nbnot.nb.ca> wrote in message
>>>>> news:
O8Y2qNz1KHA.4724@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>>>> Colin Trunt wrote:
>>>>>>> "John John - MVP" <
audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
>>>>>>> news:e%
23YfUgy1KHA.3744@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>>> Colin Trunt wrote:
>>>>>>>>> "Colin Trunt" <
colin@trunt.com> wrote in message
>>>>>>>>> news:xflvn.2326$
LS2.1843@newsfe13.ams2...
>>>>>>>>>> "John John - MVP" <
audetweld@nbnot.nb.ca> wrote in message
>>>>>>>>>> news:
O88cbNx1KHA.6104@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>>>>>> Colin Trunt wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I can boot either normally or to recovery as llong as I don't
>>>>>>>>>>>> mess about to much and do it directly.
>>>>>>>>>>> What exactly does that mean? Mess about with what and what do
>>>>>>>>>>> you mean by "do it directly"? If the Recovery Console is
>>>>>>>>>>> installed you get a boot menu when you boot the computer and you
>>>>>>>>>>> select to boot the Recovery Console or the Windows installation,
>>>>>>>>>>> what is there to mess about with there and what is there to do
>>>>>>>>>>> directly other than selecting which option to boot?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> How many hard disks do you have and how many partitions do you
>>>>>>>>>>> have on these hard disks? Where is the Windows installation and
>>>>>>>>>>> where is the Command Console installed? To avoid confusion
>>>>>>>>>>> please don't use the term "drive" when answering, use the terms
>>>>>>>>>>> "Hard Disk" and "Partition".
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> John
>>>>>>>>>> First I get a screen which says hit f10 for recovery, then it
>>>>>>>>>> goes to a choice
>>>>>>>>>> 1)windows
>>>>>>>>>> 2)recovey
>>>>>>>>>> 3)ubuntu
>>>>>>>>> my boot.ini
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> [boot loader]
>>>>>>>>> timeout=15
>>>>>>>>> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
>>>>>>>>> [operating systems]
>>>>>>>>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
>>>>>>>>> Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
>>>>>>>>> C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console"
>>>>>>>>> /cmdcons
>>>>>>>>> c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"
>>>>>>>> Comes back to the question of how many hard disks and partitions do
>>>>>>>> you have and where exactly is Windows installed. Also, where is
>>>>>>>> this boot.ini file located? (on which hard disk and on which
>>>>>>>> partition?)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Also need the results of the set system command.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The problem is most likely due to an incorrect ARC path in the
>>>>>>>> boot.ini file.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> John
>>>>>>> This is the boot.ini on drive d: (recovery drive)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> [boot loader]
>>>>>>> timeout=15
>>>>>>> default=C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
>>>>>>> [operating systems]
>>>>>>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
>>>>>>> Professional" /fastdetect
>>>>>>> C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console"
>>>>>>> /cmdcons
>>>>>>> c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ah......im thinking
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I don;t know what happens at startup.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Anyway partion 2 is c: I think and 1 is d:
>>>>>>> When I list then in disk management they are show as d: then c :
>>>>>>> in the bottom rigt panel
>>>>>> Pulling a tooth from an angry lion would be easier than obtaining
>>>>>> information from you... one more try:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 1- How many physical hard disks do you have in the computer?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 2- How many partitions do you have on each hard disk?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 3- Please post the results of the SET SYSTEM command.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Also, you are posting different variations of the boot.ini file,
>>>>>> Windows only uses one boot.ini file. When you run the SET SYSTEM
>>>>>> command it will return a line telling you:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> SystemDrive=?:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> (? will be C or D ...or ...) the correct boot.ini file will be in
>>>>>> the root of the specified SystemDrive, for example C:\ or D:\ .
>>>>>> Please post the contents of the correct boot.ini file.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> John
>>>>>
>>>>> two phyisical drives
>>>>> one has partitios d: and c:
>>>>> other is f: one parition f:
>>>>>
>>>>> There is an ini on both c: and d: as posted, they are different.
