[zegeor]

everytime i turn my computer on it shows the windows XP an it's loading then it goes to another screen and says this invalid BOOT.ini.file , Booting from c:\windows \ then it goes to that screen with the 5 choices safe mode, safe mode with network, safe mode with command prompt, use last know good configuration and start windows normal after i click on one of the choices it restarts and does the same thing all over Help me!!!

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Hi Zegeor,

To resolve this issue, start the computer from the Windows XP CD, start the Recovery Console, and then use the Bootcfg.exe tool to rebuild the Boot.ini file. To do this, follow these steps:

1 - Configure the computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For information about how to do this, see your computer documentation, or contact your computer manufacturer.

2 - Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer.

3 - When you receive the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.

4 - When you receive the "Welcome to Setup" message, press R to start the Recovery Console.

5 - If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you have to use from the Recovery Console.

6 - When you are prompted, type the administrator password, and then press ENTER.

7 - At the command prompt, type bootcfg /list, and then press ENTER. The entries in your current Boot.ini file appear on the screen.

8 - At the command prompt, type bootcfg /rebuild, and then press ENTER. This command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows NT installations, and then displays the results. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to add the Windows installations to the Boot.ini file. For example, follow these steps to add a Windows XP installation to the Boot.ini file:
a - When you receive a message that is similar to the following message, press Y:
Total Identified Windows Installs: 1

[1] C:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
b - You receive a message that is similar to the following message:
Enter Load Identifier
This is the name of the operating system. When you receive this message, type the
name of your operating system, and then press ENTER. This is either Microsoft
Windows XP Professional or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.
c - You receive a message that is similar to the following:
Enter OS Load options
When you receive this message, type /fastdetect, and then press ENTER.

Note The instructions that appear on your screen may be different, depending on the
configuration of your computer.
d - Type exit, and then press ENTER to quit Recovery Console. Your computer restarts,
and the updated boot list appears when you receive the "Please select the operating
system to start" message.

"Please try this and get back to me with the status, it should resolve your issue."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Posted by: Mohammad Ashraf Dar
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edited by Rorschach112, 19 April 2010 - 11:59 AM.
removed email

[Mohammad Ashraf Dar]

Hi Zegeor,

To resolve this issue, start the computer from the Windows XP CD, start the Recovery Console, and then use the Bootcfg.exe tool to rebuild the Boot.ini file. To do this, follow these steps:

1 - Configure the computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For information about how to do this, see your computer documentation, or contact your computer manufacturer.

2 - Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer.

3 - When you receive the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.

4 - When you receive the "Welcome to Setup" message, press R to start the Recovery Console.

5 - If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you have to use from the Recovery Console.

6 - When you are prompted, type the administrator password, and then press ENTER.

7 - At the command prompt, type bootcfg /list, and then press ENTER. The entries in your current Boot.ini file appear on the screen.

8 - At the command prompt, type bootcfg /rebuild, and then press ENTER. This command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows NT installations, and then displays the results. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to add the Windows installations to the Boot.ini file. For example, follow these steps to add a Windows XP installation to the Boot.ini file:
a - When you receive a message that is similar to the following message, press Y:
Total Identified Windows Installs: 1

[1] C:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
b - You receive a message that is similar to the following message:
Enter Load Identifier
This is the name of the operating system. When you receive this message, type the
name of your operating system, and then press ENTER. This is either Microsoft
Windows XP Professional or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.
c - You receive a message that is similar to the following:
Enter OS Load options
When you receive this message, type /fastdetect, and then press ENTER.

Note The instructions that appear on your screen may be different, depending on the
configuration of your computer.
d - Type exit, and then press ENTER to quit Recovery Console. Your computer restarts,
and the updated boot list appears when you receive the "Please select the operating
system to start" message.

"Please try this and get back to me with the status, it should resolve your issue."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Posted by: Mohammad Ashraf Dar
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edited by Rorschach112, 19 April 2010 - 11:59 AM.
removed email

[zegeor]

i lost my window xp cd so are there any alternative things i can do...

