W2K SP4 dual boot problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter legg
  • Start date Start date
L

legg

I've been nursing along a W98 2ed (on C:) W2K SP4 ( on D:) dual boot
system since Y2K.

My back-up method involved ternary rotation of hard drive sets. This
produces a working hard drive for C and D, a most recent individual
back up for each, and a previous back-up of each. Backing up involves
cloning the current drive's contents onto the oldest back-up drives,
installing the recent clones into operation, and retiring the working
drives to most recent back-up position.

Every time I do this, I get some kind of problem. Usually this
involves an inaccessible W2K or W98 OS. Repair usually involves using
W2K setup disc set, to fixmbr (default) from the command console, then
sys C: from W98 boot disk. I'm uncomfortable with DOS, so my ability
to manipulate files is limited.

Recently I found myself unable to produce a dual boot start-up screen.
The Functional default was a direct boot into W98 without a boot
option. With the assistance of a floppy loaded on boot with NTLDR,
NTDETECT.COM, BOOT.INI and BOOTSECT.DOS on it, I could generate a
start-up menu with a valid W2K option, but an invalid W98 or Command
Console option. This disk was created two years ago, when I had the
same situation temporarily. I don't recall how the disk was created or
how I dug myself out of the hole.

I let it ride, booting daily for specific tasks only into W2K, until
today when the W2K floppy boot disk displayed a disk read error.
Simply loading the same files, with the same datestamps onto a floppy
doesn't recreate a working floppy. (invalid system disk)

Can anyone suggest how to fix the floppy 've been using as a crutch?
I'm pissed off that the W2K disks can't be used as a simple boot disk,
as my crutch did. I effectively have no access to the W2K OS or drive
partition.

Better still, can anyone suggest how to restore the dual boot?
Should I use the W2K set-up to fixmbr of a specific hard drive,
rather than a default?

The BOOT.INI in non-functional setting reads as it always did in a
functional set-up.

My last W98 back-up still allows normal dual boot function when
installed as C:. Direct file transfers (same datestamps) doesn't
improve anything.

Disk D W2k SP4 is NTSF, with two FAT32 data partitions.
Disk C: W98 2ed is FAT32.

RL
 
legg said:
I've been nursing along a W98 2ed (on C:) W2K SP4 ( on D:) dual boot
system since Y2K.

My back-up method involved ternary rotation of hard drive sets. This
produces a working hard drive for C and D, a most recent individual
back up for each, and a previous back-up of each. Backing up involves
cloning the current drive's contents onto the oldest back-up drives,
installing the recent clones into operation, and retiring the working
drives to most recent back-up position.

Every time I do this, I get some kind of problem. Usually this
involves an inaccessible W2K or W98 OS. Repair usually involves using
W2K setup disc set, to fixmbr (default) from the command console, then
sys C: from W98 boot disk. I'm uncomfortable with DOS, so my ability
to manipulate files is limited.

Recently I found myself unable to produce a dual boot start-up screen.
The Functional default was a direct boot into W98 without a boot
option. With the assistance of a floppy loaded on boot with NTLDR,
NTDETECT.COM, BOOT.INI and BOOTSECT.DOS on it, I could generate a
start-up menu with a valid W2K option, but an invalid W98 or Command
Console option. This disk was created two years ago, when I had the
same situation temporarily. I don't recall how the disk was created or
how I dug myself out of the hole.

I let it ride, booting daily for specific tasks only into W2K, until
today when the W2K floppy boot disk displayed a disk read error.
Simply loading the same files, with the same datestamps onto a floppy
doesn't recreate a working floppy. (invalid system disk)

Can anyone suggest how to fix the floppy 've been using as a crutch?
I'm pissed off that the W2K disks can't be used as a simple boot disk,
as my crutch did. I effectively have no access to the W2K OS or drive
partition.

Better still, can anyone suggest how to restore the dual boot?
Should I use the W2K set-up to fixmbr of a specific hard drive,
rather than a default?

The BOOT.INI in non-functional setting reads as it always did in a
functional set-up.

