Modifying boot.ini

[peet]

Disconnected SATA hard drive and only connect IDE drive. When boot get option to choose either OS. If choose IDE OS get blue screen. When select SATA OS get boot path error.

 

[P5-133XL]

Disconnected SATA hard drive and only connect IDE drive. When boot get option to choose either OS. If choose IDE OS get blue screen. When select SATA OS get boot path error.

It was my understanding, that you could boot to the drives individually and that was how you knew the boot.ini files had been damaged. If you can't boot to the ide drive individually, then we are stuck there.

There are only two real choices to get the data back from the IDE drive. The first is to do an In-place reinstall. If the Windows installer, does not detect the previous installation, then there is a risk that the reinstall will wipe out all the data on the drive. However, even without detecting the previous installation, it still may work as long as you don't delete the partition and simply install ontop of the previous install.

The second way to get data from the IDE drive is to access it from another install, like off the SATA drive. However, there are real limitations to accessing the data from a second install however, so that the inplace reinstall is much prefered. You won't be able to access anything that has been encrypted, or has any form of security placed on it (you can only access stuff that is accessible to everyone). But with a little luck, you can get some data off the drive. This is the route you would take, if you only need access to specific files or if you don't want to risk damaging the data on the ide drive whatsoever.

So can you access the SATA drive individually, or was my understanding that you could access the drives individually totally mistaken? We really haven't even started trying to recover the data on the SATA drive, but does it matter, since it was a brand new installation, is anything lost upon simply reinstalling from scratch on that drive?

It is your choice, as to how to deal with the IDE drive.

 

[Bozo]

With both of your drives hooked up, boot from the 2000 CD. Load the SATA drivers when prompted. After you agree to the EULA, the install program will look for previous windows installs. If it finds both, it will ask if you want to repair the present install. Select the install on the IDE drive and do a repair.
I am not sure how you will be able to tell which 2000 install is on the IDE drive as I have not run into this situation before.

Bozo :joker:

You Must have both drives installed for the reair utility to a setup the dual boot. You Must have both disk installed when installing Win2K to get the dual boot menus to work right.
Unfortunately, if the CD did not find your install on the IDE drive, it's probably hosed.
Start the CD again with both drives installed. Install your SATA drivers when prompted. If the CD finds either of the operating system after the lisence agreement, do a repair on it.
If it don't, continue on to the partition screen. Delete the partitions and create new ones on the drive you can afford to hose. Then install Win2k.
Once installed, you can save your files from the non booting disk.
Then boot from the CD and load your SATA drivers. This time go to the partition page and delete the partitions on the non booting drive. Create a new partition and install Win2k there.
The important thing is both drives must be installed and recognized by the install program to properly set up a dual boot.

Bozo :joker:

 

[peet]

P5-133XL -
After the boot.ini for SATA drive was cleaned of data:
boot.ini SATA drive;

(empty)



and boot.ini for IDE drive was modified to include SATA OS:
boot.ini IDE drive;

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect/ NOGUIBOOT /PlexTools Professinal
multi(1)disk(0)rdisk()partition(1)\WINNT="Microsof t Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

I could access both drives by selection when I boot (with both hard drives connected). About 15 minutes after this I booted, chose the SATA drive and ChkDsk ran automatically. Think chkdsk ran because the info for SATA OS in the IDE boot.ini file does not have NOGUIBOOT in it. Info for IDE drive has it. ChkDsk ran and repaired journal file error(s) on SATA OS.
Next restart and selected IDE OS to see if it was ok. Got blue screen with Stop error. This was first time I got blue screen on IDE OS. Maybe chkdsk didn't run for IDE OS to repair error was because it had 'NOGUIBOOT' in boot.ini.

lately installed SATA hdd has a copy of IDE info. IDE has about 1 month of data mainly in mydocuments and desktop that is not on SATA drive. That's why would like to recover IDE info.

Presently can boot to SAtA hdd but IDE drive has to be disconnected.

