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Ken Butler
109 Posts
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April 14th, 2005 15:00
Start-up floppy
I have a Dim8300 XP Home w/120G HD NTFS. I found on World of Windows Networking site an article on creating a Start-up floppy for XP, including NTFS. I followed the instructions and it did not work until I formatted the floppy using the system format. The computer opened in what appeared to be DOS mode and in the heading indicated Windows Millenium? However, I was not able to change drives from A: to any other drive on my computer. The instructions "World" site indicated to boot into Windows XP when the computer starts from the floppy. Does anyone know what you need to type in to do this. I hit CAD and the booting to Windows continued. It seems to me that this is booting from the hard drive. Can someone help me in understanding what is happening here. And also, what is the value of being able to start with the floppy if you can't get into any of the drives from A:? Am I wrong in assuming that using CAD to boot into windows only works if your OS is operational and would boot using normal start-up procedures? Would appreciated any help on this.
Ken Butler
109 Posts
373
0
Posted April 15th, 2005 01:00
Thanks for your reply. I followed the M/S instructions. The boot failed because the System 32 Hal.dll file is either missing or corrupted. I previously, with the other instructions that I was using, addressed this by removing this file and replacing it with the file from the Win XP C/D, and the computer would not boot in the normal fashion. I then reverted using Goback and reinstalled the Hal.dll file that I replaced. This is a much larger file than the one from the Win XP C/D. I assume this came about from installing SP2? There is a reference to HAL in Troubleshooting under ARC firmware boot configuration problem. I do not have a clue as to what this means. So I am back at square 1. Suggestions welcome. Thanks.Ken Butler
109 Posts
373
0
Posted April 15th, 2005 13:00
Any boot problems that may occur, but specifically. an older computer that I upgraded from Win98 to XP requires an update to the BIOS and requires a boot floppy in order to apply the update.hi Ken,
you can resovle a corrupt hal.dll file by performing the steps.
- Insert and boot from your Windows XP CD.
- At the first R=Repair option, press the R key
- Press the number that corresponds to the correct location for the installation of Windows you want to repair.
- Typically this will be #1
- Type bootcfg /list to show the current entries in the BOOT.INI file
- Type bootcfg /rebuild to repair it
- Take out the CD ROM and type exit
usually this will repair what has gone corrupt.
JRosenfeld
2 Intern
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4383 Posts
373
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Posted April 16th, 2005 15:00
If you installed SP2 as an update then your pre SP2 CD may not work. You could make a new CD with SP2 slipstreamed. For example use autostreamer:
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?s=96391a295d5b33e4fc4c4df792cc00d4&showtopic=223562
Also, the SP2 version of hal.dll is in C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 so you should copy it from there rather than from any pre SP2 source.
Ken Butler
109 Posts
373
0
Posted April 18th, 2005 18:00
JR: Thanks for the link. I successfully slipstreamed my Original XP and SP2. I had tried for several hours to do it manually, following Langa Newsletter of some months ago without success. I could not find out what I was doing wrong. I did copy the hal.dll ffile from the source that you gave and got the same result - missing or corrupt, and the computer wouldn't boot normally. Thank God for Go-back. And the results of trying the repair from the new slipstreamed XPSP2, I couldn't get past type in your Administrator password. I even set one up for this purpose, and it still didn't recognize it. So I could not pursue that avenue. I read on another board that that is a bug in XP. The workaround is to install the repair thing - can't remember the name of it. I also followed some instructions from World of Windows Message board under XP on how to get into the repair. I followed the instructions to skip the first R (Repair) and continue as if you were going for a full install. He indicated that there would be an option to R (repair) at the botton. I did not have that option. I don't know if this has been elininated by XPSP2 as opposed to the original XP. I am at a loss at this point as to how to correct this.
Ken Butler
109 Posts
373
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Posted April 20th, 2005 02:00
I was able to get into the R (repair). The answer to bootcfg /list: There are currently no boot entries to display.
Results of bootcfg /rebuild: Total identified Windows installs: 1
[1] G:\WINDOWS
Add installation to boot list: typed Y
Enter Load Identifier: typed help (no response)
Enter OS Load options: typed help (no response)
Error: Failed to add the selected boot entry to the boot list.
G: WINDOWS>
Can anyone explain what I need to type in for the two items above in order to complete this Repair? I have searched everything I can think of without any hint.
DANZIE
10 Posts
373
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Posted April 14th, 2005 18:00
Damaged master boot record (MBR).
Virus infections.
Missing or damaged Ntldr or Ntdetect.com files.
Incorrect Ntbootdd.sys driver.
To boot from the shadow of a broken mirror. Please note that you may need to modify the Boot.ini file to do this.
In order to create a boot disk please visit the following Microsoft site which tells How To Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP