Multi Boot problem

[Richard Webb]

Hi All

As I was running short of space on my old hard disc (80Gb) I have purchased
a new 250Gb one to take its place. (Western Digital).

The old disc has happily multi-Booted for a considerable time, and still
does.

I used the Lifeguard tools (supplied with Western Digital) to format the new
drive & image Partitions 1. (Win 98 & Boot) & 2. (WinXp & programs) to the
new disc.

The only problem is that when the new disc is made master, it just boots
into Win 98 without displaying the boot option on booting!

Boot.ini is present on both drives with the following contents:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"

There is no difference in the content of this file in either drive, but it
seems not to be recognised in the new one.

Any ideas?

Many thanks

Richard

P.S. - More info below

At first sight all files appear to be present in both Win98 & Xp partitions.

The existing (old) disc has the following partitions:
1. 10Gb - C: - Win 98
2. 12GB - D: - Win XP
3. 12Gb - E: - Win XP (2) - (not loaded)
4. 14Gb - F: - Working Data
5. 18Gb - G: - Stationary Data (MSDN Etc)

New Drive - I have use the WD Lifeguard tools to format the drive with the
following Partitions:

1. 10Gb - for Win 98
2. 40Gb - for Win Xp
3. 20Gb - for Win Xp to try Beta software
4. 100Gb - for working data
5. 60 Gb - for stationary data (MSDN Etc)
6. 60GB - Backups for Program CDs
7. 40Gb - Spare (Data from others computers Etc)

 

[Richard Webb]

Hi

Thanks for reply.

Partition 1 - Win 98 is Fat 32
The others are NTFS

MSDOD.SYS is present on both drives.

The challenge is that Win98 boots up, but I don't have the option to start
Win XP which is on the second partition in both drives!

Both partitions are images of the old disc which works fine!

Perhaps I should reformat & re-image - but it takes aaages!

Thanks for your interest

Richard

Hi All

As I was running short of space on my old hard disc (80Gb) I have
purchased a new 250Gb one to take its place. (Western Digital).

The old disc has happily multi-Booted for a considerable time, and still
does.

I used the Lifeguard tools (supplied with Western Digital) to format the
new drive & image Partitions 1. (Win 98 & Boot) & 2. (WinXp & programs)
to the new disc.

The only problem is that when the new disc is made master, it just boots
into Win 98 without displaying the boot option on booting!

Boot.ini is present on both drives with the following contents:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"

There is no difference in the content of this file in either drive, but
it seems not to be recognised in the new one.

Any ideas?

Many thanks

Richard

P.S. - More info below

At first sight all files appear to be present in both Win98 & Xp
partitions.

The existing (old) disc has the following partitions:
1. 10Gb - C: - Win 98
2. 12GB - D: - Win XP
3. 12Gb - E: - Win XP (2) - (not loaded)
4. 14Gb - F: - Working Data
5. 18Gb - G: - Stationary Data (MSDN Etc)

New Drive - I have use the WD Lifeguard tools to format the drive with
the following Partitions:

1. 10Gb - for Win 98
2. 40Gb - for Win Xp
3. 20Gb - for Win Xp to try Beta software
4. 100Gb - for working data
5. 60 Gb - for stationary data (MSDN Etc)
6. 60GB - Backups for Program CDs
7. 40Gb - Spare (Data from others computers Etc)

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Is the Win98 partition on the new drive FAT32 or NTFS? It must be FAT for
Win98 to boot.

Are the other files required by Win98 present? You will need MSDOS.SYS
among others for example.

 

[Richard Webb]

Hi Rolf

Full file is:
===============================
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
===============================

THis ini file works fine on the old disc, but not on the new one when it is
set as the master, it just boots Win98 from the 1st partition without the
option to use WinXp which should be the default from partition 2.

I just find it very odd that the ini file just seems not to be looked at!

Have also tried it with no slave disc & no other discs in the drives, so see
no reason for it to boot from elsewhere - but good thinking!

Thanks anyway,

All the best

Richard
(Using old drive!)