SATA hdd 250gb, 40gb used.

 

[P5-133XL]

Really, chkdsk on the SATA drive shouldn't have been able to hose the IDE drive install.

OK, lets try something, that I have not done before. I'm gonna try to fix the IDE's boot.ini file pointing to the SATA drive using the recovery console Currently, when you have both drives attached, and choose the SATA drive you get the following error message:

Windows 2000 could not start because of computer disk hardware configuration problem.
Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware.

. This is implying that the SATA boot.ini line is invalid. The fact that without the IDE drive, you can boot to the SATA drive reinforces, that the SATA install is not toast. So lets try to fix it.

First, make a text file using notepad with the old working boot.ini file (found here in this thread). Feel free to add the extra switches of /noguiboot and /plextools professional. Save it on a floppy as boot.ini

With the IDE drive attached, and the SATA drive disabled boot to the recovery console on the CD.

To change the attributes of the current boot.ini file on the IDE drive. It defaults to hidden, system, read only and we want it to have none of those attributes. so we type the following:

attrib -r -s -h c:\boot.ini

Now, lets copy the boot.ini on the floppy to the IDE drive by inserting the floppy and typing:

copy a:\boot.ini c:\


Now with a little luck we have just made the SATA drive bootable with the IDE drive installed. So shutdown, reattach the SATA drive and see if you can boot to it with the IDE drive still attached. If so, now is the time to copy the my documents folder (or individual files) from the IDE drive over to the SATA drive.

 

[peet]

Copied IDE boot.ini file to floppy. Disconnected SATA drive. Restart with IDE hdd only and boot to OS CD. Select recovery console and get message:
...........................
Type EXIT to quit Recovery Console and restart computer
The path or file specified is not valid.
C:\>

typed:

C:\>attrib -r -s -h c:\boot.ini

message - the parameter is not valid. Try /? for help.

typed:

C:\>copy a:\boot.ini c:\

message - The path or file specified is not valid.
C:\>

 

[sechs]

From C:\
attrib -r - s -h boot.ini
copy a:\boot.ini

 

[peet]

Can't do - C:\
attrib -r -s -h boot.ini

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Pressed enter at C:\> and got -
C:\>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tried Recovery Console of SATA hdd (with IDE hdd disconnected). Got:

...................Recovery Console...................
Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console.......

1: C:\WINNT
which windows 2000 installation would you like to log onto
(to cancel, press ENTER)?

 

[P5-133XL]

Can't do - C:\
attrib -r -s -h boot.ini

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Pressed enter at C:\> and got -
C:\>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tried Recovery Console of SATA hdd (with IDE hdd disconnected). Got:

...................Recovery Console...................
Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console.......

1: C:\WINNT
which windows 2000 installation would you like to log onto
(to cancel, press ENTER)?

We are trying to get the SATA install running with the IDE drive installed, so you can access the data on the IDE drive. The multi-boot boot.ini was stored on the ide drive and that is why the ide drive is connected and the SATA drive is disconnected: We don't want you modifying the wrong install.

With the IDE drive connected, the SATA drive disconnected boot to the CD and start the recovery console. Insert the floppy into its drive once you get the "C:\>" prompt.

You should already be at c:\ so you don't need to do anything about that (Thats what the "c:\>" prompt tells us). All Sech was doing was simplifing the text to eliminate "c:\" from the text, which seems to have caused syntax errors. So lets try typing this again.

attrib -r -s -h boot.ini
copy a:\boot.ini

 

[Bozo]

I every dual boot I've setup, there is only one 'boot.ini' file and it's on the 'C' partition. Apparently he has two 'C' partitions and two 'boot.ini' files.
Won't the MBR need repaired/updated also?
Also, isn't there a 'repair boot.ini' and 'repair MBR' commands in the recovery consule?

Found it!

Recovery Console Commands
Commands with descriptions available at the command prompt for use with the Recovery Console.