[rshaffer61]

Laptop or Desktop?
Name Brand or Custom built?
If name brand what make and model?
If you have no XP cd then you need to borrow one from someone but it must be the same type as you have installed. Home, Media or Pro
If you can't borrow one then you need to purchase a new one. If name brand then you may have a recovery partition on the hd already or you can contact the manufacturer for a set of recovery cd's.

[zegeor]

my computer is a gateway desktop and its from like 2001... its old

[zegeor]

model NO. MFATXSTL EL2 500X
Serial NO . 0026364049
this computer is Windows XP home edition

[rshaffer61]

Can you borrow a XP Home Edition cd to use for the steps outlined earlier?

[zegeor]

nobody i know has windows xp except my friend he has windows vista but he said it work on my computer

[rshaffer61]

You won't be able to use a Vista cd to repair XP.
You won't be able to install the Vista on your system since it obviously is already installed on your friends PC correct?

[rshaffer61]

Since you don't have the XP disk you can use a Recovery Console disk.

If you have your Windows XP disk

• Insert your Windows XP disk into your computer and reboot
• Make sure the PC is set to run from the CD as the primary boot device.
  NOTE: You do this by setting your PC to boot to the CD-ROM in BIOS (enter bios by pressing f1, f2 or del key during memory count up, then search for boot order, and set the CD as the first boot device)
• When the PC boots, it will boot from the CD...after the first several screens load, you will be given a choice to choose R for Recovery Console. You will be asked to log in.
  NOTE: For Windows XP Home, there is not password, just hit ENTER. For Windows XP pro, ask whomever set up the machine what password they used.

When you see the Recovery console C:\WINDOWS prompt continue to section 3 (Running "ChkDsk")

If you DO NOT have your Windows XP disk

This will allow you to burn a Recovery Console cd

• Download the recovery_console_cd.zip from here file to your drive and unzip it to it's own folder.
• Download the correct floppy disk setup package for your operating system from Microsoft and save it to the folder you extracted the zip to.
• Rename the floppy disk setup package to Bootdisk.exe
• Insert a blank cd into your burner.
• Now just double click the RecoveryCD.bat file and follow the prompts to burn a cd that will allow you to boot to the recovery console.
• Once the CD is created, place it in the defunct computer
• Then reboot your broken PC with that CD in the CD-ROM drive.
• Make sure the PC is set to run from the CD as the primary boot device.
  NOTE: You do this by setting your PC to boot to the CD-ROM in BIOS (enter bios by pressing f1, f2 or del key during memory count up, then search for boot order, and set the CD as the first boot device)
• When the PC boots, it will boot from the CD...after the first several screens load, you will be given a choice to choose R for Recovery Console. You will be asked to log in.
  NOTE: For Windows XP Home, there is not password, just hit ENTER. For Windows XP pro, ask whomever set up the machine what password they used.

Running "ChkDsk"

• At the Recovery console C:\WINDOWS prompt, type
  

  chkdsk /r

• Press ENTER
• Let this scan run UNINTERUPTED untill completed (30 min or so depending on the drive)
• Report any errors in your next reply
• Once the scan is complete, Type exit, and then press ENTER to quit Recovery Console.
• Your computer will now restart, boot from the CD again and continue with the next steps.

Using "BootCfg /Rebuild" to fix the "Boot.ini" file

• At the Recovery console C:\WINDOWS prompt, type
  

  bootcfg /rebuild

• Press ENTER
  Note:The bootcfg /rebuild command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP installations, and then displays the results. You can add the detected Windows installations.
• When you receive a message that is similar to the following message, press Y:
  

  
  Total Identified Windows Installs: 1
  
  [1] C:\Windows
  Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
  

  NOTE: You may see more than one entry here if you have a dual boot windows system. If this is the case follow this procedure for ALL installations to make sure that all OS's are added correctly
• You receive a message that is similar to the following message:
  

  Enter Load Identifier

  NOTE:This is the name of the operating system. This is either Microsoft Windows XP Professional or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.
• Type the name of your operating system, and then press ENTER
• You receive a message that is similar to the following:
  

  Enter OS Load options

• Type /fastdetect, and then press ENTER.
• Type exit, and then press ENTER to quit Recovery Console.
• Your computer will restart, and the updated boot list may apear when you receive the "Please select the operating system to start" message.
• If you see a Boot list with multiple entries choose the XP Home option to boot to windows.