[DEEPDKHI2]

What to do when booting an xp-sp2 unbootable pc with an emergency boot floppy and attempting to fix the boot problem permanently with the command

xcopy a:. c: /h the system does not give access to the file ntldr while allowing me to overwrite the files boot.ini & ntdetect.com

[LincolnSpector]

Hi, DEEPDKHI2.

Can you tell me what sort of boot floppy you have? Is it the kind that simply bypasses Windows' boot files--boot.ini, ntdetect.com, and ntldr?

Does Windows come up properly when you boot from the floppy?



Lincoln

[DEEPDKHI2]

Hello there,
My boot floppy is a standard 1.44mb 3.5" floppy which I formatted and loaded with the files,boot.ini, ntdetect.com & ntldr from another working xp-sp2 working pc. With the help of this floppy I could sucessfully boot my unbootable pc. The trouble starts when I try to fix the problem permanently by copying the above files from the floppy to my C drive with the command xcopy a:. c: /h. The system allows me to overwrite the files boot.ini & ntdetect.com, but denies me access to the file ntldr. The result is I have to use the boot floppy everytime I start the computer. Kindly tell me if there is any solution to the problem or do I have to reinstall my xp-sp2 o/s which I am trying to avoid.

[LincolnSpector]

DEEPDKHI2 said:

Hello there,

My boot floppy is a standard 1.44mb 3.5" floppy which I formatted and loaded with the files,boot.ini, ntdetect.com & ntldr from another working xp-sp2 working pc. With the help of this floppy I could sucessfully boot my unbootable pc. The trouble starts when I try to fix the problem permanently by copying the above files from the floppy to my C drive with the command xcopy a:. c: /h. The system allows me to overwrite the files boot.ini & ntdetect.com, but denies me access to the file ntldr. The result is I have to use the boot floppy everytime I start the computer. Kindly tell me if there is any solution to the problem or do I have to reinstall my xp-sp2 o/s which I am trying to avoid.

I'm not sure what's causing the problem and I'm not currently somewhere where I can test this myself. I'm going to assume here that copying boot.ini and ntdetect.com weren't sufficient for fixing the problem, meaning that ntldr is the corrupt file.

What error message do you get when you try to copy that file over?

Lincoln

[required]

I have had the problem before with missing ntldr and this fixed it I did not use xcopy, hope this helps as reinstallings a pain...


# Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.
# When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.
# Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
# Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
# You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.
# Copy the below two files to the {color:#000000}root{color} directory of the primary hard disk. In the below example we are copying these files from the CD-ROM drive letter "E". This letter may be different on your computer. copy e:i386ntldr c: copy e:i386ntdetect.com c:
# Once both of these files have been successfully copied, remove the CD from the computer and reboot.
and/or It's possible your computer's hard disk drive may have a corrupt boot sector and/or master boot record. These can be repaired through the Microsoft Windows Recovery console by running the fixboot and fixmbr commands

[DEEPDKHI2]

Hello there,

The error message I get when trying to copy the file ntldr to my C; drive using the command xcopy a:. c: /h is ACCESS DENIED.

[required]

Try: xcopy A: ntldr c: I don't belive you need the h switch

or copy A:ntldr c:

I have tried both and was able to copy the nldr file from one drive to another. Can you see the nldr file on the C drive? If You can the file maybe over written using the switch /R as it overwrites existing read-only files.

[Brothersoft]

Hi, DEEPDKHI2, maybe your unbootable PC shows the message: "NTLDR is Missing, Press CtrlAltDel to Restrt". This file - C:NTLDR was missing, or damaged. You can try the free tool - Bootpart to repair your OS boot menu. Bootpart is multi-boot loader and compatible with WinXP,
To repair the Windows NT boot sector
====================================
Windows NT installs a boot sector that lauches NTLDR and displays the Windows NT boot menu. If you lose this boot sector, Bootpart can restore it.
Boot under MS-Dos (this can be MS-Dos 6.22 on your hard disk, on an MS-Dos bootable floppy, or the "MS-Dos 7.0" included in Windows 95 (you can obtain it by pressing Shift+F5 when Win95 loads). Then, enter the command :
BOOTPART WINNT BOOT:C:
If you want to remove the WinNT boot sector, you can replace it with the command "BOOTPART DOS622 BOOT:C:" or "BOOTPART WIN95 BOOT:C:"
You can download Bootpart v2.60 at
www.brothersoft.com/utilities/system[uutilities/bootpart[/u]13101.html]

[LincolnSpector]

Try this:

In My Computer, open up C: and click Show the contents of this folder. Select Tools>Folder Options>View. Select Show hidden files and folder and uncheck Hide protected operating system files (Recommended). At the warning, say that yes, you do want to do what you said you want to do.

Now try deleting ntlr. If that works, copy ntlr from the floppy to the hard drive.

Lincoln

[VladTheImpaler1990]

Hey why are u using files fro another pc don't you have your OS( operating systems) cd as you can just put that in and go to you cmos setting this is abtained by just before your window creen loads saying windows loading then you must hit F8, or delete or exit. Meaning the screens that have a msdos look to it you must hit one of those keys and go to advanced setting and go to boot from cd and then restart and as the pc boots from your cd then go to repair ad that will repair your files but you have to use the original windows cd, do you have one?

[LincolnSpector]

VladTheImpaler1990 said:

Hey why are u using files fro another pc don't you have your OS( operating systems) cd as you can just put that in and go to you cmos setting this is abtained by just before your window creen loads saying windows loading then you must hit F8, or delete or exit. Meaning the screens that have a msdos look to it you must hit one of those keys and go to advanced setting and go to boot from cd and then restart and as the pc boots from your cd then go to repair ad that will repair your files but you have to use the original windows cd, do you have one?

Vlad--

I don't think the files are from another PC. At some point in the past, he copied his boot files to a floppy (something I've recommended in my column). Such a floppy can bypass a corrupted boot sector or corrupted boot files and boot Windows.

Another consideration: Most people who have Windows XP don't have a Windows XP CD. They got XP with their PCs, which came with a restoration CD or a restoration partition on the HD. These seldom have all the functions of a true Windows XP CD, and usually only have two options: Wipe out all your data and settings as you reimage the hard drive to its factory condition, and Cancel.

Lincoln

[DEEPDKHI2]

Hello there,

The situation described by you is correct, I copied the boot files(since I don't have the windows xp cd) from another windows xp-sp2 pc and used the floppy to boot my unbootable windows pc . The booting was successful & the problem of permanently fixing the booting problem has been resolved thanks to all of you & specially to Mr Lincoln Spector. Now I have prepared three emergency boot floppies for use both at home & office.Thanks once again

[mphenterprises]

Hi Deep. Since you have this Discussion marked as "Answered," please select the two (2) posts that you feel were "Helpful" and the post that you feel was "Correct."