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Hi Richard, {0,0,0,2} is only one boot partition.
You might have been booting from somewhere else.

Rolf

 

[Rolf Loeben]

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Hi Richard, {0,0,0,2} is only one boot partition.
You might have been booting from somewhere else.

Rolf

 

[Robert Gault]

Hi All

As I was running short of space on my old hard disc (80Gb) I have purchased
a new 250Gb one to take its place. (Western Digital).

The old disc has happily multi-Booted for a considerable time, and still
does.

I used the Lifeguard tools (supplied with Western Digital) to format the new
drive & image Partitions 1. (Win 98 & Boot) & 2. (WinXp & programs) to the
new disc.

The only problem is that when the new disc is made master, it just boots
into Win 98 without displaying the boot option on booting!

Boot.ini is present on both drives with the following contents:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"

There is no difference in the content of this file in either drive, but it
seems not to be recognised in the new one.

Any ideas?

Many thanks

Richard

P.S. - More info below

At first sight all files appear to be present in both Win98 & Xp partitions.

The existing (old) disc has the following partitions:
1. 10Gb - C: - Win 98
2. 12GB - D: - Win XP
3. 12Gb - E: - Win XP (2) - (not loaded)
4. 14Gb - F: - Working Data
5. 18Gb - G: - Stationary Data (MSDN Etc)

New Drive - I have use the WD Lifeguard tools to format the drive with the
following Partitions:

1. 10Gb - for Win 98
2. 40Gb - for Win Xp
3. 20Gb - for Win Xp to try Beta software
4. 100Gb - for working data
5. 60 Gb - for stationary data (MSDN Etc)
6. 60GB - Backups for Program CDs
7. 40Gb - Spare (Data from others computers Etc)

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Is the Win98 partition on the new drive FAT32 or NTFS? It must be FAT
for Win98 to boot.

Are the other files required by Win98 present? You will need MSDOS.SYS
among others for example.

 

[Richard Webb]

Hi All

Further to previous contact, Have reformatted the 0 partition & re-imaged &
now loads Win XP fine.

Only one challenge, 0 partition will not register as C:, obstinately stays
at J:!

Have tried re-assigning with message: Windows cannot re-assign boot
partition (or words to that effect) using Disk Management.

Win98 (on partition 0) now will not start! I assume because of the drive
letter.

Any ideas on re-assigning, have tried DISKPART in a command window, it said
it was successful but made no difference.

All the best

Richard

Hi Rolf

Full file is:
===============================
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
===============================

THis ini file works fine on the old disc, but not on the new one when it
is set as the master, it just boots Win98 from the 1st partition without
the option to use WinXp which should be the default from partition 2.

I just find it very odd that the ini file just seems not to be looked at!

Have also tried it with no slave disc & no other discs in the drives, so
see no reason for it to boot from elsewhere - but good thinking!

Thanks anyway,

All the best

Richard
(Using old drive!)

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Hi Richard, {0,0,0,2} is only one boot partition.
You might have been booting from somewhere else.

Rolf

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[John John]

He was booting from:

C:\="Microsoft Windows"

John

Richard Webb wrote:

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Hi Richard, {0,0,0,2} is only one boot partition.
You might have been booting from somewhere else.

Rolf

 

[John John]

Start again from scratch! You are going to end up with a complete mess
if you try to change the System and Boot letter assignments.

At your very first post in this thread, when Windows 98 was booting but
the boot.ini options were not shown, and you couldn't boot to the XP
installation, probably all you need to do was to boot to the Windows XP
Recovery Console and from the C:\ prompt issue:

fixboot

That should have fixed the problem, assuming that the files
ntdetect.com, ntldr and boot.ini were on the root of C to permit the NT
boot process to occur.

John

Hi All

Further to previous contact, Have reformatted the 0 partition & re-imaged &
now loads Win XP fine.

Only one challenge, 0 partition will not register as C:, obstinately stays
at J:!

Have tried re-assigning with message: Windows cannot re-assign boot
partition (or words to that effect) using Disk Management.

Win98 (on partition 0) now will not start! I assume because of the drive
letter.

