Hi,

I'm running Windows XP Pro on another computer and I am unable to get to the bootscreen. I used to have a selection between a custom bootscreen and the windows XP one. I tried to remove the custom one and now I fear I MAY have screwed up the boot.ini or the ntoskrnl file. I have my windows XP disk and I have tried to replace the boot.ini file but I am unsure if I am doing it correctly.

Any help would be appreciated.What happens is I turn my computer on, and it RUNS up until the bootscreen should come up, then the monitor says "no signal" and it reboots straight away without the bootscreen coming up at all. After reboot It then comes up with the OPTION of running windows normally, in safe mode, last known working configuration.. all of them have the same result. I can press delete to get into setup and I can load up the Windows XP CD.

Heres what i've been trying in the recovery console etc. and what has been coming up:

-------------

bootcfg /list.

Total entries - 4
[1] Microsoft Windows XP Professional
[2] Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (Bootscreen)
[3] Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
[4] Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (Bootscreen)

--------------

CHKDSK /p

- The Volume appears to conatin one or more unrecoverable problems.

---------------

bootcfg /add

Identified Windows Installs: 1
Select Installation to add: I press 1
Enter load IDENTIFIER: I type Microsoft Windows XP Proffesional
Enter OS Load options: I type /fastdetect

---------------

When I go in to the Windows XP Pro Setup it gives me three options

- To set up windows on selected ITEM press enter
- To create a partition in the unpartitioned space press C
- To delete selected Partition press D.

If I choose to set up windows by pressing enter it comes up with
"You have chosen to install windows XP on a partition that contains another operating system".

----------------

I have a 50gb external HDD, is there anyway I could back up any of my files onto it the way it is?
Can you boot in safe mode?

Have you tried the hard drive test from the manufacturer of your hard drive?

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/2006/s1712/08s12/08s12.asp&articleid=35917&guid=You should hook that drive up as a slave into a working machine with a burner and grab your data...there might not be much time.
Then follow street1's advice before re-installing anything on that HDD.

Isn't customisation fun ? ?

patio.  8-)