win98se & xp dual boot help...

S

Guys,

I have 2 hard disks. The first one is partitioned into C:, E:, & H:. The second is partitioned into D: & F:.

I had Windows 98se installed on C: drive. Later I formatted D: drive and installed Windows XP Professional. Both were working fine on dual booting.

Today, I suddenly couldn't boot into windows at all and had to re-install Windows 98se on C: drive. I didn't touch the Windows XP on the D: drive.

I made a fresh boot.ini file in the C: drive that reads as follws :

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\="Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition"

But I'm unable to get the dual boot startup screen.

Is it the boot.ini file that requires any changes ???

Again, Windows 98se is on C: and XP is on D:. Both are the first partitions of the Primary and Secondary hard disks respectively.

I'd be grateful for any help..............

Thanks.... !!!

Change the Partition(1) to Partition(2) as you have XP in d: drive

S

I think your boot.ini file should be like this: (Note: rdisk(0) is Primary HDD, rdisk(1) is Secondary HDD, the correct option title might have been jumbled by me - use correct title for correct drive)

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

S

Thanks Lucky and Sakumar,

But the above two suggestions didn't work...

I guess apart from the boot.ini file in the root drive, that is C:, there should be some other files necessary for the dual boot to function.... Is that correct ???

If yes, than can you please tell me which other files are needed for the dual boot to work.....

Since I re-installed Windows 98 on the root drive (C

, maybe those files got overwritten or deleted altogether.

Or would I have to re-install XP too on the D: drive once again ? :cry:

Please help....

Thanks again.......

Just editig .ini file will not help. U have to fix ur mbr from WinXP CD.

Follow these steps:

Boot from the windows XP CD & press the "R" key for Recovery console.
Select your windows XP installation from the list, and enter the administrator password.
Enter the command: FIXMBR at the prompt and press Enter. Type exit to restart the computer.

S

Thanks n2casey,

I tried your suggestion to fix the mbr. But when I typed in FIXMBR at the prompt, I got the following message :

**CAUTION**

"This computer appears to have a non-standard or invalid master boot record.

FIXMBR may damage your partition tables if you proceed.

This could cause all the partitions on the current hard disk to become inaccessible.

If you are not having problems accessing your drive, do not continue."

I'm having lots of important files on the second partition of this hard disk (F

to wish to continue even after the warning message. :sad:

Any suggestions ???

Just press y to accept the msg.
I have tried the method many-many times, got that msg but there was no problem.
Believe me it's safe & will not cause any problem.
If u still have doubts, then just visit this link.

*support.microsoft.com/kb/266745

V

i am sure u will not get sucess

b'coz as u told

u have install 98 again

so u has lose some files in c:\windows\system
c:\windows\system32
c:\
__________
u need to repair ur XP

You installed Win 98 over XP ..? So XP's boot loader got overwritten by 98 ..

To fix this boot with your XP cd and select R (Recovery Console) .. Boot into your XP installation ( It will give you a list of installations present on your hard drive and allow you to boot into one of them .. So if you have only one, just press 1 and give admin password in the next screen.
Now when you are in command line mode, type this command :
Fixmbr C: {press enter}
Reboot .. Your system should work fine now ..

[EDIT] Duh .. just saw N2casey has already posted this .. If you get that warning about Invalid boot record, then run FixBoot C: before Fixmbr ..

Boot using XP Setup CD and in recovery console give following commands one by one:

fixboot
bootcfg /rebuild

After this, u'll get the boot loader back with both XP and 98 entries.

He already told that he hsa 2 OS, Win98 & XP at present.
Win98 on C: & WinXP on D:
He recently installed Win98 so mbr was overwritten.
Solution which I gave is same as given by it_waaznt_me.
Try the solution & u will have a dual boot.