I had 2 partitions - one full of corrupted data, and one normal WORKING Windows XP SP1 one.
However, boot.ini was written to the corrupted one, labeled C:, when I installed Windows on the working one, D:.
I decided I had gotten enough data off of C:, so I was GOING to delete it and make D: bigger. I didn't merge them, as this would include all of the corrupted data, and would probably cause other problems.
However, at the time, I didn't know Windows had written boot.ini and ntldr on C:, so I just deleted it without getting those files.
Now, the bootloader is messed up.
I tried fixmbr, fixboot, and bootcfg on the Windows install disk recovery console, but none of them worked.
D: does not have boot.ini or any other files needed for booting on it.I have recieved boot.ini, ntldr, and ntdetect from a friend that ripped it off a windows CD.
I was planning to put those on my hard DRIVE, and then run various commands on the Windows install CD to make them compatible with my specific disk configuration.
However, I've had problems getting them onto my hard drive.
I'm using various linux liveCDs to try and copy the files from a USB drive or a CD, but every distro has trouble with making my devices able to be written to and read from.
On DamnSmallLinux, it tells me that anything I try and use is read-only, so I can't even copy from it.
In a distro called Slax, it will let me copy the files off of the USB drive or CD, but it says my hard drive is read-only.
When I try and change the permissions, the process stalls.

Suggestions on how to fix this read-only problem, or how to fix my bootloader in another way would be very welcome.I hope you do realize that once the data is saved that both drives should be FORMATTED and Windows reinstalled on C.

Tell me again specifically what happens with a SLAX attempt - all error messages, did you password protgect any files, etc.Yes, I realize that once my files were saved I should have reformatted and reinstalled, but I didn't.

On the slax attempt, my hard drive is just considered read-only.
When I try to make it not read-only, the window that pops up and shows the status of the process stays at 0% and says "Stalled" below the bar.
I did not password protect any files, C is just considered read-only.What about a repair install of XP, and then applying SP2?

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

You may also have to take ownership of those folders.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

Is this a real XP installation? 95% of the SP1 only installs I have seen were bootlegged copies. Microsoft also no longer supports Windows with less than SP2. Maybe they booby trapped you?

Keep in mind that you may have defective hardware as well. I would check that HD pronto with free diagnostics from the drive maker's site.  It is a real XP installation, but one problem may be that I haven't activated it yet.
It's been around 15 days, but whenever I tried to activate it, the window that gives you the options on activation froze.

I'll try a repair install, and hopefully it will work.Keep us posted.  Hmm...
Strange.
There is no repair option on the install disk when I go into setup, agree with the licence, and make the partition I want to repair selected.Repair install of XP

patio.  8-)Thanks a whole lot, patio!
I'm going to try and copy the files from the CD like it said in that webpage. :-? :-? :-? :-?Thanks to you too, GX1.

But I'm having a bit of a problem still.
I have copied the files from the CD to C:, but boot.ini still is not working.
When I try and add my Windows installation to the loader via recovery mode>bootcfg /rebuild , it says it is unable to add the boot entry.
I tried editing it manually to tell it that my Windows installation is on the 2nd partition of my hard drive via MIDNIGHT Commander on the Slax liveCD, but it won't let me save.
And unfortunately, the XP install CD doesn't have a text editor.My  :-?  was about the notion of copying files from the CD to the hard drive.Oh.
Well, after one of the warnings in that link, it showed a method of copying the neccessary files from the CD to your hard drive through the recovery console..