My last W98 back-up still allows normal dual boot function when
installed as C:. Direct file transfers (same datestamps) doesn't
improve anything.

Disk D W2k SP4 is NTSF, with two FAT32 data partitions.
Disk C: W98 2ed is FAT32.

RL
Click to expand...

It seems you're creating yourself a lot of problems with your
complex backup scheme. You could do the same in a far
simpler way, without the accompanying problems that you
appear to have been doing battle with for quite some time.

For starters lets concentrate restoring your Win2000 boot
ability. Try this:
1. Get yourself a new diskette (or one that is in good
condition).
2. Format it on any Win2000/XP PC. Don't format it on
a Win9x machine - it won't work.
3. Copy the following files from the i386 folder of your
Win2000 CD to A:\ -
- ntldr
- ntdetect.com
4. Create a:\boot.ini with these lines inside:
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=10
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="1 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="2 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="3 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINNT="4 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect

5. Boot the machine with this floppy and check which of the
four boot options work. When you know, delete the rest.

When successful, report in detail your current disk structure.
When doing so, please note that the word "disk" is usually
used for the physical thing whereas "drive" is used for partitions.
You therefore do not have "Disk D" but "Drive D:, residing on disk 2".
 
It seems you're creating yourself a lot of problems with your
complex backup scheme. You could do the same in a far
simpler way, without the accompanying problems that you
appear to have been doing battle with for quite some time.

For starters lets concentrate restoring your Win2000 boot
ability. Try this:
1. Get yourself a new diskette (or one that is in good
condition).
2. Format it on any Win2000/XP PC. Don't format it on
a Win9x machine - it won't work.
3. Copy the following files from the i386 folder of your
Win2000 CD to A:\ -
- ntldr
- ntdetect.com
4. Create a:\boot.ini with these lines inside:
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=10
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="1 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="2 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="3 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINNT="4 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect

5. Boot the machine with this floppy and check which of the
four boot options work. When you know, delete the rest.

When successful, report in detail your current disk structure.
When doing so, please note that the word "disk" is usually
used for the physical thing whereas "drive" is used for partitions.
You therefore do not have "Disk D" but "Drive D:, residing on disk 2".
Click to expand...

This business about formatting floppies on a W2K system rings a bell.
I followed your instructions, but was a little dubious about
requirements for the source of the NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM files or
loading advice (other W2K or accessible W98 of dual boot. I note also
there is no request/requirement for a BOOTSECT.DOS file.

In a first series of boot trials I used a floppy formatted on the
"other W2K" OS machine, with NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM from the "other
W2K" OS root, date-stamped 040804 (yymmdd). I created the BOOT.INI
file with no indenting or text wrapping from the copied news server
message, but maintained carriage returns at:
[
Timeout
Default
[
multi
multi
multi
multi.

This produced four alternatives for
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
in the boot menu.

1st- 'missing or corrupt <windows root>\system32\hal.dll'
2nd- 'Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware
configuration (error?). Could not read from the selected boot disk.
Check boot path and disk hardware.'
3rd- booted up the W2K OS.
4th- same as 1st

Using another floppy formatted on the "other W2K" OS machine, I
transferred the NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM, from the W98 root, date-stamped
030619. As well, I used the BOOT.INI and BOOTSECT.DOS files from the
previously working crutch disc. (either the NTLDR or NTDETECT.COM
files on this disk were not readable, but hadthe same size and
datestamp as those in W98 root). The BOOT.INI file is one I edited
myself in '05 and '06. It reads:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional
SP4" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console"
/cmdcons

This offers three boot options
1 - Windows 98 2Ed
2 - Windows 2000 Professional SP4
3 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console

Boot results were as per previous working crutch floppy:

1st- Invalid System Disk. Replace disk and press any key.
2nd- booted up the W2K OS
3rd- W2k could not start because the following file was missig or
corrupt. <windows 2000 root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

If BOOTSECT.DOS was removed, the result of first boot option was

1st- I/O error accessing boot sector file
multi(0)disk(0)fdisk(0)\BOOTSECT.DOS

So my crutch is restored............... yay.