Any ideas on re-assigning, have tried DISKPART in a command window, it said
it was successful but made no difference.

All the best

Richard

Hi Rolf

Full file is:
===============================
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
===============================

THis ini file works fine on the old disc, but not on the new one when it
is set as the master, it just boots Win98 from the 1st partition without
the option to use WinXp which should be the default from partition 2.

I just find it very odd that the ini file just seems not to be looked at!

Have also tried it with no slave disc & no other discs in the drives, so
see no reason for it to boot from elsewhere - but good thinking!

Thanks anyway,

All the best

Richard
(Using old drive!)

Richard Webb wrote:


default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Hi Richard, {0,0,0,2} is only one boot partition.
You might have been booting from somewhere else.

Rolf

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[Harry Ohrn MS MVP]

ensure you do not have any USB drives attached. Multi Card readers can be
bad for this. The BIOS can enumerate USB drives from a multireader into as
C, D, E, F, G, H, I, etc leaving your hard drive and then CD-Rom devices
last in a long list. So if you have a printer attached that has a multi card
reader that could be your culprit and the reason the hard drive is being
seen as J

--


Harry Ohrn MS MVP [Shell\User]

Hi All

Further to previous contact, Have reformatted the 0 partition & re-imaged
& now loads Win XP fine.

Only one challenge, 0 partition will not register as C:, obstinately stays
at J:!

Have tried re-assigning with message: Windows cannot re-assign boot
partition (or words to that effect) using Disk Management.

Win98 (on partition 0) now will not start! I assume because of the drive
letter.

Any ideas on re-assigning, have tried DISKPART in a command window, it
said it was successful but made no difference.

All the best

Richard

Hi Rolf

Full file is:
===============================
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
===============================

THis ini file works fine on the old disc, but not on the new one when it
is set as the master, it just boots Win98 from the 1st partition without
the option to use WinXp which should be the default from partition 2.

I just find it very odd that the ini file just seems not to be looked at!

Have also tried it with no slave disc & no other discs in the drives, so
see no reason for it to boot from elsewhere - but good thinking!

Thanks anyway,

All the best

Richard
(Using old drive!)

Richard Webb wrote:

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Hi Richard, {0,0,0,2} is only one boot partition.
You might have been booting from somewhere else.

Rolf

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[msnews.microsoft.com]

Hi

Have taken your advice and started again from scratch.

Reformatted the new drive,
Imaged over Partition 1 - C: (with win98 & programs) Fat 32
Imaged over Partition 2 - D: (With Xp & programs) NTFS
Imaged over Partition 4 - F: (Working data) Fat 32

Now back to square 1 with only Win98 booting.

Will try your fixboot, a bit concerned though as reading it up it seems to
work Win Nt & 2000 on only?

This from Win98!

All the best

Richard

P.S. Will advise progress

Start again from scratch! You are going to end up with a complete mess
if you try to change the System and Boot letter assignments.

At your very first post in this thread, when Windows 98 was booting but
the boot.ini options were not shown, and you couldn't boot to the XP
installation, probably all you need to do was to boot to the Windows XP
Recovery Console and from the C:\ prompt issue:

fixboot

That should have fixed the problem, assuming that the files
ntdetect.com, ntldr and boot.ini were on the root of C to permit the NT
boot process to occur.

John

Hi All

Further to previous contact, Have reformatted the 0 partition & re-imaged &
now loads Win XP fine.

Only one challenge, 0 partition will not register as C:, obstinately stays
at J:!

Have tried re-assigning with message: Windows cannot re-assign boot
partition (or words to that effect) using Disk Management.

Win98 (on partition 0) now will not start! I assume because of the drive
letter.

Any ideas on re-assigning, have tried DISKPART in a command window, it said
it was successful but made no difference.

All the best

Richard

Hi Rolf

Full file is:
===============================
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
===============================

THis ini file works fine on the old disc, but not on the new one when it
is set as the master, it just boots Win98 from the 1st partition without
the option to use WinXp which should be the default from partition 2.

I just find it very odd that the ini file just seems not to be looked at!

