boot.ini and recovery cd

Hello,

I have 2 issues that need assisting to. They are described below and as follows:
a). Boot.ini problem
b). Installing windows xp home edition on a blank computer using the recover cd

a). I accidently deleted my boot.ini file for my Windows XP Home Edition. Now everytime I restart my laptop I get a message stating something like:
---
Cannont find boot.ini
Using c:\windows instead
---
Or something like that. I was told online that I could create a new boot.ini file by looking at http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=289022

The site tells me that I can create a boot.ini file as stated in their sample boot.ini which is:

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

First, in the above sample it says "Microsoft Windows XP Professional ", in my situation should I change this to:
"Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" or "Microsoft Windows XP Home" or something like that?

Second, could you tell me if that sample boot.ini file will be alright for me to use as my own boot.ini file considerring that all OS's have different overall configurations. Or that doesn't matter.

Btw, I was also told that the boot.ini can be fixed if you boot with an appropriate windows xp cd. Unfortunately when I bought my laptop, Windows XP was already pre-installed and so I only have the Product Recovery CD.

b). Mentioning the recovery cd, I am wondering if it is possible to re-install Windows XP Home Edition using that cd in a blank computer. 'Blank computer' meaning if I decide to format everything in my computer, including erasing every aspect of the currently installed Windows XP OS in my computer, will I be able to use the recovery cd to install Windows XP Home edition OS again? If so, I was also told that I will need some important information that the installation wizard will prompt me for, before I can install. Such as:

i). The product key
ii). Certificate Code

Is my information correct, or have I missed something out?

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Krz

 

Start over. Reinstall clean.

Sounds like you need a licensed version of Win XP.

 

Is formatting everything really necessary only because I dont have a boot.ini?

Formatting would mean to do backup several files and that sort. Cant I just make a boot.ini and place it in the appropriate directory?

 

Hello Krz,

Try repairing the boot.ini using the Recovery Console first before taking Kevin's advice.

If you can do the following, then I'm fairly sure that the "recovery" cd you have is a full copy of the OS.

To start the Recovery Console from the Windows CD, follow these steps:

Insert the Windows CD and restart your computer. Follow your computer’s prompts to start from the CD. (You may need to adjust settings in the computer’s BIOS to enable the option to start from a CD.)

Follow the setup prompts to load the basic Windows startup files. At the Welcome To Setup screen, press R to start the Recovery Console.

If you have multiple options on the Windows startup menu, enter the number of the Windows installation you want to access from the Recovery Console. Enter XP home.

When prompted, type the Administrator password. If you’re using the Recovery Console on a system running Windows XP Home Edition, this password is blank by default, so just press Enter. At the command prompt, enter Recovery Console commands directly.
That would be Bootcfg.

To quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer, use the Exit command.

The command for you to enter:

Bootcfg: Automatically scans all local disks for Windows installations and configures and repairs entries in the operating system menu (Boot.ini)

Regards - Charles

 

Forgot to add:

If your laptop came pre-loaded, there should be on the body of the machine a sticker with the product code on it or mabe its attched to the Recovery disc packaging.

Certificate, I don't know. The product code should be enough, that's all I have.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Charles,

I tried to do what you told me. The only problem is that the Administrator has an account. I dont remember setting one. Anyways I tried to go to:

Start -> run -> msconfig -> boot tab -> and tried to put it on safe mode so I can logon as the admin and re-set the password. Unfortunately this is not possible because I get an error.

Is there another way I can reboot in Safe mode? Maybe restart the computer and press f8, or somthing similar to that?

 

Sorry, what I meant by the previous post ( "Administrator has an account ") is that after I enter Recovery Console it asks me for a password as the Administrator.

 

What happens if you just press enter? Should get past that point.

Regards - Charles

 

It tells me that it is the wrong password

 

Ok, reboot with hitting the F8 key.

 

I dont understand what the problem is.
I pressed f8 on boot and it gave me the option to restart in safe mode, which I did. Once there I logged in as Administrator (which didnt prompt me for a password). I then placed a password for the account Administrator. After this I rebooted and tried the whole Recovery again. When it asked me for the Administrators password I placed the password I just setted before, but it still persisted that the password is invalid.

Why is that?

If this problem cannot be resolved, is it possible to make my own boot.ini as seen in http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=289022 without having it conflict with the system?

If there is no other resort then I will need to format. To do this, can I use the recovery cd I am using right now?
All I will need is to write down the product id?

I hope that starting all over again isnt the only resort to this problem

 

One more question, when you boot up in safe mode, do you have another choice, OWNER?

 

Krz - I think you'll find the cause of your Recovery Console password failure and a fix in 'The Password Is Not Valid' Error Message Appears When You Log On to Recovery Console in Windows XP

 

Thank you Newt, I was starting to tear my hear out.

Regards - Charles

 

Charles in safe mode I see two accounts:

Administrator
Kriz (my account)

In the console recovery I tried both accounts, but still didnt work

Newt I will try that link

Thanks

 

Unbelievable! The site says that you have to install the Recovery Console on the PC before the patch can be installed. I did that but I get an error saying that Windows is missing a startup file (im guessing the boot.ini). So if I had known that there was a patch in the first place and before this problem would have occurred then maybe this would be an easier task.

Anyways I am left with no other choice but to start all over again by formatting.

Can you tell me if the recovery cd is enough to install the the whole windows XP OS? and all I would need is the product key? This is my first time formatting and re-installing an OS.

Regards,

Krz

 

One more shot here.

lets see if you have a System Restore point prior this problem.

To see: Start > programs > accessories > system restore.

When it comes up, choose "restore my system to an earlier time" and "next ".

What will come up is a calendar. The dates in bold are the dates you can click on, then once in that date, click on - probably in your case "system check point ". Click on that and next. The system will go back to that date - in the process it will reboot.

Regards - Charles

 

thanks for pointing that out Charles, will try

 

booting in safe mode

on windows xp you have to hit f5 to get into safe mode not f8

 

Hello rod,

Well, then its not been working for a year and half

I've never tried the F5, will do so the next time I want to boot into safe mode.

Regards - Charles