Any ideas on restoring normal dual boot?

There are two hard drives:
1 - single 80G partition W98 fat32 (C: in both OS)
2 - three (primary) basic partitions/volumes
D - bootable W2K NTFS 20G (not visible W98)
L - logical FAT32 data 30G ( D: in W98 )
M - logical FAT32 data 30G ( E in W98 )
The CD/DVD R/W drive is E: in W2k and F: in W98
A SCSI controller is present but hardware or hard drives are only
mounted as-needed, temporarily.

The W98 installation dates from '98 and has never been reinstalled,
despite installation of newer system motherboard in '03, HD
migration/rotation and other hardware changes. It is used to maintain
legacy hardware and SW - is actually still the most used OS, despite
it's excentricities.

The W2K installation disk dates from '99 (actually still NT5 at the
time) so a re-install involves more than 75 updates to achieve SP4.

My "other W2K" system is a W2K/WXP dual boot machine in its infancy
(<6 months). Am gradually migrating applications as required, or
proven safe, but seldom use it except as a test bed. I haven't tried
rotating either OS/Drive to date on this baby machine.

The HD rotation back-up method was one adopted in the days when hard
drives were where you placed your data until it 'went away'in a HD
crash or an OS hiccup. Although it doesn't seem to have resulted in
longer hard drive life, it seems to have avoided system re-installs
rather successfully. I understand that certain 'restore' features of
WXP are introduced to avoid this frequent tendency of Windows
operating systems in general. The ternary back-up method doesn't
appear to be one that is even physically viable with WXP, and is
problematic in W2K, as my current situation seems to illustrate.

I appreciate the assistance. It seems that I have to re-learn this
procedure each time I go through it.

RL
 
legg said:
It seems you're creating yourself a lot of problems with your
complex backup scheme. You could do the same in a far
simpler way, without the accompanying problems that you
appear to have been doing battle with for quite some time.

For starters lets concentrate restoring your Win2000 boot
ability. Try this:
1. Get yourself a new diskette (or one that is in good
condition).
2. Format it on any Win2000/XP PC. Don't format it on
a Win9x machine - it won't work.
3. Copy the following files from the i386 folder of your
Win2000 CD to A:\ -
- ntldr
- ntdetect.com
4. Create a:\boot.ini with these lines inside:
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=10
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="1 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="2 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="3 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINNT="4 Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect

5. Boot the machine with this floppy and check which of the
four boot options work. When you know, delete the rest.

When successful, report in detail your current disk structure.
When doing so, please note that the word "disk" is usually
used for the physical thing whereas "drive" is used for partitions.
You therefore do not have "Disk D" but "Drive D:, residing on disk 2".
Click to expand...

This business about formatting floppies on a W2K system rings a bell.
I followed your instructions, but was a little dubious about
requirements for the source of the NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM files or
loading advice (other W2K or accessible W98 of dual boot. I note also
there is no request/requirement for a BOOTSECT.DOS file.

In a first series of boot trials I used a floppy formatted on the
"other W2K" OS machine, with NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM from the "other
W2K" OS root, date-stamped 040804 (yymmdd). I created the BOOT.INI
file with no indenting or text wrapping from the copied news server
message, but maintained carriage returns at:
[
Timeout
Default
[
multi
multi
multi
multi.

This produced four alternatives for
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
in the boot menu.

1st- 'missing or corrupt <windows root>\system32\hal.dll'
2nd- 'Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware
configuration (error?). Could not read from the selected boot disk.
Check boot path and disk hardware.'
3rd- booted up the W2K OS.
4th- same as 1st

Using another floppy formatted on the "other W2K" OS machine, I
transferred the NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM, from the W98 root, date-stamped
030619. As well, I used the BOOT.INI and BOOTSECT.DOS files from the
previously working crutch disc. (either the NTLDR or NTDETECT.COM
files on this disk were not readable, but hadthe same size and
datestamp as those in W98 root). The BOOT.INI file is one I edited
myself in '05 and '06. It reads:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional
SP4" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console"
/cmdcons

This offers three boot options
1 - Windows 98 2Ed
2 - Windows 2000 Professional SP4
3 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console

Boot results were as per previous working crutch floppy:

1st- Invalid System Disk. Replace disk and press any key.
2nd- booted up the W2K OS
3rd- W2k could not start because the following file was missig or
corrupt. <windows 2000 root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

If BOOTSECT.DOS was removed, the result of first boot option was

1st- I/O error accessing boot sector file
multi(0)disk(0)fdisk(0)\BOOTSECT.DOS

So my crutch is restored............... yay.