>>>>>
>>>>> ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
>>>>> APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\Application Data
>>>>> CLASSPATH=.;C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
>>>>> CLIENTNAME=Console
>>>>> CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
>>>>> COMPUTERNAME=ZAX
>>>>> ComSpec=C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
>>>>> DJGPP=c:\djgpp\djgpp.env
>>>>> FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
>>>>> HOMEDRIVE=C:
>>>>> HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner
>>>>> LOGONSERVER=\\ZAX
>>>>> NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=1
>>>>> OS=Windows_NT
>>>>> Path=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;c:\Python22;C:\Program
>>>>> Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel;C:\Program
>>>>> Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\MinGW\bin;
>>>>> PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
>>>>> PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86
>>>>> PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=x86 Family 15 Model 47 Stepping 2, AuthenticAMD
>>>>> PROCESSOR_LEVEL=15
>>>>> PROCESSOR_REVISION=2f02
>>>>> ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
>>>>> PROMPT=$P$G
>>>>> QTJAVA=C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
>>>>> SAN_DIR=C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Lite XII.SP2c
>>>>> SESSIONNAME=Console
>>>>> SonicCentral=c:\Program Files\Common Files\Sonic Shared\Sonic Central\
>>>>> SystemDrive=C:
>>>>> SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS
>>>>> TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\HP_Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp
>>>>> TMP=C:\DOCUME~1\HP_Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp
>>>>> USERDOMAIN=ZAX
>>>>> USERNAME=HP_Owner
>>>>> USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner
>>>>> windir=C:\WINDOWS
>>>>> __COMPAT_LAYER=DisableNXShowUI
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> c:boot.ini[boot loader]
>>>>> timeout=15
>>>>> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
>>>>> [operating systems]
>>>>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
>>>>> Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
>>>>> C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
>>>>> c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"
>>>> Do you get a brief error message telling you that the boot.ini file is
>>>> invalid when you boot Windows? Modify your c:\boot.ini file as such
>>>> (to avoid errors you can copy and paste):
>>>
>>>
>>> No I never get any errors on a normal boot, none whatsoever.
>>> The only time I have had error is when I try to do a recovery, there
>>> seems to be two paths to recovery.
>>>
>>> The only time I have ever got an error is when I have selected option 2
>>> for
>>> recovery, but 'bottled out' and decided to boot normally, this brings
>>> back the
>>> boot menu IIRC, and IIRC when I press 1 for a normal boot I get the
>>> hal.dll
>>> error. That's the only time I get it on a normal boot.
>>>
>>> I suspect doing it that way may cause it to look on drive d: for hal.dll
>>> and it won't find it there, as it has no windows folder on it.
>>>
>>> I don't recall an error message about boot.ini at all, although there is
>>> a small possibilty I might have missed it but I doubt it.
>>>
>>>> timeout=15
>>>> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
>>>> [operating systems]
>>>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Partion 1 Microsoft
>>>> Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
>>>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Partition 2 Microsoft
>>>> Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
>>>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Phoney Baloney Operating
>>>> System" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
>>>> C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
>>>> c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"
>>>>
>>>> The changes above are obvious enough, when you boot the computer you
>>>> will see the "Phoney Baloney Operating System" in the boot menu, this
>>>> will confirm that you are indeed using the boot.ini file on C: Try
>>>> booting the "Partition 1 Microsoft..." and the "Partition 2
>>>> Microsoft..." and see what happens. Also try booting the Recovery
>>>> Console. After you confirm the proper Windows boot partition we can
>>>> modify the boot.ini file again and remove the invalid entries.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Note it seems c: is partition 2
>>>> I don't think so, I think that it is partition 1 and that you get the
>>>> error when you boot the Command Console because the boot.ini file on C:
>>>> points to the wrong partition.
>>>
>>>
>>> I don't get that error, at least not all the time, I have booted into
>>> the
>>> Command Console before it must be the right partition I would imagine.
>>> Also the way it is listed in disk management suggests partition 1 is d:
>>>
>>> When I google images of "disk management"
>>>
http://images.google.co.uk/images?um=1& ... =0&ndsp=18
>>>
>>> I can see mine is different, d: comes before c:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Do you see C: as partition 2 in the Disk Management Tool? To open the
>>>> Disk Management tool enter diskmgmt.msc in the Start Menu Run box.
>>>> You can also verify this at the Command Prompt with the Diskpart
>>>> utility.
