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PC eye · 09-13-2006, 10:20 AM

There are two commonly used methods for this. The experienced user will make a copy of the original "boot.ini" file before trying out a dual boot with another especially bewer version of Windows since this file is changed along the master boot record. The second is to boot your system with the XP installation disk and go to the recovery console.

At the recovery console there are two commands you can try here to correct this. Those are the "FIXMBR" and "FIXBOOT" commands that yo0 would type at the command prompt. Generally the fixmbr command works the best. The other option available is to use an old WIN 98 or ME startup floppy disk and boot the system with that. Once you reach the dos prompt you type in "FDISK /MBR".

The last thing done is a manual edit of the "boot.ini" file found at the root of the hard drive. Since this is hidden you may have to go into the tools drop down menu on the explorer bar of either MyComputer or Windows Explorer. Click on the options to open the next screen and then click the "views" tab. Uncheck the options to hide protected system files and click on the apply button to see that done.

Now the hardest part is the actual edit of the boot.ini file itself. Right now it should look like this.
;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Home Edition" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT

After right clicking on the boot.bak file which will look the same but give a practice file to work with uncheck the "read only" box at that time. Now go to NotePad and browse for the same file to open it. You will have to set the "all files" instead of "text only" to see it. Once it is open look at how the finish will appear below.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Home Edition" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT

Without reinstalling XP this should remove the entry you see when Windows is loading. You then save the file as the boot.bak to overwrite the practice file and delete the actual boot.ini file after. Once that is done you can rename the boot.bak file to boot.ini. That was the practice file there. To insure no mistakes at first make a copy of the actual boot.ini file and save it to a folder or even floppy. Right click on the original and make the changes. Afterwards simply recheck the "read only' on the followup right click.

09-13-2006, 10:20 AM	#2 (permalink)
PC eye banned Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 21,091	There are two commonly used methods for this. The experienced user will make a copy of the original "boot.ini" file before trying out a dual boot with another especially bewer version of Windows since this file is changed along the master boot record. The second is to boot your system with the XP installation disk and go to the recovery console. At the recovery console there are two commands you can try here to correct this. Those are the "FIXMBR" and "FIXBOOT" commands that yo0 would type at the command prompt. Generally the fixmbr command works the best. The other option available is to use an old WIN 98 or ME startup floppy disk and boot the system with that. Once you reach the dos prompt you type in "FDISK /MBR". The last thing done is a manual edit of the "boot.ini" file found at the root of the hard drive. Since this is hidden you may have to go into the tools drop down menu on the explorer bar of either MyComputer or Windows Explorer. Click on the options to open the next screen and then click the "views" tab. Uncheck the options to hide protected system files and click on the apply button to see that done. Now the hardest part is the actual edit of the boot.ini file itself. Right now it should look like this. ; ;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems. ;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options. ; [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Home Edition" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT After right clicking on the boot.bak file which will look the same but give a practice file to work with uncheck the "read only" box at that time. Now go to NotePad and browse for the same file to open it. You will have to set the "all files" instead of "text only" to see it. Once it is open look at how the finish will appear below. [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Home Edition" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT Without reinstalling XP this should remove the entry you see when Windows is loading. You then save the file as the boot.bak to overwrite the practice file and delete the actual boot.ini file after. Once that is done you can rename the boot.bak file to boot.ini. That was the practice file there. To insure no mistakes at first make a copy of the actual boot.ini file and save it to a folder or even floppy. Right click on the original and make the changes. Afterwards simply recheck the "read only' on the followup right click.