Removing hard drive from multiboot computer that won't boo..

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage (More info?)

You could try copying ntldr, ntdetect.com, bootsect.dos and boot.ini to
drive D: Then use the recovery console to
do a rebuild of boot.ini and mbr. Check this article on Recovery
Console.
http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] -US;314058

You are primarily interested in the commands: bootcfg /scan and
rebuild Fixboot Fixmbr
"gman" <gman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8964F282-512C-4059-B1B8-A117272897FB@microsoft.com...
>I have a multi boot system with 2 hard drives configured as follows:
>
> I have one hard drive with Windows ME. One partition. Checking in Windows
> XP
> under Disk Managment, this drive is labeled as: Disk2-Vol 1 (C. Primary
> partition. (It, also, states SYSTEM).
>
> On the second hard drive I have two partitions:
>
> a) First partition is Drive D and is labeled as DRV2_Vol 1 (D Primary
> Partition. (It, also, states BOOT). This partition has Windows XP with
> FAT
> 32 format, not NTFS.
>
> b) The other partition on this second drive is Drive E and is labeled as
> DISK2_Vol 1 (E Logical Drive. This partition has Windows ME operating
> system. (FORGET THIS PARTITION AS IT IS MEANINGLESS AND I WILL BE
> DELETING
> IT AS SOON AS I CAN REMOVE THE HARD DRIVE WITH WINDOWS ME (C.)
>
> I want to remove the hard drive with Windows ME (C from the computer,
> but
> I cannot as the system will not boot without it. There is no boot.ini
> file
> in Windows XP (D on the second hard drive; the boot.ini file is on the
> hard
> drive with Windows ME (C.
>
> The boot.ini file in Windows ME (C reads as follows:
>
> [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 Home
> Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
> Edition" /fastdetect
> C:\="Microsoft Windows"
>
> (I know, there are two entries for Windows XP; don't know why, but they
> both
> work, and I am sure I could just delete one from the boot.ini file and get
> rid of the redundancy. Just haven't done it. On the screen where I get
> to
> select the operating system, there are the two Windows XP (D entries and
> one for Windows, which is the hard drive with WINDOWS ME (C.)
>
> My question is what do I need to do to get the computer to boot without
> the
> hard drive with Windows ME (C:) being installed in the computer.
>
> Do I need to modify and copy to / place a boot.ini file someplace in
> Windows
> XP?
>
> Do I need to do anything with the 'NTLDR' and 'NTDETECT.COM' files?
>
> Do I need to do anything with a 'paging file'?
>
> Thanks for your assistance.
>
> gman
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage (More info?)

I found the files you mentioned in the root directory but do not see
bootsect.dos. (View hidden and protected system files is enabled.) Is
bootsec.dos in the C root directory? If so, will I only see it if I boot
with recovery console? It does not show up in Windows. Or, will it not show
up at all since my drive is NTFS? What exact syntax would I use if I ever
have to do repair my MBR?

bootcfg /scan /rebuild

-or is it-

bootcfg /scan
bootcfg /rebuild

-and then-

fixboot [drive name]:
(C in my case, drive letter where boot sector will be written)
fixmbr

- or is it-

fixboot [drive name]:
fixmbr \device\harddisk[number]
(harddisk0 in my case, not sure what to put for [device])

Finally, is there a way to back up the boot sector without cloning the
entire hard drive? I'd like to be able to back up and restore just the boot
sector in case there's a problem. Right now I can restore the operating
system partition through cloning -- so long as the boot sector and boot
record are not damaged. If they get damaged, I have no way to repair or
restore them. Thanks.

SeaMaid
(formerly ForestSpirit)

"Rich Barry" <rbarryNot@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
newsDGre.62029$887.20114@tornado.socal.rr.com...
> You could try copying ntldr, ntdetect.com, bootsect.dos and boot.ini
> to drive D: Then use the recovery console to
> do a rebuild of boot.ini and mbr. Check this article on Recovery
> Console.
> http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] -US;314058
>
> You are primarily interested in the commands: bootcfg /scan and
> rebuild Fixboot Fixmbr
> "gman" <gman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:8964F282-512C-4059-B1B8-A117272897FB@microsoft.com...
>>I have a multi boot system with 2 hard drives configured as follows:
>>
>> I have one hard drive with Windows ME. One partition. Checking in Windows
>> XP
>> under Disk Managment, this drive is labeled as: Disk2-Vol 1 (C. Primary
>> partition. (It, also, states SYSTEM).
>>
>> On the second hard drive I have two partitions:
>>
>> a) First partition is Drive D and is labeled as DRV2_Vol 1 (D Primary
>> Partition. (It, also, states BOOT). This partition has Windows XP with
>> FAT
>> 32 format, not NTFS.
>>
>> b) The other partition on this second drive is Drive E and is labeled as
>> DISK2_Vol 1 (E Logical Drive. This partition has Windows ME operating
>> system. (FORGET THIS PARTITION AS IT IS MEANINGLESS AND I WILL BE
>> DELETING
>> IT AS SOON AS I CAN REMOVE THE HARD DRIVE WITH WINDOWS ME (C.)
>>
>> I want to remove the hard drive with Windows ME (C from the computer,
>> but
>> I cannot as the system will not boot without it. There is no boot.ini
>> file
>> in Windows XP (D on the second hard drive; the boot.ini file is on the
>> hard
>> drive with Windows ME (C.
>>
>> The boot.ini file in Windows ME (C reads as follows:
>>
>> [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 Home
>> Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
>> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
>> Edition" /fastdetect
>> C:\="Microsoft Windows"
>>
>> (I know, there are two entries for Windows XP; don't know why, but they
>> both
>> work, and I am sure I could just delete one from the boot.ini file and
>> get
>> rid of the redundancy. Just haven't done it. On the screen where I get
>> to
>> select the operating system, there are the two Windows XP (D entries
>> and
>> one for Windows, which is the hard drive with WINDOWS ME (C.)
>>
>> My question is what do I need to do to get the computer to boot without
>> the
>> hard drive with Windows ME (C:) being installed in the computer.
>>
>> Do I need to modify and copy to / place a boot.ini file someplace in
>> Windows
>> XP?
>>
>> Do I need to do anything with the 'NTLDR' and 'NTDETECT.COM' files?
>>
>> Do I need to do anything with a 'paging file'?
>>
>> Thanks for your assistance.
>>
>> gman
>>
>>
>
>