Hello chaps,
I have a problem and its really starting to do my head in. I'd be very grateful indeed for your insight.
I initially had two hard drives - 1 and 2, with number 2 split into two partitions. Like so:
Drive 1 - C:\ Uber Disk (Used for storage of media only, no install or system files) - 250GB
Drive 2 - Partition 1 - D:\ - Windows XP System Drive (Used for all main XP programs, XP system files, games etc) - 230GB
Drive 2 - Partition 2 - E:\ - Vista System (All Vista system files and installed software - not a lot.) - 20GB
Basically, I was running a dual boot between the two partitions on the second drive, between XP and Vista, which I just wanted to trial.
I didn't get on with Vista, mainly due to the fact I installed the 64bit version in the early days and thus the driver support was rubbish and thus I pretty much stopped using it.
However, the Vista boot loader was always used and I set it to default to the XP install.
The problem arose when the XP install started behaving erratically and ground to a halt. It started taking five minutes to do anything i asked it to, whether it be run a program, edit a text file - even click the start menu. It degraded to the point it started rebooted during a virus scan, and now it wont boot at all.
So what I did is I decided to format the Vista partition and install XP on it, so I could use that whilst I tried to rescue any data lodged in the old windows install (My documents and desktop).
After I installed XP to the old vista partition, the first boot went fine and it booted into the new windows fine. However, ever since, it tries to boot into the old windows XP (from the D:\ drive) which obviously just resets the machine (because that XP install is stuffed).
The funny thing is that the boot menu that comes up now, is the Vista boot menu, even though I formatted the E:\ partition and therefore it shouldnt even exist!
I cannot find any boot files which could cause this and have no idea how to rectify this.
I am currently getting into the correct Windows using a boot CD from here:
http://www.tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm
Option 4 boots me into windows (the correct, working windows)
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\Windows="4TH TRY THIS selezioni questo fourth" /fastdetect
Obviously I can't keep booting into windows this way - Help!
I'll post the contents of the roots of each drive when I get in if that helps.
Thanks in advance guys.
I have a problem and its really starting to do my head in. I'd be very grateful indeed for your insight.
I initially had two hard drives - 1 and 2, with number 2 split into two partitions. Like so:
Drive 1 - C:\ Uber Disk (Used for storage of media only, no install or system files) - 250GB
Drive 2 - Partition 1 - D:\ - Windows XP System Drive (Used for all main XP programs, XP system files, games etc) - 230GB
Drive 2 - Partition 2 - E:\ - Vista System (All Vista system files and installed software - not a lot.) - 20GB
Basically, I was running a dual boot between the two partitions on the second drive, between XP and Vista, which I just wanted to trial.
I didn't get on with Vista, mainly due to the fact I installed the 64bit version in the early days and thus the driver support was rubbish and thus I pretty much stopped using it.
However, the Vista boot loader was always used and I set it to default to the XP install.
The problem arose when the XP install started behaving erratically and ground to a halt. It started taking five minutes to do anything i asked it to, whether it be run a program, edit a text file - even click the start menu. It degraded to the point it started rebooted during a virus scan, and now it wont boot at all.
So what I did is I decided to format the Vista partition and install XP on it, so I could use that whilst I tried to rescue any data lodged in the old windows install (My documents and desktop).
After I installed XP to the old vista partition, the first boot went fine and it booted into the new windows fine. However, ever since, it tries to boot into the old windows XP (from the D:\ drive) which obviously just resets the machine (because that XP install is stuffed).
The funny thing is that the boot menu that comes up now, is the Vista boot menu, even though I formatted the E:\ partition and therefore it shouldnt even exist!
I cannot find any boot files which could cause this and have no idea how to rectify this.
I am currently getting into the correct Windows using a boot CD from here:
http://www.tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm
Option 4 boots me into windows (the correct, working windows)
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\Windows="4TH TRY THIS selezioni questo fourth" /fastdetect
Obviously I can't keep booting into windows this way - Help!
I'll post the contents of the roots of each drive when I get in if that helps.
Thanks in advance guys.