>>>
>>> Disk part confirms partition 2 is 69GB, and that's the size of C:
>>> It says partion 1 is 6164MB which is the smaller recovery partition d:
>>>
>>>
>>> SO I think that's established what partion is what, thus partion 2 is c:
>>>
>>>>> I am not syre if the d:boot.ini is ever used, there is no windows
>>>>> directory on d:
>>>>> there is I386 though, all the folders are locked
>>>> The SystemDrive=C: above tells us that the c:\boot.ini file is the one
>>>> used to boot the system, I don't know why you have this boot.ini file
>>>> on D:\... But I think that it does have the correct ARC path and that
>>>> the one on C: has an improper path, try the modified boot.ini file and
>>>> then report your findings.
>>>>
>>>> John
>>>
>>> Well I may change those ini files on c: presumably between the quotes
>>> is just a comment, so I can change without fear of damage?
>>
>> Yes, the stuff "between the quotes" is just descriptive text for human
>> eyes, it's what you see on the boot menu when the computer boots, you can
>> put anything you want there.
>>
>>
>>
>>> I will just stick a part 1 in or whatever so I can see what is what.
>>
>> Don't put just a single path in the test boot.ini file, an all purpose
>> boot.ini file includes all the possible paths, you can clean it up after
>> you do the tests. This boot.ini file will allow you to boot from two
>> different partitions on two hard disks, it's a pretty safe bet that one
>> of these options will boot your Windows installation:
>>
>> =========================================================
>> timeout=30
>> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
>> [operating systems]
>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="XP HD0 Part1" /fastdetect
>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="XP HD0 Part2" /fastdetect
>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="XP HD1 Part1" /fastdetect
>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="XP HD1 Part2" /fastdetect
>> C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Recovery Console" /cmdcons
>>
>> ========================================================================
>>
>>
>>> I am reluctant to do anything more yet because I am worried I might
>>> not be able to boot up at all?
>>
>> With the above all purpose boot.ini file it's a pretty sure bet that one
>> of the options will boot the Windows installation.
>>
>>
>>
>>> What if I make changes and it won't boot?
>>>
>>> How do I change the boot.ini then?
>>
>> With the Recovery Console and the bootcfg utility:
>>
>>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291980
>> A discussion about the Bootcfg command and its uses
>>
>>
>>
>>> I need to know that really.
>>
>> If your computer has a floppy drive you can also make an "NT floppy boot
>> diskette" and in a pinch use it to boot the Windows installation:
>>
>> 1- Format the floppy with a Windows NT/2000/XP operating system. (It
>> won't work if the floppy was formatted with a Windows 9x installation).
>>
>> 2 Copy the following files from the root of the System partition (C:\ )
>> to the floppy diskette:
>>
>> boot.ini
>> NTDETECT.COM
>> ntldr
>>
>> Boot the computer with the floppy diskette and see if you can boot the
>> Windows installation.
>>
>> John
>
> I don't have a floppy so if I make a mistake I am screwed.
> I am pretty reluctant to mess with boot.ini for that reason as
> my computer boots fine.
> However I did have it set up before to boot up in ubuntu but that
> was a while back.
>
> If I can still boot into ubuntu I will be happier making changes
> as I should have something to fall back on.
>
> I will try to boot into ubuntu later.
> I can aslo make it boot from a ubuntu CD too and I may have
> a recovery CD for windows so I think I will check out those
> things.
> I may try just changing the comments too as that may give some clues,
> if it using the d: boot.ini that should show up.
>
>
Well I booted into ubunti but I can't remember the login.
Also I notice now on the d:boot.ini the comment says
"multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
Note it say *professional* and I only have the home edition.
I have never seen 'profesional' on the menu so it has never used that
boot.ini
as far as I know.
Anyway I found some hp stuf on recovery
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/docu ... e=bph07145
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/docu ... e=bph07144
Anyway that got me thinking a bit and I was wondering if I could make my
second
drive bootable in windows so for example if one drive failed I could boot
from the
other? Would that be possible?
I did something like that on my old windows 98 PC where I had two drives
and I could swop the drives, I actually copied the original drive so if I
ever
had a problem I could put the copied drive back on as master and I would
be up and running if the original drive failed,
I don't see why I should not be able to do this.
I also have a big USB drive which I could copy the stuff on the second drive
onto
if necesssary.
However basically I have not been getting any errors recently, I am not sure
why, may it did some auto-restore.
I get a bit confused about some of this restore stuff because it does not
say
exactly what it does when a restore is done.
I was happier to mess around with the old computer because I didn't not have
broadband then
so losing internet access was not the big deal it would be now.