Command
Command Description​

AttribChange file and directory attributes.BatchExecute specified text file (batch) commands.BootcfgConfigure boot file (boot.ini) settings.ChDir (Cd)Change/display the current directory.ChkdskCheck a disk for errors. Report capability.ClsClear the screen.CopyCopy a file. Change file location or name.Delete (Del)Delete files.DirDisplay a list of subdirectories and files.DisableDisable a device driver or system service.DiskpartManage disk partitions.EnableEnable device driver or system service.ExitExit Recovery Console and reboot.ExpandExtract files from a compressed file format. FixbootWrite a new boot sector to a selected partition.FixmbrRepair the Master Boot Record (MBR).FormatFormat a disk partition.HelpDisplay a list of Recovery Console commands.ListsvcDisplay available drivers and system services.LogonLog off and on to another Windows installation.MapDisplay drive letter mapping.Mkdir (Md)Create a directory.MoreDisplay (scroll) a text file.Net UseConnect drive letter to a network share.Rename (Ren)Rename files.Rmdir (Rd)Delete directory.SetDisplay/set environment variables.SystemrootSwitch from current directory to system root directory.TypeDisplay a text file.​

Bozo :joker:

 

[Bozo]

Damn, the copy/paste didn't work. Sorry.

Bozo :joker:

 

[peet]

The SATA drive is disconnected because the multiboot info is on the IDE boot.ini file (understood).

Quote: P5-133XL
With the IDE drive connected, the SATA drive disconnected boot to the CD and start the recovery console. Insert the floppy into its drive once you get the "C:\>" prompt.
Quote:

Physically disconnect the SATA hdd or with both hdds' physically connected?

 

[P5-133XL]

The SATA drive is disconnected because the multiboot info is on the IDE boot.ini file (understood).

Quote: P5-133XL
With the IDE drive connected, the SATA drive disconnected boot to the CD and start the recovery console. Insert the floppy into its drive once you get the "C:\>" prompt.
Quote:

Physically disconnect the SATA hdd or with both hdds' physically connected?

When using the recovery console, the SATA drive is disconnected: We aren't going to modify the SATA drive at this time and we don't want any mistakes. Nothing can happen to the working SATA drive install, if it is disconnected.

After the boot.ini file has been replaced on the IDE drive, then you will want both drives connected, to test if you can boot to the SATA drive with the IDE drive connected: That's the goal in this exercise.

If you are successful, then the next task will be to copy your important files off the IDE drive and on to the SATA drive.

 

[peet]

Copied IDE boot.ini file to floppy. Disconnected SATA drive. Restart with IDE hdd only and boot to OS CD. Select recovery console and get message:
...........................
Type EXIT to quit Recovery Console and restart computer
The path or file specified is not valid.
C:\>

typed:

C:\>attrib -r -s -h c:\boot.ini

message - the parameter is not valid. Try /? for help.

typed:

C:\>copy a:\boot.ini c:\

message - The path or file specified is not valid.
C:\>

I get the same result as above with both hard drives physically connected. If I use c:\>attrib -r-s-h c:\boot.ini (no space between -r-s-h, c:\> not retyped) message says 'the path or file is not valid' instead of 'the parameter is not valid'
Enter dir, chkdsk, and cd winnt commands and get 'the path or file is not valid'. These Recovery Console commands worked: cls, and c:\>attrib -+r-+s-+h a:\boot.ini.

 

[peet]

Correction; c:\>chkdsk command gave- 'The specified drive is not valid or there is no disk in the drive'.

 

[P5-133XL]

Just as an incidental, have you ever tried to boot into safe mode or any of the other diagnostic boot modes on the IDE drive? I don't hold very high hopes for it, but it is something that hasn't been mentioned and is relatively easy to do: After selecting the IDE install, start pressing F8 repeatedly and you should get a menu that allows you to choose safe mode.

You didn't use the updated syntax, but that really won't matter if the c: drive is not accessible (probably why the original syntax didn't work) from the remote console at all.

