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Modifying boot.ini file

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by daniel

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I had previously removed NT 4.0 Server from my C: partition and NT Workstation from my D: partition, leaving only Windows 98 on my E: partion. However, during bootup, I was still given the choice to select NT Server 4.0, NT Workstation 4.0, or Windows 98.

After deciding to edit the boot.ini file on the C: partion, by removing the four lines relating to NT Server and Workstation, leaving only Windows 98, I get a message NTOSKRNL file is not found or is corrupt. I had backed up the boot.ini file on the C: partition, but am unable to make any changes through DOS. I am assuming NT does not allow you to access those files through another operating system.

Is there any easy fix so I can access Windows 98 on my E: partition? (Thats myprimary goal) I believe C: is an NTFS partition, although I had erased the ERD disks a long time ago.

Thanks,
Dan

12 replies

by army45

From dos, just type Edit boot.ini, this will let you edit the boot.ini file.

by tjc

You can not access information on an NTFS partition from a dos boot disk, I suggest that you install this drive in another computer as slave and boot up that comtpuer that hopefully has a ntfs installed on it and then edit the boot.ini file and go from there.

by mrvalko

Did you remove Read only attribute of Boot.ini ?

Attempt 1: Make current E: partition active with FDISK. In this way boot process will start from it, not from current c: . Copy required startup files for win98 to old e: .Your drive letters will change, some programs will not work. But you can start win 98.
Attemp 2: If you can edit boot.ini without NT, C: is not NTFS. Make sure in c: you have the file BOOTSECT.DOS. if you have deleted any partition, correct drive letter in boot.ini "E?:\="Microsoft Windows 98""
try 3 :If you don't need NT, format first partition in FAT ( you will lose data ) or convert it with PartitionMagic. Then issue "sys c:" from Win98 system diskette. copy required Win98 startup files to c:

by will shakespeare

If you want a quick workaround to access W98, try downloading BootIT NG from Terrabyte: http://www.bootitng.com/

Once installed, it will automatically serach for any system files, and seeing as W98 is installed on your drive, it will give you an option to boot to it... Easy to install and use. Can do so much more as well.

:)

by joseph moore

Sounds like the machine is still trying to boot to the NT installs.
When you "the four lines relating to NT Server and Workstation, leaving only Windows 98" did you change the default= line to point to your Win98 install? Perhaps one of the NT installs is the default one, and that is the one it is using. With NT removed,no NTOSKRNL.EXE file for it to boot with, so that is why you get the error.
You can set up a DOS boot floppy with the NTFS drivers. Get NTFS4DOS from www.sysinternals.com. Those drivers will let you view a NTFS partition from DOS.
I would then edit the boot.ini file to make sure it is pointing to the right disk/partition of your Win98 install.

by joseph moore

Edit the boot.ini in the default= line and in the lower [operating systems] section to both properly point to the Win98 install.

Hope this helps.

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