Installing WinXP, mbr error

Question

Hi, i reinstalled windows xp professional on my dimension 8400, only to find it wouldn't boot after the first reboot. After copying all the drivers and setup files.

Actually, first there was an issue with the serial ata drive. Windows setup couldn't find any harddrives; but that seems to have fixed itself by loading the raid/ahci drivers into the windows setup (f6 at the start) and selecting the ahci ones. I don't know if it's relevant, but i figured i'd mention it.

So i install, format the one partition to ntfs, using a windows xp pro cd i own (no, not a dell one. I seem to have misplaced it). After copying the first set of files it reboots as usual. Then it gives me an "invalid boot.ini, starting from c:\windows" message. Only it doesn't. It reboots. Again and again. Setup doesn't seem to continue from the harddrive.

Things i've tried so far:
-Windows setup > recovery console. The whole bootcfg scan, rebuild,... It finds the windows partition but the error remains.
-Another dell mbr. I got the idea from reading about a system restore measure on the forums here. Ctrl-f11 i think it was. Apparently that function simply wasn't there yet when i bought it. Gave a bunch of other errors, so i restored the old invalid boot.ini.
-tried installing windows xp with all the different sata bios settings. Sata/pata, raid/ahci,... This usually made the harddrive visible during install but gave the exact same error afterwards. Setup didn't continue.
-I'm sure there was something else, but i can't remember. It's been a long night.

So i'm thinking, does dell use a custom mbr on their sata harddrives that i might have overwritten by installing? Does the windows setup need another config somehow, so it'd find the harddrive when booting up?

Any help is welcome.

Message Edited by Goodmane on 05-01-2007 07:48 AM

dunedin · Answer

Once in the Recovery Console did you do it this way? This should fix it

At the command prompt, type
Bootcfg /Rebuild
ENTER

The exact wording will depend on your setup, but after a few moments you'll see a prompt that says something like:
Total Identified Windows Installs: 1
[1] C:\Windows
Add Installation To Boot List?

Assuming the information you see is correct, enter
Y

Bootcfg will start the process of rebuilding the boot list to include the indicated Windows installation

After a moment, you'll be asked to "Enter Load Identifier."
This is the name of the operating system that will appear in boot menus.
Type
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
ENTER

Next you'll be asked to "Enter OS Load Options."
For normal installations, enter
/Fastdetect
ENTER

Type
Exit
to leave the Recovery Console and reboot the PC, which should then start normally.

Goodmane · Answer

Yep, exactly like that. It even shows the windows install when i type bootcfg /list. But still it won't boot. Would repartitioning the harddrive make a difference? The last times, i only did a format during the windows install. Or would that do more damage than good right now? =/

dunedin · Answer

I wouldn`t do that at the moment.   Go back to the RC and type   fixboot Enter   fixmbr Enter

Goodmane · Answer

Hm, ok, fixboot says (and this is a translation from dutch, so it might not be 100% accurate) "fixboot can't find the system station, or the station is invalid" then fixmbr says "the computer has a non-standard or invalid mbr. Fixmbr could damage the partition tables if you proceed. All the harddrive partitions could become inaccessible if you proceed. Are you sure you want to write a new mbr?" So should i? =) Another thing i just noticed: unless i load the dell drivers at the start of the setup, it can't find the harddrive in RC either. Is this normal?

Message Edited by Goodmane on 05-01-2007 02:18 PM

Goodmane · Answer

Nevermind, i managed to fix it. The problem was in fact the partition: after deleting it and creating a new one through windows setup, it had no booting problems at all. Thanks anyway. =)

Windows General

Installing WinXP, mbr error

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