More Awesome Than You!

Please help me, I'm tired, and I at least need to get the files off my laptop. It seems boot.ini ate it's self, and now my laptop is constantly displaying this;

It is also giving me a message when I try to use the windows installer cd by just having the disk in.
"Invalid boot.ini"

I found this article at Microsoft. (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330184) It's pretty much exactly my problem. I do what it says, but when I try bootcfg /list the disk can't find anything, and bootcfg /rebuild can only find the fucking Dell MediaDirect partition. This is useless. I guess a repair install would help, but I would like to hear what other people have to say about this before I do more stupid things. I'm going to try Dell tech support later.

 :(

You have a Dell? That's your problem, right there. ;) I take it you can't even do one of those disc-scan thingies, because Windows won't even start?

MEH!
Nope. If it helps my install of Windows is like two months old, it is Windows XP SP3 (slip streamed install).

Yeah, I'd go ahead and try the repair install. That's fixed a number of problems for me in the past. Then again, talking to Dell support could be helpful too (unlike me in this post).

I kind of knew I was asking for comments like that by going with Dell. :P I have to say though, the build quality is much better than my old Toshiba.

I've heard/read that their products are getting to be better quality, and they do actually have very good support (usually). They also seem to have a lot more upgrades available when ordering from them. I know several people who have Dells, who are perfectly happy with them.

*P&L at simsbaby*

Remember this? About SP3? But you were there for me, so I won't laugh as hard.  :D I had to restore from recovery discs I'd made.

I have no idae what a "MediaDirect" partition is, but that is not supposed to be a feature of a proper computer. Therefore, something is wrong right there. I suggest physically removing the hard drive, connecting it by adapter cable to another computer, dumping the files, and fdisk/reformatting the entire mess.

If the problem is just the boot.ini, you can try to edit it manually. Normally the boot.ini looks like this:

It's probable your disk layout was configured with this MediaDirect partition before the Windows partition. In that case you'd have to change the "partition(1)" bit to "partition(2)"

If you're not sure, just boot up one of those linux LiveCD, and they will probably have a nice utility for displaying the disk configuration (along with a text editor ;))

Often that's where they put the reinstall files these days. I've seen them named a variety of things. Many people don't get a physical CD or DVD anymore.

Eh? What if the hard disk is completely broken, then? No physical Windows CD to install in newly replaced HD? People have to buy Windoze again?  >:( That's atrocious, surely they paid for it when they bought their computer.

As long as the case has the serial number stuck on the outside, they can use any CD to install on a new HDD. It is just the inconvenience of not having one to hand for most. So they have to get the shop to do it. The shop would probably just put the pre-formated image back on. My ex is a techie and tells me these things.

When the HD went south under warranty on my Dell laptop, they sent a new (bigger :)) HD out with a Windows install CD.  Though as Witch pointed out, most mass market computers have the Windows serial number on a sticker somewhere now, so really, you can use any Windows install CD.

Thanks for all the help on this. I think I'm just going to get my stuff off, then format and reinstall Windoze XP SP2. I don't know if I'll put Dell MediaDirect back on. Even though it is not the direct cause of this problem, I never really used it and don't want to put up with it.

Can anyone recommend things I should do this time around? Programs I should have/install things I shouldn't install. Other forms of copy protection I should watch out for (I try to already use a NoCD.) Here is kind of a short list of things that are "must have" for me.

AVG 8 Free, Avast, Windows Defender (?)
DVD playing program (what works well and isn't bloated? I liked WinDVD 5.)
CCleaner
Daemon Tools
Firefox 2 with plugins, Thunderbird
Google Desktop (could live without, but it's nice to have)
iTunes (want to replace with something less bloated at some point)
Various Games  :P
That's not what Dell MediaDirect is, it's something extra that let's you start your computer up quickly. So without waiting for windows to load you can open files on your hard drive or watch a dvd. It is useful; I had this feature on my Toshiba and I know HP does it too. As far as the restore partition, I don't really know what came on that as I put a bigger hard drive in as soon as I got it.

Oh yes, apparently my laptop does that too. I could supposedly listen to music or watch a DVD without booting into Windoze. Never used it myself. The partition it wants on mine is only about 8MB so I let it be.

You're right, it was a restore partition I was talking about, I blew mine away when I upgraded from Vista to XP.

Oh and, I've always used WinAmp for music, not the latest version which is attempting to act like Media Player in its confusing new interface, but one of the older versions which looks like a stereo interface.

Ooh. I remember ye olde WinAmp. It was indeed quite shiny when I used it, worked well and easy to theme. I have an iPod (read ball and chain), so I probably will have to use the newer one, if it works with it at all.

I personally think you should update to Firefox 3.  :P

Uhh no? A lot of the plugins that make Firefox for me aren't available for Firefox 3 yet. My mom has no problem with 3 though, and she love how the new features work.

Well most themes work, as well as AdBlockPlus. Foxytunes works too. Actually most of the plug-ins work with Firefox 3. For the record, I'm using it to type this post.  8)

Well, I guess I should say that this is resolved more or less. I got Windows XP SP2 reinstalled, got my documents back, and I am going to get Dell to replace the touchpad and latch.