Have also tried it with no slave disc & no other discs in the drives, so
see no reason for it to boot from elsewhere - but good thinking!

Thanks anyway,

All the best

Richard
(Using old drive!)


Richard Webb wrote:


default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Hi Richard, {0,0,0,2} is only one boot partition.
You might have been booting from somewhere else.

Rolf

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------

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[Richard Webb]

Hi

Have done all as per previous e-mail (re-image & try fixboot) with no
success.

Booted into recovery console with c: prompt, did a Dir on all the drives
(Partitions), none were recognised, yet data was there as Win 98 booted
quite happily, & data files in F: (Fat 32) could be explored!

Fixboot appeared to do nothing & no improvement! (? because Win 98 partition
1)

Now re-imaging yet again - Any more ideas!

Richard

P.S. I had this problem some years ago when upgrading hard drive, I ended
up re-installing both win98 & Xp to get both to work again and all the
programs, I don't want to have to go through all that again. It has to be
something simple!

Start again from scratch! You are going to end up with a complete mess
if you try to change the System and Boot letter assignments.

At your very first post in this thread, when Windows 98 was booting but
the boot.ini options were not shown, and you couldn't boot to the XP
installation, probably all you need to do was to boot to the Windows XP
Recovery Console and from the C:\ prompt issue:

fixboot

That should have fixed the problem, assuming that the files
ntdetect.com, ntldr and boot.ini were on the root of C to permit the NT
boot process to occur.

John

Hi All

Further to previous contact, Have reformatted the 0 partition & re-imaged &
now loads Win XP fine.

Only one challenge, 0 partition will not register as C:, obstinately stays
at J:!

Have tried re-assigning with message: Windows cannot re-assign boot
partition (or words to that effect) using Disk Management.

Win98 (on partition 0) now will not start! I assume because of the drive
letter.

Any ideas on re-assigning, have tried DISKPART in a command window, it said
it was successful but made no difference.

All the best

Richard

Hi Rolf

Full file is:
===============================
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
===============================

THis ini file works fine on the old disc, but not on the new one when it
is set as the master, it just boots Win98 from the 1st partition without
the option to use WinXp which should be the default from partition 2.

I just find it very odd that the ini file just seems not to be looked at!

Have also tried it with no slave disc & no other discs in the drives, so
see no reason for it to boot from elsewhere - but good thinking!

Thanks anyway,

All the best

Richard
(Using old drive!)


Richard Webb wrote:


default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Hi Richard, {0,0,0,2} is only one boot partition.
You might have been booting from somewhere else.

Rolf

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------

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It has removed 783 spam emails to date.
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[John John]

The directory access with the Recovery Console is restricted. You can
access the System partition (usually C:\) and the Boot partition or
directory, usually C:\Windows. In your case you should be able to
access the root of C:\ and probably D:\Windows. The dir command will,
or should fail on other directories, that is a security feature of the
Recovery Console. You can use the cd\ command to get to the System
partition and the cd %systemroot% command to get to the Boot
partition\directory. Beware of drive lettering from within Windows and
the Recovery Console or other operating systems, that can be quite
misleading! The fixboot command has to be executed on the system
partition usually, but not always, C: You have two ways that I know of
to replace the Windows 98 boot sector and install the Windows XP one,
use the fixboot command or repair install XP.

If you are using SATA drives you may need to use the F6 option right
when the Windows XP setup starts, you may need drivers for the SATA
controller.

You are booting from the Windows 98 boot sector, that is plainly
obvious. Every operating system needs a boot sector, but there is only
one boot sector on a hard drive. What you have to do is replace the
Windows 98 boot sector with the Windows XP one. Windows XP is aware of
the Windows 98 boot sector and it will or "should" copy it to a file
called bootsect.dos . Then it will install its boot sector in place of
the Windows 98 one. When you boot the computer the Windows XP boot
loader will read the boot.ini file and offer you the boot options. If
you chose Windows 98, the boot loader will read the bootsect.dos file
and "mimic" the Windows 98 boot sector to enable successful booting.