Any ideas on restoring normal dual boot?

There are two hard drives:
1 - single 80G partition W98 fat32 (C: in both OS)
2 - three (primary) basic partitions/volumes
D - bootable W2K NTFS 20G (not visible W98)
L - logical FAT32 data 30G ( D: in W98 )
M - logical FAT32 data 30G ( E in W98 )
The CD/DVD R/W drive is E: in W2k and F: in W98
A SCSI controller is present but hardware or hard drives are only
mounted as-needed, temporarily.

The W98 installation dates from '98 and has never been reinstalled,
despite installation of newer system motherboard in '03, HD
migration/rotation and other hardware changes. It is used to maintain
legacy hardware and SW - is actually still the most used OS, despite
it's excentricities.

The W2K installation disk dates from '99 (actually still NT5 at the
time) so a re-install involves more than 75 updates to achieve SP4.

My "other W2K" system is a W2K/WXP dual boot machine in its infancy
(<6 months). Am gradually migrating applications as required, or
proven safe, but seldom use it except as a test bed. I haven't tried
rotating either OS/Drive to date on this baby machine.

The HD rotation back-up method was one adopted in the days when hard
drives were where you placed your data until it 'went away'in a HD
crash or an OS hiccup. Although it doesn't seem to have resulted in
longer hard drive life, it seems to have avoided system re-installs
rather successfully. I understand that certain 'restore' features of
WXP are introduced to avoid this frequent tendency of Windows
operating systems in general. The ternary back-up method doesn't
appear to be one that is even physically viable with WXP, and is
problematic in W2K, as my current situation seems to illustrate.

I appreciate the assistance. It seems that I have to re-learn this
procedure each time I go through it.

RL
Click to expand...

You now need to create a new file c:\bootsect.dos. You can
do it like so:
1. Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk from www.bootdisk.com.
2. Type this command:
bootpart.exe win95 c:\bootsect.dos "Windows 98"{Enter}
You can get bootpart.exe from here:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/gvollant/bootpart.htm
 
You now need to create a new file c:\bootsect.dos. You can
do it like so:
1. Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk from www.bootdisk.com.
2. Type this command:
bootpart.exe win95 c:\bootsect.dos "Windows 98"{Enter}
You can get bootpart.exe from here:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/gvollant/bootpart.htm
Click to expand...

I've followed these instructions, adding only extra text '2ed' into
the quotations under assumption that this was a text display. There is
no change in boot behavior.

There are still no boot options for W98/W2K shown on normal boot -
loader goes straight into into W98 options screen.


the new boot.ini reads

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional
SP4" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console"
/cmdcons
c:\bootsect.dos="Windows 98 2ed" /win95


Using the crutch floppy, with the newly written boot.ini and
bootsect.dos files loaded, four boot options are listed.

1 - Windows 98 2Ed
2 - Windows 2000 Professional SP4
3 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console
4 - Windows 98 2ed

The only valid boot option is still (2) for W2K SP4.
Options (1) or (4) still give invalid system disk errors if
bootsect.dos is present in the crutch disk, and I/O error accessing
boot sector file on floppy if bootsect.dos is absent.
Option (3) still reports missing ntoskrnl.exe

Booting into W2k, I was unable to locate the boot order instruction
dialog window, via the Windows help file index, thinking that this
might offer alternatives. I know the dialog window is there somewhere.


