Start-up Trouble

[curtis]

During start-up, I get a prompt to "Strike the F1 key to continue, F2
to run the set-up utility". After pressing the F1, I get the prompt
to
select XP Home Edition or MS XP setup. After 3 seconds it goes into
dos mod, I guess,"XP Home Edition Setup"-cannot find CD-Rom drive. F3
to exit. Then it reboots, repeats the sequence so I press F1-then
arrow up once to XP Home ED and everything starts up correctly.

It was suggested to; After you get booted up in Xp, go to Start, Run,
plug in MSCONFIG, Ok,
BOOT.INI tab, Check All Boot Paths

There was no change, Hoping someone will have an idea, Thanks

 

[Rock]

During start-up, I get a prompt to "Strike the F1 key to continue, F2
to run the set-up utility". After pressing the F1, I get the prompt
to
select XP Home Edition or MS XP setup. After 3 seconds it goes into
dos mod, I guess,"XP Home Edition Setup"-cannot find CD-Rom drive. F3
to exit. Then it reboots, repeats the sequence so I press F1-then
arrow up once to XP Home ED and everything starts up correctly.

It was suggested to; After you get booted up in Xp, go to Start, Run,
plug in MSCONFIG, Ok,
BOOT.INI tab, Check All Boot Paths

There was no change, Hoping someone will have an idea, Thanks

Post the contents of the boot.ini file here for someone to look at.

 

[curtis]

The boot.ini file is;
Timeout=5

Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT

[Operating Systems]

mult(0)disk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"
/fastdetect/NoExecute=OpIn

C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Setup"

Hope this is what you were asking for. Thanks

 

[Rock]

The boot.ini file is;
Timeout=5

Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT

[Operating Systems]

mult(0)disk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"
/fastdetect/NoExecute=OpIn

C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Setup"

Hope this is what you were asking for. Thanks

Post the contents of the boot.ini file here for someone to look at.

Yep that's it. Did you ever try to do a repair install? Something caused
that change in the boot.ini file. Notice how it's pointing in the default
to an unusual folder and it's for Microsoft Windows XP setup? Also what's
on the first partition of the drive?

Edit the boot.ini file. Change the default line to:

Default=mult(0)disk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

Under operation systems make sure it reads:
mult(0)disk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"
/fastdetect/NoExecute=OpIn

Also delete the line:
C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Setup"

Here is a reference link:

How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022/

 

[curtis]

The boot.ini file is;
Timeout=5

Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT

[Operating Systems]

mult(0)disk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"
/fastdetect/NoExecute=OpIn

C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Setup"

Yep that's it. Did you ever try to do a repair install? Something caused
that change in the boot.ini file. Notice how it's pointing in the default
to an unusual folder and it's for Microsoft Windows XP setup? Also what's
on the first partition of the drive?

Edit the boot.ini file. Change the default line to:

Default=mult(0)disk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

Under operation systems make sure it reads:
mult(0)disk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"
/fastdetect/NoExecute=OpIn

Also delete the line:
C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Setup"

Here is a reference link:

How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022/

Thanks Rock, I inherited the comp, Dell XPS, not sure if a repair
install was attempted. I'm don't know were to check, what's on the
first partition of the drive. Sorry. I'm going to get so help before
I go on to the Boot edit-(Save a Backup Copy of Boot.ini) and then
edit. If things go wrong, will the System Restore take me back to
where I'm at now? Thanks again

 

[Rock]

The boot.ini file is;
Timeout=5

Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT

[Operating Systems]

mult(0)disk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"
/fastdetect/NoExecute=OpIn

C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Setup"

Yep that's it. Did you ever try to do a repair install? Something caused
that change in the boot.ini file. Notice how it's pointing in the default
to an unusual folder and it's for Microsoft Windows XP setup? Also
what's
on the first partition of the drive?

Edit the boot.ini file. Change the default line to:

Default=mult(0)disk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

Under operation systems make sure it reads:
mult(0)disk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"
/fastdetect/NoExecute=OpIn

Also delete the line:
C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Setup"

Here is a reference link:

How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022/

Thanks Rock, I inherited the comp, Dell XPS, not sure if a repair
install was attempted. I'm don't know were to check, what's on the
first partition of the drive. Sorry. I'm going to get so help before
I go on to the Boot edit-(Save a Backup Copy of Boot.ini) and then
edit. If things go wrong, will the System Restore take me back to
where I'm at now? Thanks again

If something messes up the boot.ini you might not be able to boot up. In
that case you'll need to boot from an XP CD, enter the recovery console, and
run a command from there.

bootcfg /rebuild

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058/

It should be ok. Always have a full and complete backup of important data.