Can't boot into Vista anymore! Urgent help needed!

L

louisjvd

Member
So I was working in EasyBCD, setting up a dual boot as per this page:

Ubuntu - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

I've followd all the steps, however at the end it would boot into Vista, but not into Ubuntu.

I made a change in EasyBCD. I deleted the Ubuntu boot item (With the idea of recreating it). But then it didn't delete it. I thought I may have missed the button when I clicked, so I tried again. This time it looked right, but when I save, I had an empty list and I couldn't undo: Both Vista and Ubuntu was gone!!

I restarted, and since then already!, I have ONLY been able to boot into Ubuntu. I've tried to play with the c:\NST\menu.lst and with the /boot/grub/menu.lst, but can't get Vista to boot again.

I believe all the files are still fine, it's probably just an entry in the c:\nst\menu.lst that is missing, but I don't know what it should look like.

I've also tried to change the grub menu.lst file to try and boot Vista, but it just says "file not found".

Damn, this looks like a really cool little tool, but it's really messed up my system now!!

Please someone help me wi.th this! It's really urgent, my work is sooo far behind already, and it's 8.49pm already! :frowning:
 
Try booting from the Vista DVD (assuming you have one, or our NeoSmart recovery disk if you don't), and running Startup Repair. It sounds like your BCD is either missing your Vista entry or the BCD is missing altogether. Startup Repair should fix it. If not, you can always attempt manual repairs via the Command Prompt on the repair disk.
 
As you said Louis, it's a tool.
Like a spanner can remove your car wheels and leave you immobile, EasyBCD can delete the Vista entry if you ask it to.
Having clicked delete to remove Ubuntu, the remaining entry would have been highlighted, and your next delete did what you asked, and deleted that too.
Boot your Vista DVD and run startup repair a few times till Vista boots again.
 
Thanks for the replies... Unfortunately I don't have a Vista disk with me...

I'm now going to read up on the NeoSmart recovery disk.

Could someone please send me an example of a "c:\NST\menu.lst" file that contains an entry for Vista? (I searched, but couldn't find one anywhere...)

@Terry60: I know what you're saying, but when I clicked "delete" the second time, it was linux that was hilighted, NOT vista. In fact, Vista only disappeared when I clicked on "Save"... So, it was a bit like a spanner that loosened all the wheels instead of only one that was selected... Big problem!
 
louisjvd said:
Thanks for the replies... Unfortunately I don't have a Vista disk with me...

I'm now going to read up on the NeoSmart recovery disk.

Could someone please send me an example of a "c:\NST\menu.lst" file that contains an entry for Vista? (I searched, but couldn't find one anywhere...)

@Terry60: I know what you're saying, but when I clicked "delete" the second time, it was linux that was hilighted, NOT vista. In fact, Vista only disappeared when I clicked on "Save"... So, it was a bit like a spanner that loosened all the wheels instead of only one that was selected... Big problem!
Click to expand...
You can download the disk image here.
As for the menu.lst, you wont ever need an entry for Vista in there, because it (the menu.lst) is for Linux. The entry for Vista will be (or should be, at least...) in the BCD.
 
I just looked at the repair disk.. 120MB... I'm in Africa, it's very slow and pricey... I'm going to see if there might be a different solution:

Let's think about it this way: Surely, if an entry is deleted from easyBCD, then it's not going to delete the actual operating system files. I'm thinking it's just not pointing itself to the files correctly anymore. I was under the impression that the "c:\NST\menu.lst" (NOT the /boot/grub/menu.lst) was the way in which it points to boot options.

Is there any other way to manually configure any other files just to get EasyBCD to boot into Vista again?

Thanks!
 
louisjvd said:
I just looked at the repair disk.. 120MB... I'm in Africa, it's very slow and pricey... I'm going to see if there might be a different solution:

Let's think about it this way: Surely, if an entry is deleted from easyBCD, then it's not going to delete the actual operating system files. I'm thinking it's just not pointing itself to the files correctly anymore. I was under the impression that the "c:\NST\menu.lst" (NOT the /boot/grub/menu.lst) was the way in which it points to boot options.

Is there any other way to manually configure any other files just to get EasyBCD to boot into Vista again?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Ok, so what exactly happens when you attempt to boot? You said before you can get into Ubuntu now, but not Vista...
That shouldn't happen if you deleted the Ubuntu entry, unless you overwrote the Vista MBR with Grub. Anyway, forgot about that menu.lst now (it has nothing to do with Vista booting), and let's concentrate on why Vista isn't booting.

Attempt to boot, and describe precisely what happens.

EDIT: Oh, and another thing...
Is Vista and Ubuntu on the same hard drive, or are they on separate ones?
 
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Hi Coolname, Thanks for helping.

OK, menu.lst file is forgotten :smile:

Vista and Ubuntu are on the same drive yes.

When I boot, I get the normal grub menu (Not the nice easybcd one). The first 3 entries are ubuntu stuff. Then I have a vista item, and then I have a XP item (I don't have XP on my machine.)

If I choose an Ubuntu item, then it's working fine.

If I choose Vista, then it just goes into grub. It's saying that "minimal bash-like line editing is supported" and some more stuff, and then it has a prompt saying "grub>", and it's waiting for my input. I have no idea what to type there, so I'm kinda lost :smile:

Thanks again for helping: I'm very desperate...
 
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