The bootpart.exe screen read:

Physical number of disk 0 : e497e497
0 : C:* type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 78148161 KB, Lba Pos=63
Physical number of disk 1 : 6bfe958e
1 : D:* type=7 (HPFS/NTFS), size= 18434556 KB, Lba Pos=63
2 : D: type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 29696152 KB, Lba Pos=36869175
3 : D: type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 29696152 KB, Lba Pos=96261480
Boot sector for Windows 95
C:\bootsect.dos written
C:\boot.ini updated

RL
 
legg said:
You now need to create a new file c:\bootsect.dos. You can
do it like so:
1. Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk from www.bootdisk.com.
2. Type this command:
bootpart.exe win95 c:\bootsect.dos "Windows 98"{Enter}
You can get bootpart.exe from here:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/gvollant/bootpart.htm
Click to expand...

I've followed these instructions, adding only extra text '2ed' into
the quotations under assumption that this was a text display. There is
no change in boot behavior.

There are still no boot options for W98/W2K shown on normal boot -
loader goes straight into into W98 options screen.


the new boot.ini reads

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional
SP4" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console"
/cmdcons
c:\bootsect.dos="Windows 98 2ed" /win95


Using the crutch floppy, with the newly written boot.ini and
bootsect.dos files loaded, four boot options are listed.

1 - Windows 98 2Ed
2 - Windows 2000 Professional SP4
3 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console
4 - Windows 98 2ed

The only valid boot option is still (2) for W2K SP4.
Options (1) or (4) still give invalid system disk errors if
bootsect.dos is present in the crutch disk, and I/O error accessing
boot sector file on floppy if bootsect.dos is absent.
Option (3) still reports missing ntoskrnl.exe

Booting into W2k, I was unable to locate the boot order instruction
dialog window, via the Windows help file index, thinking that this
might offer alternatives. I know the dialog window is there somewhere.


The bootpart.exe screen read:

Physical number of disk 0 : e497e497
0 : C:* type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 78148161 KB, Lba Pos=63
Physical number of disk 1 : 6bfe958e
1 : D:* type=7 (HPFS/NTFS), size= 18434556 KB, Lba Pos=63
2 : D: type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 29696152 KB, Lba Pos=36869175
3 : D: type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 29696152 KB, Lba Pos=96261480
Boot sector for Windows 95
C:\bootsect.dos written
C:\boot.ini updated

RL
Click to expand...

Boot.ini is supposed to look like so:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional SP4"
/fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Test entry" /fastdetect

The last line is a test entry that would demonstrate if you're
editing the correct copy of boot.ini. If it does not appear
then the wrong disk might be the primary master or the
wrong partition might be marked "active". I would disconnect
disk #2 during the tests. I would also check if c:\bootsect.dos
carries today's file date.
 
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional
SP4" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console"
/cmdcons
c:\bootsect.dos="Windows 98 2ed" /win95
The bootpart.exe screen read:
Physical number of disk 0 : e497e497
0 : C:* type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 78148161 KB, Lba Pos=63
Physical number of disk 1 : 6bfe958e
1 : D:* type=7 (HPFS/NTFS), size= 18434556 KB, Lba Pos=63
2 : D: type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 29696152 KB, Lba Pos=36869175
3 : D: type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 29696152 KB, Lba Pos=96261480
Boot sector for Windows 95
C:\bootsect.dos written
C:\boot.ini updated
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Boot.ini is supposed to look like so:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional SP4"
/fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Test entry" /fastdetect

The last line is a test entry that would demonstrate if you're
editing the correct copy of boot.ini. If it does not appear
then the wrong disk might be the primary master or the
wrong partition might be marked "active". I would disconnect
disk #2 during the tests. I would also check if c:\bootsect.dos
carries today's file date.
Click to expand...

Although the boot.ini file carried the new datestamp, bootsect.dos
does not have a current datestamp, though the DOS screen reports it
was rewritten, in root.

There was/is no bootsect.dos file in the start-up floppy. Where else
could it have been written?

The only boot.ini file that produces symptoms, at present, is the one
loaded onto the crutch floppy. The new datestamped boot.ini did
produce the fourth (invalid) option line for W98, when loaded there.

