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Get the fix to the <strong>Windows could not start</strong> boot error message affecting <strong>Windows XP</strong><strong>.</strong>
<h2>About the "<strong>Windows could not start</strong>" error</h2>
[kbintro]
<h3>Description and Symptoms</h3>
The error messages, alerts, warnings, and symptoms below are tied to this error.
<h4>Symptom 1: Windows could not start error screen on startup</h4>
When a computer is turned on, the BIOS picks an eligible, bootable hard drive and then calls code stored in the MBR at the start of that hard drive. That MBR code in turn loads the bootsector from the active partition. On Windows XP, this bootsector code is tasked with loading NTLDR (the Windows XP bootloader) and its dependencies, which are used to load the operating system kernel and start up Windows. The NTLDR file then loads the Boot.ini file that contains the list of operating systems. However, if an entry in the Boot.ini file points to a nonexisting drive or partition, then the system loading process is halted and the "Windows could not start" error screen is displayed.

For more information on <a href="http://neosmart.net/wiki/mbr-boot-process/">how computers start up</a> and <a href="http://neosmart.net/wiki/windows-xp-boot-process/">how the Windows XP boot process works</a>, please refer to the respective pages in our extensive wiki and knowledgebase.

<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/08/Windows-could-not-start.png"><img class="alignnone wp-image-4442 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/08/Windows-could-not-start.png" alt="Windows could not start error screen" width="720" height="400" /></a>
<pre>Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem.

Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware.

Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.</pre>
<h3>Causes of this Error</h3>
This error has been known to occur as a result of the following cause:
<h4>Cause 1: An entry in Boot.ini file points to a nonexisting drive or partition</h4>
On Windows XP, this error may appear if the Boot.ini file becomes misconfigured or corrupt because of user errors, power outages or virus attacks. If NTLDR tries to access an inaccessbile drive or partition, then the whole boot process is halted.
<h2>Fixing "<strong>Windows could not start</strong>" on Windows</h2>
[setupcd]
<h3>Fix #1: Rebuild Boot.ini via Easy Recovery Essentials</h3>
<div class="content dynamic_content_max_width"><span class="message_body">Easy Recovery Essentials’ one-click automated system repair corrects issues caused by misconfigured Boot.ini file by recreating ot from scratch on the active bootable partition for Windows XP. This is done automatically as part of the automated repair process, and requires no manual action or user intervention.
</span></div>
[easyre error="Windows could not start" bootscreen="xp" guaranteed="true"]
<h3><span id="Fix_2_Rebuild_bootini_file">Fix #2: Rebuild boot.ini file</span></h3>
Follow these steps to rebuild the boot.ini file manually:
<ol>
 	<li>Insert the Windows XP install CD in your CD drive</li>
 	<li>Restart the PC and boot from the CD</li>
 	<li>Press any key to boot from the CD</li>
 	<li>Press <kbd>R</kbd> after the Windows Options menu is done loading to access<strong> Repair Console</strong></li>
 	<li>After this step, log into Windows by pressing <kbd>1</kbd> using the Administrator password</li>
 	<li>Enter the following command when Command Prompt appears:
<pre>bootcfg /rebuild</pre>
</li>
 	<li>When the systems prompts about whether it should add an identified Windows installation to the boot list, answer "Y"(Yes)</li>
 	<li>Enter "Windows XP" as Load Identifier and "/fastdetect" as OS Load Options.</li>
 	<li>Remove the install CD</li>
 	<li>Restart the PC</li>
</ol>
Here is an example of what the PC's console output should look like once the boot.ini file is properly restored:

[caption id="attachment_3905" align="alignnone" width="720"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/08/Bootcfg_rebuild.png"><img class="wp-image-3905 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/08/Bootcfg_rebuild.png" alt="Fixing Boot.ini file" width="720" height="396" /></a> Fixing Boot.ini file[/caption]
<h2>More Information</h2>
<h3>Linked Entries</h3>
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/mbr-boot-process/">MBR boot process</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/windows-xp-boot-process/">Windows XP boot process</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/bootsect/">Bootsect</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/bootcfg/">Bootcfg</a></li>
</ul>
[partial name="partial_moreinfo" versions="xp"]