editing boot.ini in recovery console

  • Thread starter Thread starter arc_shuxson
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A

arc_shuxson

with regards to changing the boot.ini to default to safemode:
i was having issues with system restore and not being able to boot in
safemode. i read about this default setting in the boot.ini. so running
msconfig through GUI i set this. now my computer will not boot into windows
at all. it freezes/crashes at the start of safemode. i've inserted my XP
pro OS disk and run a repair install. now the install can not be completed
because the setup cannot run in safemode. restarts automatically. what i
would like to do is change the system to NOT default to safemode. however F8
will not bring me to a boot option screen. can i change this through the
recovery console with bootcfg? if so how? any other suggestions would be
great. for now i have some data backed up (the crucial stuff), now i'm going
to install the old drive as a slave to my new drive's clean install.

i've read several posts on here all very helpful and in the ballpark one way
or another of what i'm trying to do. i guess i'm just not sure how you edit
with the bootcfg command

help much appreciated
 
with regards to changing the boot.ini to default to safemode:
i was having issues with system restore and not being able to boot in
safemode.  i read about this default setting in the boot.ini.  so running
msconfig through GUI i set this.  now my computer will not boot into windows
at all.  it freezes/crashes at the start of safemode.  i've inserted my XP
pro OS disk and run a repair install.  now the install can not be completed
because the setup cannot run in safemode. restarts automatically.  whati
would like to do is change the system to NOT default to safemode.  however F8
will not bring me to a boot option screen.  can i change this through the
recovery console with bootcfg? if so how? any other suggestions would be
great.  for now i have some data backed up (the crucial stuff), now i'mgoing
to install the old drive as a slave to my new drive's clean install.

i've read several posts on here all very helpful and in the ballpark one way
or another of what i'm trying to do.  i guess i'm just not sure how youedit
with the bootcfg command

help much appreciated
Click to expand...

Adding the /SAFEBOOT swtch in msconfig can get you in trouble if your
system has a certain malicious software - it will never boot properly
again until you remove /SAFEBOOT, but you can't boot to do that -
sound familiar? Tricky malware!

I am not sure what attempting a repair install will have done to your
system but the first method to resolve this common problem goes like
this:

Make a Recovery Console CD or boot your XP installation CD into
Recovery Console. If you do not know with 100% certainty that you are
in Recovery Console and need to make just a bootable Recovery Console
CD, instructions for that can be provided.

If your XP is not installed on C or you have some dual boot
configuration, things are a little different, but still easy to
resolve. What follows is for a general installation of XP on the C
drive.

When you boot into the RC, you better be in the C:\WINDOWS folder.
The boot.ini is in the C:\ folder so from the C:\WINDOWS prompt enter:

cd \ (with the space) to get into C:\

Then rename your boot.ini file to boot.ini.bak by entering:

ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

This will leave you with no boot.ini, but for most configurations,
your system will still boot just fine with no boot.ini file present.
It will complain a little about the missing file but who cares as long
as it boots. Fix that part later.

It may be suggested that you run bootcfg /rebuild but that is probably
not necessary and the suggestion is invariably offered with no
instructions on what to do after you run bootcfg /rebuild - just "run
bootcfg /rebuild". You can go that route if you want, but it is
usually not neccesary for this issue.

Once your system is booted, rename the c:\boot.ini.bak back to c:
\boot.ini, so msconfig can find it and then use msconfig or a text
editor to remove the /SAFEBOOT option from the boot.ini file.

This probably still leaves your system afflicted with malicious
software. I would recommend:

Download, install, update and do a full scan with these free malware
detection programs:

Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://malwarebytes.org/
SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/

They can be uninstalled later if desired.

Troubleshoot any remaining issues.
 
Ok. Here is my story. My computer got somehow infected by the virus smartfortress 2012. After doing some research, I found this link that advised to remove it by changing msconfig setting so that pc reboot in safe mode with networking. After that hell came down loose. I got stuck in the boot mode and no command would work.I tried them all: bootcfg /rebuild, boodcfg /add and so... nothing worked. Then I stumbled upon your post above and followed the steps and renamed the boot.ini into boot.ini.bak. The pc finally booted but now how do I rename it back to boot.ini so msconfig can see it as you stated above .I'm at loss. Please help. Thank you :)
 
You are the man, bru! Renaming the boot.ini worked perfectly, thank you so so much :thumb:
 
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