I used bootpart.exe rev 2.5, copied onto a fresh W98 start-up floppy.
Should I have created this usung W2K instead of W98?

RL
 
legg said:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional
SP4" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console"
/cmdcons
c:\bootsect.dos="Windows 98 2ed" /win95
The bootpart.exe screen read:
Physical number of disk 0 : e497e497
0 : C:* type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 78148161 KB, Lba Pos=63
Physical number of disk 1 : 6bfe958e
1 : D:* type=7 (HPFS/NTFS), size= 18434556 KB, Lba Pos=63
2 : D: type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 29696152 KB, Lba Pos=36869175
3 : D: type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 29696152 KB, Lba Pos=96261480
Boot sector for Windows 95
C:\bootsect.dos written
C:\boot.ini updated
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Boot.ini is supposed to look like so:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional SP4"
/fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Test entry" /fastdetect

The last line is a test entry that would demonstrate if you're
editing the correct copy of boot.ini. If it does not appear
then the wrong disk might be the primary master or the
wrong partition might be marked "active". I would disconnect
disk #2 during the tests. I would also check if c:\bootsect.dos
carries today's file date.
Click to expand...

Although the boot.ini file carried the new datestamp, bootsect.dos
does not have a current datestamp, though the DOS screen reports it
was rewritten, in root.

There was/is no bootsect.dos file in the start-up floppy. Where else
could it have been written?

The only boot.ini file that produces symptoms, at present, is the one
loaded onto the crutch floppy. The new datestamped boot.ini did
produce the fourth (invalid) option line for W98, when loaded there.

I used bootpart.exe rev 2.5, copied onto a fresh W98 start-up floppy.
Should I have created this usung W2K instead of W98?

RL
Click to expand...

The file c:\bootsect.dos will carry today's date if bootpart.exe
runs correctly. You can easily verify this: Rename the existing
file to something else, then rerun bootpart . Now find out where
the new copy of bootsect.dos went. Unless you get this part
right, you won't be able to boot into Win98.
 
legg said:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional
SP4" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console"
/cmdcons
c:\bootsect.dos="Windows 98 2ed" /win95
Click to expand...
The bootpart.exe screen read:
Click to expand...
Physical number of disk 0 : e497e497
0 : C:* type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 78148161 KB, Lba Pos=63
Physical number of disk 1 : 6bfe958e
1 : D:* type=7 (HPFS/NTFS), size= 18434556 KB, Lba Pos=63
2 : D: type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 29696152 KB, Lba Pos=36869175
3 : D: type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 29696152 KB, Lba Pos=96261480
Boot sector for Windows 95
C:\bootsect.dos written
C:\boot.ini updated
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

The file c:\bootsect.dos will carry today's date if bootpart.exe
runs correctly. You can easily verify this: Rename the existing
file to something else, then rerun bootpart . Now find out where
the new copy of bootsect.dos went. Unless you get this part
right, you won't be able to boot into Win98.
Click to expand...
I moved BOOTSECT.DOS out of root, along with BOOT.INI and reran the
BOOTPART.EXE after rebooting with the same start-up disk.

The dos screen report was the same as before, with the exception that
no update to BOOT.INI was reported.

I rebooted into W2K using the crutch floppy and created a BOOT.INI
with the contents copied as suggested previously, including the test
line.

Rebooting without a floppy failed to generate a boot option screen -
automatically opened into the windows 98 start-up options.

Rebooting with a crutch carrying the new BOOTSECT.DOS and BOOT.INI
files produced produced two boot options, an empty line and the 'test'
line.

(1) - Windows 98 - booted into W98......this now functions!
(2) - Windows 2K Pro - booted to W2k....function maintained
blank - didn't try it
(3) - test - didn't try it

I then repeated this entire procedure, but left boot.ini in root.
I also selected 'boot with CD ROM support' (previously selected no
support)
The Dos screen report included the boot.ini written line.

Rebooting did not produce boot options. Automatic transfer into W98
start-up menu.

