Win 7/XP - Invalid Boot.ini Error

S

SgtDoogie

Member
I've done a search, found a few solutions....but none have worked.

1) Previously used EasyBCD with a Vista64/XP dual boot successfully
2) XP on K drive was not touched
3) Clean install of Win 7 on C drive
4) Installed EasyBCD latest beta build
5) Entry #1 - Windows 7 on C drive was default after installation
6) Added Entry #2 for XP (default was C (greyed out))
7) Changed settings for XP to K drive

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}
device partition=C:
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e}
default {5a5cac9f-c048-11de-a1eb-de7a448cfafb}
resumeobject {5a5cac9e-c048-11de-a1eb-de7a448cfafb}
displayorder {5a5cac9f-c048-11de-a1eb-de7a448cfafb}
{5a5caca2-c048-11de-a1eb-de7a448cfafb}
toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
timeout 15
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {5a5cac9f-c048-11de-a1eb-de7a448cfafb}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {6efb52bf-1766-41db-a6b3-0ee5eff72bd7}
recoverysequence {5a5caca0-c048-11de-a1eb-de7a448cfafb}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {5a5cac9e-c048-11de-a1eb-de7a448cfafb}
nx OptIn
Real-mode Boot Sector
---------------------
identifier {5a5caca2-c048-11de-a1eb-de7a448cfafb}
device partition=K:
path \NTLDR
description Windows XP


When I booted to XP....received error:

Invalid Boot.ini file
Boot.ini from C:\Windows\
NTDETECT Failed

After reading...I followed steps
1) Manage Bootloader
2) Reinstall Vista/7 Bootloader
3) Write MBR

Situation remains unchanged: Booting to main Windows 7 works as before, Windows XP receives error message.

Remember, I have not touched XP install or any drives....I just wiped out my old C Vista 64..and installed clean Win 7.

The system files showing in root K (XP) are: bootmgr, NTDETECT.COM, ntldr and pagefile.sys

The system files showing in root C (win7) are: bootmgr, BOOTSECT.BAK, hiberfil.sys and pagefile.sys
 
Don't change the drive. Easy "greys" it to stop you pointing to the wrong place.
The BCD doesn't point to XP, it points to the XP boot files. They point to XP.
Just add an XP entry, let Easy2 auto-configure and don't change what it does.
 
Thought I would continue this thread rather than a new one.

I am in about the same boat.

I moved my Win7 and Win XP partition using markam reflect to a new 1T drive.

Win7 first partition and Win XP second partition.

The win 7 I was able to recover using the CD .. and got the boot manager up and now running Easy BCD.

But I add an entry for the Win XP .. and nothing.. Any ideas how to get back into my XP install?

I still have the original.. so I can image it a different way etc.. if that would help..

I did have XP installed first then a WIn7 on the old drive.. so it worked fine.

James
 
Hi Bob, welcome to NST.
Are you using EasyBCD 2.0 latest build ?
1.7 doesn't contain any code to automate the XP boot. It expects you to do all the additional copying and editing yourself.
2.0 will do it all for you.
(see sticky points 5 and 6)
 
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ok thanks Terry, no I was using 1.7.2 so I will download a 2 build and try it.

Thanks

James

Follow up : Got 2.0 down.. deleted other entries, made a new XP entry. Downloaded Boot Files, made a new Boot.. which btw saves as a txt file, nothing in the program tells you its doing that.. and does not copy itself to the XP partition.

After all that.. nothing still have \ntldr x000 whever.. selected application is missing So I cannot boot the xp yet.

Any ideas from here?

Bikerbob
 
Last edited:
Did you let Easy2 auto-configure ?
(It doesn't copy things to XP btw, but to the "system" partition (where the boot files are))
Did W7 install with an unlettered "system" "active" partition ?
If so, although the latest builds should handle it, some user's configs seem to defeat it.
The workaround is simply to give the partition a letter and add the XP entry again.
 
ok, I did not get the system partition thing.. so I got the files on the C: drive.. now the Windows 7 install.

Here is the thing.. these partitions are backups from the previous drive.. there the XP was installed first, then the windows 7.

Now on the new drive I want the windows 7 first and then then XP.. with the files on the system drive the bootmgr now gives me the XP and I can start booting into it.. but it hangs.

Maybe this is not a BCD issue, maybe this is windows XP choaking after the hardware change.. but the only change is the partition table.. all hardware except the new drive is the same.

SO.. where am I at.. I can run windows 7.. I can start XP.. but I dont get to a log in - either regular start or safe mode.. i get no error.. it just stalls.

Would like to save the XP install.. any ideas?

Thanks
Bikerbob
 
Sounds like the change of position has caused a change in PnP detect sequence which , if you didn't user-set the partition letters (you let Windows default the partition lettering), will mean that the OS tries to boot using a different letter to the one already in the registry (and is therefore unable to locate its own drivers)
If so this might help
 
YES Terry, that is exactly the situation..

Here's another example of a common cloning mistake: suppose XP-1 is C: on disk-1, and F: is a partition on disk-2. Then XP-1 is subsequently cloned to XP-2 on disk-2, and disk-1 is removed. Again, XP-2 will recognize its partition was previously given a drive letter and will keep it. The boot process may hang (usually at the login or blue "Welcome" screen) while XP-2 searches in vain for "drive C:".

I tried his #3 method to resolve - use a win98 and fdisk /mrb to fix.. it did wipe the mbr as I had to rescue the windows 7 partition again and use BCD again .. but I did not fix the XP install.. same problem.. no change.. I have emailed the fellow from the link you gave me.

Bikerbob
 
well I solved this by setting up the new drive with the xp partition as 1st.. as it was on the old drive.. I did not want to.. but xp is a BEOCH..

SO easyBCD did not really help out in this case.. though I think its a great program.

I have another partition that I have my Leopard install on.. would love to figure out how to get it to load with the windows 7 boot.. so far my try with easyBCD adding it is no go.. but I will get into another thread for that.
 
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