problem with boot loader

[vandit]

I use win XP, win 98 and suse linux...recently I del some files(oops!)... since then when I click on the windows option in the linux boot loader, the win 98 starts automatically...without the option of XP....which I used to get earlier .... Moreover I can't find the boot .ini in the c:/ ..... I have enabled the show hidden and sys files ...... plz help.....dont tell me to reinstall XP...plz....

[QwertyManiac]

boot with Win XP disc
Enter recovery console
Run Fixboot and FixMBR

[vandit]

If i copy the boot.ini from my freind's PC having dual boot will it work??

[vandit]

I did the fixMBR and Fixboot thing .... now i m getting win xp and 98 two options but when i select the xp option the comp. restarts..... plz help...

[Akshay]

Try restoring all the missing/modified system files of Win XP using the Win XP
boot cd. There is a specific command for this which had come in one of the
DIGIT issues. May b someone here can help with the exact command

[rajeevchavan]

Hi
I am geting the same problem .I have lost boot.ini on formatting c:.I have loaded win98 on c:.I have winXP on D:.Can someone post boot.ini having win98 on c: and winXP on D:
TIA
rajeev chavan

[rajeevchavan]

HI
Alternatively pls tell how to run fixboot.When I started recovery console I got to d:\windows diretory . What is to be done from here onwards to run fixboot.Pls advice
rajeev chavan

[Rollercoaster]

well u have mixed everything up.. i have a fool proof way to get it corrected but mind u it is long..

Ok so we have 3 OSes.. win98 winxp linux
We shall recover them in the fashin they get installed namely
first we recover windows 98 booting then windows xp then linux

Kool. lets start.....

1. Identify ur boot partition(active) if u have not changed it while messing around
pop in win98 boot disk/floppy
and at prompt write a:>fdisk here view the existing partitions and see the active one. restore the active partition if u had changed it before.

2. recover Win98 boot
if u changed the boot part above restart the pc.
Pop in the windows bootdisk
When u get to a:> write "fdisk /mbr" <<without quotes
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q69013/
This will write the default windows 98 startup (remember those blue 640x480 starting windows 98 screen)
Now restart and see that u can boot into windows 98.
If everything was write till nowu should be able to boot and run win98 successfully.
Restart.

3. Recover Win XP boot
Pop in the bootable windows setup cd/floppy
Choose 'R' for recovery console
It will ask for which Win XP setup chooose one
Now give the Admin password when it asks
when u get the prompt the write two commands

"fixboot [drivename]" e.g "fixboot c:" if c drive is the obe u set active
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true

"fixmbr"
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true

Now restart

You should get basic 30 sec menu to choose which os to boot(xp/98) if everything is ok till now

4. Recover linux boot
Ok i am familier with GRUB only andthat too in Redhat fedora core
Pop in the linux setup cd no 1
Boot off the cd.
At the boot prompt, type 'linux rescue' (no quotes) and hit enter.
continue with the default options through the prompts.
when you get to a bash prompt, type 'chroot /mnt/sysimage' (change the path to where ever your boot folder is).
Then, type '/sbin/grub-install /dev/hda' (assuming, hda is your system drive)
Reboot your computer off the drive.

OK now u r back online.

Boot.ini see here http://support.microsoft.com/?id=289022