Major dual-boot computing problem...

[RyuRobD]

On my most recent reformat, I decided to go with a dual-boot system with windows 98 and xp. Recently, I decided to get rid of the windows 98 partition, as I wasn't using it anymore. I very stupidly deleted the entire win98 partition without changing the boot.ini, and now, the computer keeps prompting me to reboot, as though I have no boot record anymore. I checked it out in the recovery console, and sure enough, there was nothing there. Logically, I ran bootcfg /rebuild and stuck the xp installation in the boot record. Unfortunately, nothing's changed. Anyone have an idea?

I NEED HELP!!!!!!

 

[RyuRobD]

^^^^

 

[RyuRobD]

Plz, I really need help with this...

 

[RyuRobD]

bump

 

[Luthien]

I have not messed with dual boots in a while but have done quad bootables in my time. You could try that fdisk /mbr... Also examine your mbr with fdisk and use Partition magic / Boot Magic and see what it shows. There is a file in partition magic what will allow booting to either partion within your system through dos called pqboot.exe. Mess around with that stuff and see if it helps. Probably Partition Magic is all you need to fix it. If it sees both partitions delete the one. I know you can edit your boot.ini like you said but you also said that isnt working. Try searching on google for more information on that. I hope something I typed helps you good luck.

 

[HardWarrior]

Slap your XP install CD in and do a repair install, which will rewrite your MBR. This isn't a clean way of fixing the problem in that your XP settings will be jumbled a bit, you might loose you patch status and have to authenticate again, but it will get you back into your current XP install.

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: HardWarrior
Slap your XP install CD in and do a repair install, which will rewrite your MBR. This isn't a clean way of fixing the problem in that your XP settings will be jumbled a bit, you might loose you patch status and have to authenticate again, but it will get you back into your current XP install.

You can also go to the command line recovery console with an XP cd, and use the command FIXMBR. This will re-install the MBR without re-installing the OS.

From your specs, it appears that you have 2 hard drives. Did you have WinXP and 98 on seperate drives, or where they on the same one with this other as a data disc? If they were on seperate physical drives, I would assume that your Win98 disc was the master. If this is the case, make your WinXP drive the master and see what happens. If this still doesn't work, run the FIXMBR command from the console.

 

[RyuRobD]

No, they were both on the same drive. I used one as a data disk in case something like this happened. Problem is, I have data I'd rather not get rid of on the other disk. I'll try the fixmbr cmd right now.

 

[RyuRobD]

No dice with the FIXMBR command. I'm gonna try repairing winxp

 

[RyuRobD]

No dice with the repair. I'm at a loss. I really don't want to risk installing another copy of windows on, but it appears I have no alternative if I'm going to format regardless.