Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Partition/Booting Problem

  1. #1
    Senior Member SirSub's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Groom Lake, Nevada
    Posts
    148

    Partition/Booting Problem

    Problem:
    Partition 1: - When I try to boot from it, gives me an error that windows did not start correctly. So it brings me to the screen where it asks me if I want to boot from safe mode, safe made with command prompt, safe mode with networking, last known good configuration or normally. After I click on one ( the result is the same for any option I click on), then screen changes, and then just reboots. This goes on forever until I click on a different partition to load.

    Partiton 2: - Loads fine, shows the windows xp pro boot screen, but then it goes to the blue screen where its just about to show your desktop, and freezes there forever. Well, dosn't exactly freeze because I can still move the curser.

    Story: - Yesterday afternoon I was doing a little spring cleaning on my computer, and decided to delete an old partition that I didn't really use anymore. So I loaded up partition magic, clicked to delete it, rebooted. After it was deleted, the computer wouldn't load past "verifying dmi pool data" or something like that, so I googled that, and discovered it was a little boot.ini problem, So I fixed the .ini, and did a fixmbr, which fixed that problem.
    Now is when my current problem started, after booting just after fixing my previous problem, it showed both partitions to boot from, tried both, neither would load. So I popped in my xp disc, went to the recovery section, did a chkdsk /r on both partitons. Rebooted, tried, same problem. So I tried reinstalling xp (the recovery option, not fresh install) on both. It worked for partition 2 somewhat(read above), but partition 1 kept just rebooting after the error. So I figured why not just reinstall xp on the same partition I just deleted it from. So I just did, and not partition 2 works fine, but 1 is giving me the same problem.

    Specs - Windows XP Pro SP1 on all 3 partitions.
    Partition Magic for my partitioning needs

    Question: Anyone happen to know what would cause the partition to just reboot before even showing the bootscreen? And why it would keep doing it even after reinstalling windows.

    Also - Partition 1 is where my computer is reading from the boot.ini, and all of partition 1's files seem to be accessible from the other two.


    If I've forgotten any information, or if i've been unclear in any aspect of this, respond with your questions/comments and i'll reply asap. Thanks in advance for any help.
    PS - If anyone knows the propper way to delete a partition without the boot files becomming corrupt, feel free to respond with that too. I have a feeling just clicking to delete in partition magic and then rebooting may be a bit off from the propper way.
    It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. - Murphy

  2. #2
    Just a Virtualized Geek MrLinus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Posts
    7,323
    It sounds like it doesn't know where to boot from (issue with MBR perhaps). Have you tried recovery console and asked it to either fixboot or fixmbr? (You can get a listing of commands used in the Recovery Console from Microsoft's Knowledge Base)

    And just to be clear... you have multiple versions of XP on the drive?
    Goodbye, Mittens (1992-2008). My pillow will be cold without your purring beside my head
    Extra! Extra! Get your FREE copy of Insight Newsletter||MsMittens' HomePage

  3. #3
    Senior Member SirSub's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Groom Lake, Nevada
    Posts
    148
    Multiple versions of xp on my HD = correct

    Fixboot - I'll go try right now, thanks for the idea
    It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. - Murphy

  4. #4
    Just a Virtualized Geek MrLinus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Posts
    7,323
    Is it possible when you deleted the partition, the partition table went completely out of whack and Windows was unable to identify the partitions properly, even when you attempted to install, thus installing in the wrong drive? (e.g., Windows thinking that C is D when in fact it's E)?

    Perhaps starting from scratch?

    Why do you have multiple installs of the same OS?
    Goodbye, Mittens (1992-2008). My pillow will be cold without your purring beside my head
    Extra! Extra! Get your FREE copy of Insight Newsletter||MsMittens' HomePage

  5. #5
    Senior Member SirSub's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Groom Lake, Nevada
    Posts
    148
    Start from scratch...hopin it wouldn't have to come to that. But now that I'm looking at my quicklaunch, it does seem the crosslinking idea is whats happening. Happen to know of anything that can check and correct that?

    As for the multiple installs of the same OS. I use 1 partition for work, testing programs, and just messing around. And another for just games. That way the extra processes and file won't clog it down and add an extra ms or two in my ping.
    It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. - Murphy

  6. #6
    Just a Virtualized Geek MrLinus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Posts
    7,323
    Ah.. as far as removing crosslinking, I haven't seen anything that addresses it. Unfortunately, it's probably wise to back up data (hopefully that was kept on a seperate drive thus making it easier) and do a rebuild. Sometimes it is a good thing to rebuild as it does clear out all the crap you've collected over time and forget about.
    Goodbye, Mittens (1992-2008). My pillow will be cold without your purring beside my head
    Extra! Extra! Get your FREE copy of Insight Newsletter||MsMittens' HomePage

  7. #7
    Senior Member SirSub's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Groom Lake, Nevada
    Posts
    148
    Bleh..formatting. Well, I'm going out for an hour, if anyone has a better idea, please post. Unfortunately, I don't have an up-to-date backup on a seperate drive...But I do have an image I can restore. Stupid problems taking away from my hl2 time

    Thanks for the help and suggestions MsMittens. Guess i'll have to look into an option in partition magic to not change drive letters next time.
    It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. - Murphy

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    137
    if i were you start from the scratch, what I mean is erase all your partitions. Then a partition again(depends on how many partitions you like), then set a primary partition for your mbr then install the desired OS. After installing desired OS, install the BOOTMAGIC software which will be guide in boot selecting. If you want to put another OS in your remaning partitions.

    Thanks guys. I hope this helps

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •