[SicSemper]

Hey all,

Today I went to fire up my machine and got hit with this error:

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \windows\inf\biosinfo.inf

You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows setup using the original Setup CD-Rom.
Select 'r' at the first menu screen to start repair."

Everything I've searched for has said this is a problem in XP during an upgrade to SP2, but I'm running Vista. The recovery disk hasn't given me any option to repair -- it just wants to install another copy of Vista. I was able to F8 my way into the safe mode boot screen just once. I tried to boot using last known good settings, but it just hung, then restarted with the same error. I'm hoping there's a workaround here without having to overwrite my Vista install.

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Hello SicSemper,

Have you changed the boot order to cd first. You will have to boot to the Vista Recovery cd.

Below is a guide to repair Vista startup.

http://www.bleepingc...utorial148.html

Be sure to choose the Repair option.

[makinu1der2]

Hello SicSemper,

Have you changed the boot order to cd first. You will have to boot to the Vista Recovery cd.

Below is a guide to repair Vista startup.

http://www.bleepingc...utorial148.html

Be sure to choose the Repair option.

[SicSemper]

Right, I switched up the boot order and got the menu to fire up, but instead of getting to any screen where repair was an option, it instead asked for the Product Key, and when I chose my main disk as an install destination, was told it would overwrite my previous install and any old files would be reamed windows.old.

I should also have noted that when I did get into the safe mode screen that one time and tried to load last good settings, it was showing XP as the last good load. I've never had XP on this machine.

[SicSemper]

Just an update: I tried to install Vista again on top of my current install, and it wouldn't go. Just got a vague error saying Windows couldn't be installed. The only other idea I have is to order a new disk as a primary and keep the current on to pull all my data off.

[SicSemper]

Just in case this happens to anyone else, I got this one sorted. Here's what the deal was:

My secondary HD was the former primary in my old rig. Most of XP was deleted off there, but there were a few vestigial files. Enough, apparently, that when I booted with an SD card in the card reader in my HP printer, which had apparently altered the boot sequence to place itself first via whatever messed up software HP uses, it somehow pushed the secondary drive up to the primary and my current primary drive to the D: drive.

On boot, the computer was looking for biosinfo.inf from XP, which was among the files I'd deleted. That explains why safe mode was insisting XP was the last good configuration and Vista didn't give me an option to repair. I was only getting one option in the bios boot sequence for a HD, and they're both Maxtors, so I never noticed it was looking at this other drive. I just unplugged the secondary and got my primary back as a boot option and everything was fine.

I realize the sequence of events it'd take to have this happen to anyone else is pretty preposterous but, you know, there it is. In the unlikely event anyone else is half as retarded as I am.