Invalid Boot.ini File

[Flava0ne]

Lately, I started getting this "Invalid Boot.ini File, Booting From: C:\Windows\" message everytime when I boot up my system right before it gets to the Windows boot screen. Is there anyway to get rid of this message?

 

[BradleyKZN]

Does it give you the option to boot up two different versions of windows even though you are only using one?

 

[Flava0ne]

No, right after that message shows it goes right to the Windows boot screen.

I did however have Vista installed on another partition on my hard drive, but I recently erased the other partition completely.

 

[BradleyKZN]

I think its still looking for that installation maybe. But the error message would come up after post. Go to start, run and type in msconfig. Go to boot.ini and see if there is another path there that mentions vista

 

[Arrakis9]

Open up your boot.ini file and look for the line that says "windows vista" should be twords the end of the string. highlight the entire line and delete it. should fix your problom

 

[Flava0ne]

I think its still looking for that installation maybe. But the error message would come up after post. Go to start, run and type in msconfig. Go to boot.ini and see if there is another path there that mentions vista

I don't have a Boot.ini section in the System Configuration Utility. I only have System.ini, Win.ini, Services, Startup and Tools.

 

[BradleyKZN]

Let me get into the office and ill help you out more

 

[BradleyKZN]

Or make sure that you can see hidden files and folders and look for boot.ini in search. I think that should find it. The just do what arrakis said

 

[Flava0ne]

Open up your boot.ini file and look for the line that says "windows vista" should be twords the end of the string. highlight the entire line and delete it. should fix your problom

Just did a search for the Boot.ini file and the search came up dead.

???

 

[Arrakis9]

go to my computer.

click on drive C

at the top click on the tools tab, it drops down
select folder options

click on the view tab.

in the selection box click on show hidden files and folders.

now uncheck hide protected operating system files.

click ok

from there it should show up a bunch of files that are ghosted out (?)




there should be a file in there that says boot.ini

right click it and click open with. use note pad


there will be your boot strings.

side scroll untill you see one of the lines say "microsoft windows vista"

highlight the entire line and delete it. then hit backspace once so it gets rid of the space between.

 

[Flava0ne]

go to my computer.

click on drive C

at the top click on the tools tab, it drops down
select folder options

click on the view tab.

in the selection box click on show hidden files and folders.

now uncheck hide protected operating system files.

click ok

from there it should show up a bunch of files that are ghosted out (?)




there should be a file in there that says boot.ini

right click it and click open with. use note pad


there will be your boot strings.

side scroll untill you see one of the lines say "microsoft windows vista"

highlight the entire line and delete it. then hit backspace once so it gets rid of the space between.

If you're saying that it should be right in drive C:\ it isn't there.

 

[BradleyKZN]

I would do a search to find it

 

[Flava0ne]

Just did a search for the Boot.ini file and the search came up dead.

???

Did that already.

 

[Mussels]

If you're saying that it should be right in drive C:\ it isn't there.

i assure you, it is. If it wasnt, your windows wouldnt start.

Enable the ability to view hidden and system files/folders, and it will be on your C: drive.
The only exception is if you are booting multiple operating systems, in which case it may be on the most recently installed OS's C: drive. (and no that cant be on a formatted drive, or your PC wouldnt boot)

 

[BradleyKZN]

Did that already.

do what mussels says and then start the search again

 

[Flava0ne]

i assure you, it is. If it wasnt, your windows wouldnt start.

Enable the ability to view hidden and system files/folders, and it will be on your C: drive.
The only exception is if you are booting multiple operating systems, in which case it may be on the most recently installed OS's C: drive. (and no that cant be on a formatted drive, or your PC wouldnt boot)

Well, I don't see it anywhere. Here's a screenshot of my C:\ drive with hidden files and folders and protected OS files shown. I'm going to bed after this post, I'll check it up once I get up in the... well it's early morning already. LOL So, when I get up later.

 

[Mussels]

god i hate imageshack. shouldnt take me 3 clicks and a refresh every time, to load a damn picture.

You're right, its hiding.

What other drives/partitions do you have, and have you investigated them?

At this stage im thinking your boot.ini may have migrated to the drive and been deleted when you formatted, and that message is just informing you that its gone, but its found a bootable OS anyway.

 

[BradleyKZN]

Maybe you can do a repair using your windows cd?

 

[Mussels]

or someone with the same OS could just upload a boot.ini file for him...

(and then he can learn his lesson about dual booting, and formatting one of the OS's!)

 

[BradleyKZN]

Cant help there unfortunately. Work pc wont let me

 

[vbx]

Install EasyBCD

http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

Go to: "Add Remove Entry" and Look for Vista and remove.

Or

Go to "Manage Bootloader"

Click on "uninstall Vista Boot Loader"

Restart.

 

[Flava0ne]

Install EasyBCD

http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

Go to: "Add Remove Entry" and Look for Vista and remove.

Or

Go to "Manage Bootloader"

Click on "uninstall Vista Boot Loader"

Restart.

When I start up EasyBCD, I get this message:

"EasyBCD has detected that your BCD boot data and MBR are either not from the latest version of Windows Vista, or don't yet exist.

If you'd like EasyBCD to correct these issues, press OK. This will modify the MBR and requires that you have Windows Vista installed on this machine. You can cancel at any time. Press 'No' to exit EasyBCD now."

 

[BradleyKZN]

Yeah that requires that you have vista installed which you dont. Can you ask a friend to bring you his windows xp boot.ini?

 

[IINexusII]

press ok, it should reinstall the vista bootloader. then go to add/remove and create a entry for xp

 

[newtekie1]

This really is a simple fix. When you uninstalled and deleted the Vista partition, it deleted your boot.ini file, which was located on that partition. If you only have one partition on the drive, Windows XP will still boot without a boot.ini file, it will just default to booting from C:\Windows, in your case this works because that is where you Windows XP install is located. If you had installed it somewhere else, you would be screwed.

Anyway, here is how to fix it.

1.) Open Notepad
2.) Copy and Paste the following(starting at the boot loader line):

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP" /fastdetect
C:\Windows\="Microsoft Windows XP"

3.) Save the file as C:\boot.ini
4.) Reboot.
5.) When it comes up asking what OS you want to boot from, and give you two options of Microsoft Windows XP pick the first one(or just let the timer count down and boot automatically)
6.) If you sucessfully boot into Windows, open up the boot.ini file and delete the last line(C:\Windows\="Microsoft Windows XP")
7.) If you do not sucessfully boot into Windows, reboot the computer and then select the second option. Then post back here for further instructions.