Since the last one didn't work, Lets try another tack. Have you entered the BIOS setup and tried to change the boot order so that your SATA drive boots before your IDE drive? Again, the goal is to be able to boot to the SATA drive while the IDE drive is connected but this time without going through the IDE drive's boot.ini file.

 

[peet]

Set SATA drive as second boot device (CDROM is first). Boot and press F8 for Safe mode. Select Safe mode. Get choice to select a hard drive. Select IDE drive and get blue screen with Stop error. When select SATA hdd get configuration problem and can't boot to drive. Didn't try Emergency Repair Disk because not sure which hdd the ERD floppy was made from.

 

[P5-133XL]

I'm starting to run out of ideas on how to safely access the IDE drive while the SATA is connected.

We still have the option of using data recovery software; We have the application of the ERD; and we still have the option of doing an inplace reinstall without formatting or changing the partition: Even if the OS can't find the installation, in theory a reinstall will not change the other stuff on the drive. All solutions have signifigent risks to the data on the ide drive and are not particularly reversible.

At this point, of the three choices, I'd probably go with the data recovery solution. Second choice is the ERD, third is the attempt to reinstall, regardless of finding a repairable install. Anyone else have a suggestion/opinion because maybe I've missed something?

 

[Will Rickards]

I haven't followed the whole thread...
but it seems to me that you can plug just the sata drive in (disconnected ide) and then reinstall windows. This should correct any problems booting to the sata drive. Then configure the boot.ini for the ide drive. Then hook the ide drive up.

 

[P5-133XL]

I haven't followed the whole thread...
but it seems to me that you can plug just the sata drive in (disconnected ide) and then reinstall windows. This should correct any problems booting to the sata drive. Then configure the boot.ini for the ide drive. Then hook the ide drive up.

Won't work -- The SATA drive boots just fine as long as the IDE drive isn't connected (so there's no need to reinstall the SATA). The IDE takes boot precedence over the SATA when they are connected, so modifying the SATA boot.ini won't help.

Feel free to try again.

 

[Bozo]

The MBR needs to be repaired. It's confused.

'fdisk /mbr'
'fixmbr' from the recovery consul.

The SATA drive needs to have Win2K reinstalled with the IDE attached. This would set up the dual boot menu and fix the MBR.

Bozo :joker:

 

[Will Rickards]

I hear you Bozo but I think that would still have the IDE drive as the 'master'.
So actually the computer would be booting off the IDE drive but running off the SATA drive.

I think windows needs to be reinstalled on the SATA drive without the IDE drive attached. This should fix the MBR and make this drive a true boot drive.
Maybe fdisk /MBR would be sufficient for this.

Then with only the IDE drive attached, booting from a CD with fdisk,
you need to go in to fdisk and unmark its partition as active. Then a fdisk /MBR for good measure.

Then plug them both in and you should be booting off the sata drive.
Now edit the boot.ini appropriately so you can run off the IDE drive (but your still booting off the SATA drive).

 

[peet]

Have copy of MBR on floppy made 7/29/2006.

 

[Bozo]

He should be able to select the first hard drive to boot from in the BIOS.
If he boots from the CD, presses F6 and installs the SATA drivers, agrees to the EULA-press F8, then he should be presented with two Win2K installs to repair. (if both hard drives are attached). Picking one to repair (don't remember if it will indicate which hard drive / partition it's on) will fix his boot problems without trashing the installed programs and settings.

Bozo :joker:

 

[peet]

Connected both hard drives physically. Booted to OS CD. Press F6, install driver for SATA hard drive. Get this screen:

Windows 2000 Professional Setup
Welcome to Setup

This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft(R) Windows 2000 (TM) to run on your computer

. To setup Windows 2000 now press ENTER

. To repair a Windows 2000 installation press R

. To quit Setup without installing Windows 2000 press F3


Selected 'setup Windows 2000' by pressing ENTER
EULA screen came up and I pressed F8.