A new BOOTSECT.DOS file is present in root.
The re-written boot.ini file reads:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=C:\
[operating systems]
C:\="Windows 98 2Ed"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional
SP4"
/fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Test entry" /fastdetect
C:\BOOTSECT.DOS="Windows 98 2Ed" /win95

For interest's sake I re-ran the crutch with the new files present.
A w98 option is added to the end. Both w98 lines function. The W2K and
the test lines function. Didn't try the blank line.

Intead of rebooting, after the last crutch disk boot option line was
tested, I shut down and restarted, without any difference. No boot
options are presented - defaults to w98 start-up menu.

RL
 
I accessed the W2K System Applet in the control panel and recognized
this as the normal access to boot order preferences that I'd been
looking for unsuccessfully, using the W2K 'Help' index.

All four current boot options were listed, including 'test'. Just to
see what would happen, I altered the default to W2K and rebooted.

As before, there was no boot preference screen - the system just went
straight into the W98 start menu. I note however that the BOOT.INI
file in root is altered to reflect the new default. I returned this to
it's previous state, manually.

I also altered the delay time without effect.

Is it time to fixmbr ( and ~ sys C: ) again?

RL
 
legg said:
I accessed the W2K System Applet in the control panel and recognized
this as the normal access to boot order preferences that I'd been
looking for unsuccessfully, using the W2K 'Help' index.

All four current boot options were listed, including 'test'. Just to
see what would happen, I altered the default to W2K and rebooted.

As before, there was no boot preference screen - the system just went
straight into the W98 start menu. I note however that the BOOT.INI
file in root is altered to reflect the new default. I returned this to
it's previous state, manually.

I also altered the delay time without effect.

Is it time to fixmbr ( and ~ sys C: ) again?

RL
Click to expand...

You have wandered far and wide and you left me behind a long
time ago. I think you now have all the tools you need (sys.com,
bootpart.exe and a good knowledge abou boot.ini). I can no
longer assist - you are probably the best person to solve your
problems.
 
You have wandered far and wide and you left me behind a long
time ago. I think you now have all the tools you need (sys.com,
bootpart.exe and a good knowledge abou boot.ini). I can no
longer assist - you are probably the best person to solve your
problems.
Click to expand...
I believe I'm sticking pretty close to the initial issue. I appreciate
your assistance in restoring function to the crutch floppy, allowing
boot into W2K, when it's used.

Considering the time involved in accessing the recovery command
console through a 4 x floppy boot process, I thought it best to also
attempt to get the CMDCONS option of the crutch floppy boot to
function. This supposedly involves dealing with the 'missing or
corrupt ntoskrnl.exe' message, displayed only when the command console
boot option was selected on the crutch floppy.

There are a number of different datecodes for files with this name on
the W2K drive. The one currently loaded in system32 dates from
cr/mod070305(created and modified yymmdd) v5.0.2195.7133. Two service
pack/update files have later creation dates than modified dates, which
I didn't think was possible: cr060618mod030619 v5.0.2195.6717 :
cr070917mod991207 v5.0.2195.1 . The working file on the 'other W2K'
machine (W2K SP4/WXP SP2 dual boot) is cr991207mod070305
v5.0.2195.7133. The unextracted file in I386 of the W2K installation
Cd is cr/mod991207.

Entering the command console option for recovery after 4 x floppy
booting, I requested ' map arc ' to locate the CDrom. This was
identified as G:\Device\CdRom. I attempted to replace the ntoskrnl
program as follows:

expand G:\I386\NTOSKRNL.EXE D:\WINNT\SYSTEM32

returned a 'directory not found' message. These are the correct
installation CD and W2K system directory locations, though the origin
does not carry the identified file name at the source. I believe this
is expected.

After fiddling with Caps and destination directory in the expand
request, I gave up on it, for the present. Reverted to ' fixmbr ' in
an attempt to get a floppy-free boot into W2K ( This is the major
problem at present, and has been the major problem since the last
back-up disk rotation, worked around with the floppy disk crutch).

