fixboot & fixmbr or what

Pedz

Member
Hey, just installed XP on D after Vista running on C.
Installed EasyBCD, did "Manage Bootloader" page to "Reinstall the Vista Bootloader" then "Write MBR", then added XP as new entry.
After this, bootloader corrupted, & then mostly just booting to XP.
Attempted fixing by EBCD, using boh "rescue my system' options in diagnostic, then restart.
Get this from [SIZE=-1]windows boot manager: "windows failed to start"
software or hardware problem...reccomends insetting XP disk for repair console.
I'm there, just not sure what to do.

[/SIZE]
 
Thanks, was reading that, & the troubleshooting page.
From the latter, not knowing my way around repair console, I'm trying an
Automated Creation of BOOT.INI, by doing
bootcfg /rebuild
exit
RC is telling me to wait.
I can likely fix the thing once back in either vista or XP,
just wanna get there. Cheers
 
Yeah, I put in my vista repair/reinstall disks, made using Lenovo's software prescription, but they won't get past that windows boot manager: "windows failed to start" screen.
Can't get back into xp either, for the EBCD...maybe cmd line?

Going back to the XP repair console again,
The boot.ini in C:\ says...

[ boot loader ]
timeout=30
default=multi<0>disk<0>rdisk<0>partition<3>\WINDOWS
<operating systems>
multi<0>disk<0>rdisk<0>partition<3>\WINDOWS="XP Pro" /fastdetect
multi<0>disk<0>rdisk<0>partition<3>\WINDOWS
multi<0>disk<0>rdisk<0>partition<3>\WINDOWS="Microsoft WIndows XP Professional"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect

The above, likely from my newbie attempt at running BOOTCFG /rebuild, & god knows what else.
What best, do a repair console fixboot then fixmbr from the XP partition (D:\Windows) ?
Cheers
 
Well if all attpempts failed with the Repair Vista BCD with both EasyBCD and the Recovery ISO that we have for download (Both of which are in the link in my last post) then yes i would go with the XP boot repair.

Boot up with the XP CD in the drive. Go inro the Recovery Console and choose your Windows XP install. From there use the fixboot and fixmbr commands. See if that will get you back to XP.
 
Try using the recovery iso image instead of the file that you created w/ the lenovo instructions.
 
OK, cool beans, I'm back in XP.
...attempted the basic recovery options from EBCD diagnostic,
(reset BCD storage, then re-add XP) but same results...

I think problem relates to:
On Vista (C), the new partition is "E",
while in XP (this one), it reads as "D".
Disk Mngmt won't let me change drive letter, as it is the XP root.
What's best way to handle that?
 
Thanks for nuke option, I tried it...
EBCD did not let me, at 1st saying boot.ini was already written.
...Scrambled to delete boot folder in C:
Tried 'unlocker' softw, cmd prompt, reboot as cmd prompt in safe mode, & repair console.
Only cmd prompt in safe mode let me do anything,
and that only messed boot.ini totally.
My XP's fine, but Vista bootloader's gnarly,
& hanging on like a snapping turtle.

When I start up EBCD now, this msg pops up:

---------------------------
Valid BCD Registry not Detected.
---------------------------
EasyBCD has detected that your BCD boot data and MBR are either not from the latest version of Windows Vista, or don't yet exist.
If you'd like EasyBCD to correct these issues, press OK. This will modify the MBR and requires that you have Windows Vista installed on this machine. You can cancel at any time. Press 'No' to exit EasyBCD now.
---------------------------
Yes No
---------------------------

...None of that works yet.

Any way to scrap that nasty boot folder, & start anew?
THanks Pedz
 
Hey Guru & Makaveli213,

Your Vista boot disk made my day.
Also, when I got back both OS, and two boot screens, saw you can edit the XP boot menu (2nd boot screen) from a good old cmd prompt, w/ bootcfg. Setting XP boot choices to one and timeout to zero removes the XP boot menu, so don't think i need Vista Hide n' Seek.
Looks OK so far! You guys are awesome!

Thanks indeed
Pedz
 
HnS isn't just a way of making a 2 stage boot into one Pedz.
It's specifically to hide Vista from XP to protect the Vista restore points from corruption by XP, albeit in a nice neat package instead of the clumsy multi-stage process we had to use before it was written.
If you don't care about/don't use system restore then you don't need it. If you do,you do.
 
Hi stella, welcome to NST.

We generally recommend our users to the free and very-much-advanced GParted for any partitioning needs.
 
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