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So Very URGENT! XP Boot Loader Hates Me 1

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brokenXP

brokenXP

Technical User
Apr 23, 2003
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Ok, for awhile I've had WinXP Pro working fine. Today when i started the machine it totally skipped the bootloader and loaded DOS. (Actually Win98 Dos, which was the other option in my loader... I didnt mean to install a multi-os system or anything, it was just always there)

So... Now without warning as soon as I power up, it loads this fake dos / 98 crap, and WILL NOT load XP.

VERY URGENT, GOING CRAZY, MIGHT GET FIRED

Anyhow, I've tried EVERYTHING:

*Fresh ntdetect.com/boot.ini/ntldr files = Nothing

*Ran NTdetect.com from dos = Locks Up (CRTL+ALT+DEL Works)

*Ran \i386\winnt = Says "Unable to Instal Boot Loader: Press Enter to Exit" (ARRR It doesnt even let me run install)

*ScanDisk = No Errors (leaving it to surface check tonight)


Please someone help me! I don't have the recovery console installed, I have access to another xp machine, and I have No CD Rom on this machine (But do have the xp cabs)

Dear God Please Help!
 
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brokenXP -

I haven't seen that issue before, however this site may provide some good resources/suggestions for you to try or at least look at:


(on the left of page you notice all the ntfs partition boot sector/recovery concepts)

Sorry couldn't help more. Good Luck
 
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I don't suppose you have a DOS Startup floppy in the floppy drive? No, I didn't think you did.

You need to have these files in the "C" Drive, namely Boot.ini, Bootsect.dos, Ntdtect.com, and Ntdlr.

You can also create a 'boot floppy' - copy ntldr, ntdetect.com and boot.ini to a XP formatted floppy to boot your XP installation.


Q305595 - HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP

314079 - How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP


289022 - HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP


314081 - The Purpose of the Boot.ini File in Windows XP


A recommended free boot manager, might help you.

XP Dual Boot Dual Drive Problem
thread779-444604

dual boot Windows XP Pro and Win ME
thread779-439590
 
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done done done done

Nothing.


I'm not really 100% certain if i'm on FAT32 or NTFS. I formated a disk in XP on my home machine (FAT32), copied those files, and.... nothing. It just asked me for a Command Line Interpriter (ie: command.com)

I'm wondering why this would JUST start... i checked the surface of the drive and got nothing wrong. Maybe a virus ?

Anyhow... i386\winnt.exe fails at installing the boot loader and quits.... wtf !

Any ideas ?
 
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I suspect you have a "maintenance" partition as primary. Many computer companies install as primary partition a boot loader in a partitiion that also contains diagnositic routines and sometimes the cab files.

If this is the case you might need to make this partition non-primary, and assign primary status to the other partition you find. Then use the XP boot disks.

 
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winnt is the reinstall... doesn't work.

Only one partition on the drive... I installed it awhile back

I'm starting to think maybe its the MBR... anyone know of tools to fix that ?
 
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If you can't load the Recovery Console and use the options there you might want to try using FDISK /mbr at an "A" prompt from an old 9x Startup Floppy. This command does not have an acknowledge reply when you press enter, it just returns to the "A" prompt.



Maybe you can work out a way to load the Recovery Console and use that.

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console for Windows XP (Q307654)
 
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SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!

I got the recovery console to run, ran fixmbr... said okie dokie, ran fixboot... said okie dokie

ALL MY FILES ARE GONE

Someone please tell me this is fixable! I know it didnt format it the drive, so the files are still there somewhere (i think).. pointers just seem to be gone.

If your reading this, please understand I WILL lose my job for this. I will be poor and hungry and my life will be worse then I can decribe by typing. PLEASE HELP

(upside is the computer tries to boot now, says cant find NTLDR... so it is actually looking for it)

I need a free dos utilty (since rec console is all i have)
 
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Try the free demo and see if they can recover anything (or see your data) for you before you spend money



You may have to think about putting your drive in another machine.




"NTLDR Is Missing" Error Message When You Upgrade or Install Windows XP Over Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition
 
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Just wondered if you have tried setting first boot device as CDrom and boot from an XP OS disk, it should load all it's tools and give you the option to "repair install" which should leave all your saved work intact.
This will reinstall windows XP (takes about 45mins)and leave all files untouched. Martin

Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
 
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I did get a cdrom to work, put the disk in, ran repair.... typed in fixmbr, said okie dokie. Then fixboot, said okie dokie... then I tryed DIR and it was empty.

So I'm guessing the partitions are gone but I know the files are still there... I ran every dos program I could find, the best so far being PR (partion-recovery.com) and it could my logical drive as "Unallocated"...

Problem is it was supposed to say "Allocated as Logical C:" when you find search partitions.... but it didn't... it usually came up with nothing, but then it once it wanted me to make it a 8.5mb FAT12 system (wtf is that!)

I'm using hard drive mechanic right now.... it sucks.

Need help, the only option I have left is to hook the drive up to my home machine, and use restorer2000 or some other program to get the important files off and burn em onto a cd... then low level format... then fdisk... then install XP, then............ in about 10 hours I "COULD" be when I was days ago. But I doubt it.
 
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Not the most user friendly but I have used it to recover files from bad drives and it does work.
The eval download will show you if the files are there but not let you recover them.

DiskPatch™ 1.0
from
good luck
 
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The more I read this post the more I feel maybe you are mixing the Recovery Console procedure with the correct procedure for a repair re-installation of Windows. I'm probably wrong but if this is what you are doing this thread might help. Again, apologies if I am wrong.

Windows XP does not start
thread779-536128

Look for the information - To start the repair of Windows and not get diverted to the Recovery Console do this....
 
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Boot to the recovery console, go to a command prompt and run bootcfg /rebuild


Try and boot again and see if this works
 
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