The operation proved ineffective on reboot, as the default W98
start-up menu appeared without appearance of the boot option screen.
All boot options available using the crutch floppy show unchanged
capability, except that the response to the command console request
NOW returns ' missing or corrupt <windows root>\system32\hal.dll ',
rather than ntoskrnl corrupt. This is an ACPI Uniprocessor PC, and
always has been. Does it mean that NTOSKRNL.EXE was effectively
altered?

From past experience, I would have expected a restoration of normal
boot into W2K to result from a ' fixmbr ' exercise, with further work
required to re-establish a W98 boot option.(ie sys C:).

I remain with a dual boot machine that cannot be convinced to display
a boot option window, unless the formatted crutch floppy is present.
The access to the command console, located by W2K in the W98 root
directory at the time of initial W2K system installation, is still
nonfunctional as a boot option; it requires 4 x floppy start-up.

RL
 
I believe I'm sticking pretty close to the initial issue. I appreciate
your assistance in restoring function to the crutch floppy, allowing
boot into W2K, when it's used.

Considering the time involved in accessing the recovery command
console through a 4 x floppy boot process, I thought it best to also
attempt to get the CMDCONS option of the crutch floppy boot to
function. This supposedly involves dealing with the 'missing or
corrupt ntoskrnl.exe' message, displayed only when the command console
boot option was selected on the crutch floppy.

There are a number of different datecodes for files with this name on
the W2K drive. The one currently loaded in system32 dates from
cr/mod070305(created and modified yymmdd) v5.0.2195.7133. Two service
pack/update files have later creation dates than modified dates, which
I didn't think was possible: cr060618mod030619 v5.0.2195.6717 :
cr070917mod991207 v5.0.2195.1 . The working file on the 'other W2K'
machine (W2K SP4/WXP SP2 dual boot) is cr991207mod070305
v5.0.2195.7133. The unextracted file in I386 of the W2K installation
Cd is cr/mod991207.

Entering the command console option for recovery after 4 x floppy
booting, I requested ' map arc ' to locate the CDrom. This was
identified as G:\Device\CdRom. I attempted to replace the ntoskrnl
program as follows:

expand G:\I386\NTOSKRNL.EXE D:\WINNT\SYSTEM32

returned a 'directory not found' message. These are the correct
installation CD and W2K system directory locations, though the origin
does not carry the identified file name at the source. I believe this
is expected.

After fiddling with Caps and destination directory in the expand
request, I gave up on it, for the present. Reverted to ' fixmbr ' in
an attempt to get a floppy-free boot into W2K ( This is the major
problem at present, and has been the major problem since the last
back-up disk rotation, worked around with the floppy disk crutch).

The operation proved ineffective on reboot, as the default W98
start-up menu appeared without appearance of the boot option screen.
All boot options available using the crutch floppy show unchanged
capability, except that the response to the command console request
NOW returns ' missing or corrupt <windows root>\system32\hal.dll ',
rather than ntoskrnl corrupt. This is an ACPI Uniprocessor PC, and
always has been. Does it mean that NTOSKRNL.EXE was effectively
altered?

From past experience, I would have expected a restoration of normal
boot into W2K to result from a ' fixmbr ' exercise, with further work
required to re-establish a W98 boot option.(ie sys C:).

I remain with a dual boot machine that cannot be convinced to display
a boot option window, unless the formatted crutch floppy is present.
The access to the command console, located by W2K in the W98 root
directory at the time of initial W2K system installation, is still
nonfunctional as a boot option; it requires 4 x floppy start-up.
Click to expand...
And the winning command console entry is.........fixboot C: !

Boot options now appear in the normal boot process, all are functional
except the command console request. This has now decided that NTLDR
can't be found. No comment.

I'll generate a new Emergengy Repair Disk, as obviously the previous
one was just restoring the boot sector as-it-was.

I think also that my use of the fixmbr instruction was ineffective, as
no 'Device' was specified. I think that a 'device' has a hard-disk and
partition number. Whether this should have been
\Device\Harddisk0\Partition0, or \Device\Harddisk0\Partition1 (ie C:),
or whether there was another correct way of specifying the device, I
can find no definitive information.

RL
 
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