Windows XP under loop
One of my computer, there r 4 OS loaded for various reasons. Two linux distro and XP and Windows 7. After getting boot sector virus affected and system file problem on XP, I tried to reinstall xp by setup disk. It accepts the 1st phase, but when it restarts, again it starts from scratch. i.e. XP did not install the 2nd phase. I tried several times, but the problem is same. Again it starts from Setup is inspecting ..... blah blah ! Can any one help me from this peculiar stage. Remember, I am not interested to virtualize.
Software/Hardware used:
Windows XP
Software/Hardware used:
Windows XP
ASKED:
February 1, 2011 12:17 PM
UPDATED:
February 9, 2011 4:43 AM
Answer Wiki:
Hi,
You need to fix the master boot sector of the affected hard disk.
You can do this using your original XP installation CD.
Boot from it.
When prompted, press R to repair a Windows XP installation.
If repairing a host with multiple operating systems (which is the case), select the appropriate one (XP) from the menu. If you have only one operating system, enter 1 to select it.
After booting, you need to provide the administrator password for this specific installation.
To fix the Master Boot Record, please type:
<pre>fixmbr</pre>
Review all the warning messages and at the end press <b>Y</b> fallowed by ENTER to fix the MBR.
Than type exit to reboot. After this your XP installation should continue without problems.
You *will* have problems to load all other installed Operating Systems. This is because fixing the MBR will replace the information stored about the previous bootloader which were in charge of those.
There are various possibilities to make your system know that there are other OSes installed. I don't know if you are confident any of them, but if not I can point you <a href="http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager.html">PLOP Boot manager</a> or <a href="http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1">EasyBoot CD</a>. They are both easy to use and will get the job done.
HTH
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Hey Rechill..i would love to know if that problem of yours was solved…im also having the same problem which i wuold love hear bak from you..
ive tried the above solution by Saturno but im still experiencing the same faults..
thanks regards rakei…….
Thanks Saturno, I know the tricks, but it does not work all the time. I am working around the same and like to hear other good solutions. Hope, it will solve tonight.
@Rakei, hope I will be back with positive solutions !
I had this problem, and the only quick result I’ve had is to change the hard drive, as it is a boot sector problem.
Reinstall your OSs on a new drive, and save wasting all the time trying to fix it. reformat the drive and use it as a data drive.
yes i saposed it works faster that way, thanks chippy.save the trouble..
i have also suspected to be some bad sectors but it doesnt really explain it that much..
I mean, my current O.S on the same H.D.D doesnt experince any fault with HDD error..hmmmmm….im curious???
could it also be possibly related to some RAID Drivers or the unit doesnt support the Windows xp copy. (just a thought)
When the puter starts to reboot after doing the preliminary tasks, do NOT hit the keys at all because that will start an endless loop of starting from the CD instead of from the hard disk
If there is single OS (windows related), then Fixmbr may work. But in some cases, may need to repair the boot sector in addition to the MBR. and try to use Fixboot command instead of Fixmbr. And that works properly and help to overcome this kind of problem.
But if there is multiple OS (I had the same problem), after workaround, I got the actual solutions. In my case, I inserted XP setup cd and leave upto Repair. On Repair, select and command prompt comes and asks for which directory should I log in for Administrator Password.
There is a choice, type 1 and press enter. Now goto C:WindowsSystem32 prompt. Now type the following commands….
ren kernel32.dll kernel32.bak after that again type map and press enter.
Now again type
expand d:i386kernel32.dl_ and press enter (D: denotes as CD/DVD drive letter, change as per ur letter no, if it is not D)
Now type EXIT and press enter. The XP Computer restarts and the loop problem is solved. Now it starts from the 2nd phase and resolved my problems.
Remember, the above procedure works, if u have more than one OS onto computer.
Thanks–
Wish that option had worked for me, but it didn’t. I had Linux installed first, and the repair option only wanted to reformat whole disk. Never found a repair option with Linux.
Glad you got it sorted.
@Chippy088, in Linux system, it is more easy than Windows system to repair system files or boot problems. What exactly the error message shown ! Is it like “Give root password for login….” or Kernel panic / GRUB error what is it. I can try my best to help u ! What distro u r using and if possible please be more specific about the problems.
Thanks–