Gaming Probably screwed up boot.ini

[Mr. Waffle]

So on my dad's laptop I think I screwed up the boot.ini
This is because it has vista installed (I hope it still has), and it want's to boot up XP.
Through the XP's recovery console I tried to rebuilt it (boot.ini) but it want's the admin password (To log on to C:\WINDOWS). I'm sure I know the pass because another pc has the same pass, and that worked.
So I found on the internet that the windows 2000 recovery console didn't asked for the pass.
I tried that one, figured out it didn't had bootcfg, googled, tried "fixboot C"or something in that direction, "J" (I first tried Y, but then I figured out I had the dutch version and it wanted J instead of Y), "enter" it said it finished.
I restarted the laptop, still wants to boot up XP.
So I was thinking, is it possible to boot up a OS (Ubuntu, linux?) from an USB stick and then look if it still had vista installed on C: and if it has, edit the boot.ini, but if it doesn't, backup and install XP?
OR, is it possible to install windows XP OVER windows vista and still have all the files on C:\?
Thanks in advance.

 

[epicelite]

Simply pop his HDD into another computer find the file then fix it up!

 

[Golfman560]

Yeah since you have a working computer I'd do what epicelite said. It's the easiest.

 

[Jiggah]

Vista doesn't have a boot.ini file it uses BCD. You can repair the bootloader for Vista by putting in the Vista disc and going to repair, there's an automated feature that will find the error and correct it.

If you have an OEM Vista and it doesn't come with a disc, it should come with a recovery partition, which will work the same way as the Vista disc, just be careful to not erase/format the drive.

 

[Scorpei]

I'm thinking very hard but can't come up with the name. I know there is an alternative to the standard windows bootloader, read it in a howto when installing OSX on x86 standard hardware. It had BCD in the name btw.

Anyway you could also install grub or whatever. Using the recovery partition is something I'd use as a last resort as that will erase whatever you have on there right now.

edit: remembered it was called EasyBCD

 

[Mr. Waffle]

Simply pop his HDD into another computer find the file then fix it up!
I think popping the HDD out of a laptop is more difficult then it sounds...

QUOTE(Jiggah @ Feb 10 2009, 09:18 PM) Vista doesn't have a boot.ini file it uses BCD. You can repair the bootloader for Vista by putting in the Vista disc and going to repair, there's an automated feature that will find the error and correct it.

If you have an OEM Vista and it doesn't come with a disc, it should come with a recovery partition, which will work the same way as the Vista disc, just be careful to not erase/format the drive.

Well, that would mean download vista lol, we don't have any legal windows at my home lol.

 

[Scorpei]

Btw, installing over a partition without deleting the OS already on there is possible, might even allow you to boot both

.

 

[epicelite]

No it is really easy, laptops usually have 1 screw and the HDD is held in by pressure of the door, or another screw, super simple!

 

[Mr. Waffle]

Btw, installing over a partition without deleting the OS already on there is possible, might even allow you to boot both

.
So that'll mean that when I put the XP cd in, and install it on C:\, It'll leave the documents and settings from vista alone, but write over the vista WINDOWS folder?... I'm confused

No it is really easy, laptops usually have 1 screw and the HDD is held in by pressure of the door, or another screw, super simple!
Well I guess our laptop is different (grr), it has many screws and doors...


Scorpei

edit: remembered it was called EasyBCD

And how do you use it? If I need to install it from under windows I'm no step further lol

EDIT: I looked on the internet on how to fix the BCD, it's pretty simple, gonna search for a vista dvd this afternoon

 

[Jiggah]

Seriously, I even told you how easy it was. You don't really need to do anything other then click buttons, it has an automated problem solver.

You can't downgrade to XP and keep everything. You can upgrade from XP and keep stuff, but not the other way around. You can also do a repair install of Vista on top of Vista and it'll keep files.

You never stated what kind of laptop you have. Most laptop have easy access to necessary hardware.

 

[Mr. Waffle]

Seriously, I even told you how easy it was. You don't really need to do anything other then click buttons, it has an automated problem solver.

You can't downgrade to XP and keep everything. You can upgrade from XP and keep stuff, but not the other way around. You can also do a repair install of Vista on top of Vista and it'll keep files.

You never stated what kind of laptop you have. Most laptop have easy access to necessary hardware.

Let's say we have a really crappy laptop lol.
Loading the Vista dvd now.

edit: It worked =) Thank you guys, I wouldn't have come up with the idea to look if vista had a repair option lol