Next screen:

Windows 2000 Professional Setup

The following list shows the existing partitions and unpartitioned space on this computer.
Use the Up and DOWN ARROW keys to select an item in the list.

. To set up WINDOWS 2000 on the selected item press ENTER.

. To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.

. To delete the selected partition, press D.

76317 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi
-- Unknown 76309 MB -> (this line is selected, peet)
Unpartitioned space 8 MB


239367 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on si3112r

C: NTFS (DRV4_VOL 1) 239367 MB (19786 free).


I chose to setup Windows 2000 and got:

Windows 2000 Professional Setup

Windows 2000 cannot recognize the partition you selected.
Setup cannot install Windows 2000 on this partition. However, you can go back to the previous screen, delete the partition and then select the resulting unpartitioned space.
Setup will then create a new partition on which you can install Windows 2000

 

[Bozo]

Setup only found the SATA drive???

I'm confused. Did the BIOS recognize both hard drives?

Bozo :joker:

 

[peet]

Restarted PC with 2 hdds' physically connected. Disabled Roxio GoBack Deluxe on IDE hdd. Booted to OS CD. Press F6 and install SATA hdd driver. Selected repair option from Windows 2000 Setup. Then chose option to repair win2k installation with Recovery Console. Then got this screen:

Microsoft Windows 2000(TM) Recovery Console provides system repair recovery functionality .

Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer.

1: D:\WINNT

Which Windows 2000 installation would you like to log onto
(To cancel, press (ENTER)?

Don't know what to type here. It will take only one character.

 

[sechs]

1

 

[ddrueding]

The fact that it is prompting for the recovery console at all is a strong indicator that you chose the first repair option, instead of the second. You do not want the recovery console. Re-read the instructions above; unless you have proceeded through the F8 prompt at the EULA, you are doing it wrong.

 

[peet]

Connected both hard drives physically. Booted to OS CD. Press F6, install driver for SATA hard drive. Get this screen:

Windows 2000 Professional Setup
Welcome to Setup

This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft(R) Windows 2000 (TM) to run on your computer

. To setup Windows 2000 now press ENTER

. To repair a Windows 2000 installation press R

. To quit Setup without installing Windows 2000 press F3


Selected 'setup Windows 2000' by pressing ENTER
EULA screen came up and I pressed F8.

Next screen:

Windows 2000 Professional Setup

The following list shows the existing partitions and unpartitioned space on this computer.
Use the Up and DOWN ARROW keys to select an item in the list.

. To set up WINDOWS 2000 on the selected item press ENTER.

. To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.

. To delete the selected partition, press D.

76317 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi
C: NTFS 76309 MB -> (this line is selected, peet)
Unpartitioned space 8 MB


239367 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on si3112r

D: NTFS (DRV4_VOL 1) 239367 MB (19786 free).


I chose to setup Windows 2000 and got:

Windows 2000 Professional Setup

Windows 2000 recognizes the partition you selected but the partition is unformatted or damaged. To install Windows 2000 on this partition, Setup must reformat it.

. To continue Setup using selected partition, press C
Setup will ask you again before reformatting the partition.

. To select a different partition, press ESC.

 

[peet]

Connected both hard drives physically. Booted from OS CD. Did not load driver for SATA hard drive so that I could only access the IDE drive. When I load SATA driver and make SATA hdd accessible it alone can be accessed for repair in Recovery Console.
After accessed Recovery Console I entered FIXBOOT command and a new bootsector was written on the IDE drive. Next ran CHKDSK command which did checking and recovery. Errors were found on the volume. Restarted and booted to the IDE hdd finally. Will load SATA hdd driver and see if both hard drives will boot.

 

[peet]

With both hdds' in can boot to IDE drive but can't access SATA hdd.

boot.ini for IDE drive:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
multi(2)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

 

[peet]

Changed,
multi(2)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
to,
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Microso ft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
and dual boot now working. Thanks for your help.