Your imaging/cloning is probably well done, but keep in mind that disk
imaging/cloning can have strange effects on partitions and their active
designations on the new disk. Keep in mind what Harry said in his post
about removable drives and USB devices. When you place the cloned drive
to the master position DO NO attach slaves to it, or in the case of SATA
leave the original drive out until you get things fixed. You can use
the Windows 98 fdisk tool to look at partitions and their status, or
from the Recovery Console you can use diskpart. For help while in the
Recovery Console type: help and press <Enter>. For help on any
command use the /? switch, ie: dir /?

Next time, instead of re-imaging again, try booting Windows XP with a
boot floppy. See here: http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/ntboot/ You HAVE to
make the disk with an NT computer! If you make it with your Windows 98
the disk will fail because, you guessed, the boot sector on the boot
diskette will be incompatible with XP. If you can start XP with the
boot floppy then you know there is nothing wrong with it.

John

Hi

Have done all as per previous e-mail (re-image & try fixboot) with no
success.

Booted into recovery console with c: prompt, did a Dir on all the drives
(Partitions), none were recognised, yet data was there as Win 98 booted
quite happily, & data files in F: (Fat 32) could be explored!

Fixboot appeared to do nothing & no improvement! (? because Win 98 partition
1)

Now re-imaging yet again - Any more ideas!

Richard

P.S. I had this problem some years ago when upgrading hard drive, I ended
up re-installing both win98 & Xp to get both to work again and all the
programs, I don't want to have to go through all that again. It has to be
something simple!

Start again from scratch! You are going to end up with a complete mess
if you try to change the System and Boot letter assignments.

At your very first post in this thread, when Windows 98 was booting but
the boot.ini options were not shown, and you couldn't boot to the XP
installation, probably all you need to do was to boot to the Windows XP
Recovery Console and from the C:\ prompt issue:

fixboot

That should have fixed the problem, assuming that the files
ntdetect.com, ntldr and boot.ini were on the root of C to permit the NT
boot process to occur.

John

Richard Webb wrote:

re-imaged &

now loads Win XP fine.

Only one challenge, 0 partition will not register as C:, obstinately

stays

at J:!

Have tried re-assigning with message: Windows cannot re-assign boot
partition (or words to that effect) using Disk Management.

Win98 (on partition 0) now will not start! I assume because of the

drive

letter.

Any ideas on re-assigning, have tried DISKPART in a command window, it

said

it was successful but made no difference.

All the best

Richard



Hi Rolf

Full file is:
===============================
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
===============================

THis ini file works fine on the old disc, but not on the new one when it
is set as the master, it just boots Win98 from the 1st partition without
the option to use WinXp which should be the default from partition 2.

I just find it very odd that the ini file just seems not to be looked

at!

Have also tried it with no slave disc & no other discs in the drives, so
see no reason for it to boot from elsewhere - but good thinking!

Thanks anyway,

All the best

Richard
(Using old drive!)



Richard Webb wrote:



default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Hi Richard, {0,0,0,2} is only one boot partition.
You might have been booting from somewhere else.

Rolf

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--------------------------------------------------------------------------

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[Richard Webb]

Hi John John

Thank you for a very thorough answer.

It has been a while since I used DOS, I never thought to Fixboot C: !!, I
just tried Fixboot ,which clearly in retrospect was stupid!

I have just wiped the new disc again & reformatted, so I will re-image
(again) & try your suggestion.

It may be tomorrow before I reply again - it takes a while to do the
imaging!

Thanks again.

Richard

The directory access with the Recovery Console is restricted. You can
access the System partition (usually C:\) and the Boot partition or
directory, usually C:\Windows. In your case you should be able to access
the root of C:\ and probably D:\Windows. The dir command will, or should
fail on other directories, that is a security feature of the Recovery
Console. You can use the cd\ command to get to the System partition and
the cd %systemroot% command to get to the Boot partition\directory.
Beware of drive lettering from within Windows and the Recovery Console or
other operating systems, that can be quite misleading! The fixboot
command has to be executed on the system partition usually, but not
always, C: You have two ways that I know of to replace the Windows 98
boot sector and install the Windows XP one, use the fixboot command or
repair install XP.

If you are using SATA drives you may need to use the F6 option right when
the Windows XP setup starts, you may need drivers for the SATA controller.

You are booting from the Windows 98 boot sector, that is plainly obvious.
Every operating system needs a boot sector, but there is only one boot
sector on a hard drive. What you have to do is replace the Windows 98
boot sector with the Windows XP one. Windows XP is aware of the Windows
98 boot sector and it will or "should" copy it to a file called
bootsect.dos . Then it will install its boot sector in place of the
Windows 98 one. When you boot the computer the Windows XP boot loader
will read the boot.ini file and offer you the boot options. If you chose
Windows 98, the boot loader will read the bootsect.dos file and "mimic"
the Windows 98 boot sector to enable successful booting.

Your imaging/cloning is probably well done, but keep in mind that disk
imaging/cloning can have strange effects on partitions and their active
designations on the new disk. Keep in mind what Harry said in his post
about removable drives and USB devices. When you place the cloned drive
to the master position DO NO attach slaves to it, or in the case of SATA
leave the original drive out until you get things fixed. You can use the
Windows 98 fdisk tool to look at partitions and their status, or from the
Recovery Console you can use diskpart. For help while in the Recovery
Console type: help and press <Enter>. For help on any command use the
/? switch, ie: dir /?

Next time, instead of re-imaging again, try booting Windows XP with a boot
floppy. See here: http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/ntboot/ You HAVE to make
the disk with an NT computer! If you make it with your Windows 98 the
disk will fail because, you guessed, the boot sector on the boot diskette
will be incompatible with XP. If you can start XP with the boot floppy
then you know there is nothing wrong with it.

John

Hi

Have done all as per previous e-mail (re-image & try fixboot) with no
success.

Booted into recovery console with c: prompt, did a Dir on all the drives
(Partitions), none were recognised, yet data was there as Win 98 booted
quite happily, & data files in F: (Fat 32) could be explored!

Fixboot appeared to do nothing & no improvement! (? because Win 98
partition
1)

Now re-imaging yet again - Any more ideas!

Richard

P.S. I had this problem some years ago when upgrading hard drive, I
ended
up re-installing both win98 & Xp to get both to work again and all the
programs, I don't want to have to go through all that again. It has to
be
something simple!

Start again from scratch! You are going to end up with a complete mess
if you try to change the System and Boot letter assignments.

At your very first post in this thread, when Windows 98 was booting but
the boot.ini options were not shown, and you couldn't boot to the XP
installation, probably all you need to do was to boot to the Windows XP
Recovery Console and from the C:\ prompt issue:

fixboot

That should have fixed the problem, assuming that the files
ntdetect.com, ntldr and boot.ini were on the root of C to permit the NT
boot process to occur.

John

Richard Webb wrote:


Hi All

Further to previous contact, Have reformatted the 0 partition &

re-imaged &

now loads Win XP fine.

Only one challenge, 0 partition will not register as C:, obstinately
stays

at J:!

Have tried re-assigning with message: Windows cannot re-assign boot
partition (or words to that effect) using Disk Management.

Win98 (on partition 0) now will not start! I assume because of the
drive

letter.

Any ideas on re-assigning, have tried DISKPART in a command window, it
said

it was successful but made no difference.

All the best

Richard



Hi Rolf

Full file is:
===============================
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT
C:\="Microsoft Windows"
===============================

THis ini file works fine on the old disc, but not on the new one when
it
is set as the master, it just boots Win98 from the 1st partition
without
the option to use WinXp which should be the default from partition 2.

I just find it very odd that the ini file just seems not to be looked
at!

Have also tried it with no slave disc & no other discs in the drives,
so
see no reason for it to boot from elsewhere - but good thinking!

Thanks anyway,

All the best

Richard
(Using old drive!)



Richard Webb wrote:



default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /FASTDETECT C:\="Microsoft Windows"

Hi Richard, {0,0,0,2} is only one boot partition.
You might have been booting from somewhere else.

Rolf

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