Prev: Adding Four USB Hub to Dell D600 Laptop
Next: Acer Aspire One 532 - continually losing date / time settings = a lemon?
From: dwn on 3 Apr 2010 23:00

I have two problems and need suggestions and help.

First, my used T30, I tried to repartition it using Partition Magic.
PM unable to read the "C" drive and it quit. Using PM again I was
able to see the WinXP Pro and the hidden Recovery sectors. Is
there a way to repartition the 40GB to "C" -30GB and "D" -10GB?

Second problems, I tried recovery by holding the F1 key during startup
and it show missing "NTLDR". Using another laptop, I replaced the
missing file to a latest "NTLDR", to i386 folder. Still no good. I believe
the missing or corrupted "NTLDR" is in the hidden sector.

The Thinkpad is running very slow, need to cleanup to Factory condition
and at the same time repartition the drive. Thanks for your help.


From: BillW50 on 4 Apr 2010 07:47
In news:hp8vbk030eu(a)news7.newsguy.com,
dwn typed on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 20:00:04 -0700:
> I have two problems and need suggestions and help.
>
> First, my used T30, I tried to repartition it using Partition Magic.
> PM unable to read the "C" drive and it quit. Using PM again I was
> able to see the WinXP Pro and the hidden Recovery sectors. Is
> there a way to repartition the 40GB to "C" -30GB and "D" -10GB?
>
> Second problems, I tried recovery by holding the F1 key during startup
> and it show missing "NTLDR". Using another laptop, I replaced the
> missing file to a latest "NTLDR", to i386 folder. Still no good. I
> believe the missing or corrupted "NTLDR" is in the hidden sector.
>
> The Thinkpad is running very slow, need to cleanup to Factory
> condition and at the same time repartition the drive. Thanks for your
> help.

First of all, Partition Magic hasn't been updated in many years. And I
wouldn't trust it on any system say 8 years or newer. Both Paragon and
EASEUS offer free partitioning software which would be much better to
use.

Secondly, when Windows XP reports NTLDR is missing. that isn't actually
what that error means per se. As it could be there, but on another
partition or something and Windows can't find it. As for Windows XP to
start, it requires the following:

1) Track 0, sector 0 of the HDD must have a MBR

2) On the active primary partition (there can be only one and you can
select which one is active with partitioning software, boot managers,
FDISK, etc.)

3) The active primary partition must have the following files:

ntldr
NTDETECT.COM
Boot.ini

If one of the three files is missing, it often reports that ntldr is
missing. And Boot.ini is editable and points to the drive and partition
where Windows could be found and booted from. Microsoft OS isn't alone
here. As all PC 32-bit OS needs these loaders to load the code to switch
the processor from 16-bit mode to 32-bit mode. That is because all
standard PC BIOS starts the processor in 16-bit mode for backward
compatibility for 16-bit OS like MS-DOS. And btw, MS-DOS could and has
been used as a loader as well. Such as it was in Windows 3.1, W9x, and
ME.

So when you take a functioning XP system and mess around and change the
active partition, delete the recovery partition, or boot partition, you
end up with boot problems and NTLDR errors. But with the right software
tools, this can be easily fixed. So you need those three files on the
active primary partition and not just on any primary partition. You
could have these files on all primary partitions if you wanted to, then
it wouldn't matter which one was set as active. As the results would be
the same anyway.

So that is all to it. The only other tricky part is editing the Boot.ini
file to the right drive and partition Windows is installed on. And that
isn't really hard at all. And there are software utilities out there
that will create Boot.ini from scratch. There is even one on the Windows
XP install disc.

If you have any other questions, just ask.

--
Bill
Gateway MX6124 ('06 era) 1 of 3 - Windows XP SP2


From: Barry Watzman on 4 Apr 2010 08:13
Partition Magic 8 is fine for systems running Windows XP.


BillW50 wrote:
> In news:hp8vbk030eu(a)news7.newsguy.com,
> dwn typed on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 20:00:04 -0700:
>> I have two problems and need suggestions and help.
>>
>> First, my used T30, I tried to repartition it using Partition Magic.
>> PM unable to read the "C" drive and it quit. Using PM again I was
>> able to see the WinXP Pro and the hidden Recovery sectors. Is
>> there a way to repartition the 40GB to "C" -30GB and "D" -10GB?
>>
>> Second problems, I tried recovery by holding the F1 key during startup
>> and it show missing "NTLDR". Using another laptop, I replaced the
>> missing file to a latest "NTLDR", to i386 folder. Still no good. I
>> believe the missing or corrupted "NTLDR" is in the hidden sector.
>>
>> The Thinkpad is running very slow, need to cleanup to Factory
>> condition and at the same time repartition the drive. Thanks for your
>> help.
>
> First of all, Partition Magic hasn't been updated in many years. And I
> wouldn't trust it on any system say 8 years or newer. Both Paragon and
> EASEUS offer free partitioning software which would be much better to
> use.
>
> Secondly, when Windows XP reports NTLDR is missing. that isn't actually
> what that error means per se. As it could be there, but on another
> partition or something and Windows can't find it. As for Windows XP to
> start, it requires the following:
>
> 1) Track 0, sector 0 of the HDD must have a MBR
>
> 2) On the active primary partition (there can be only one and you can
> select which one is active with partitioning software, boot managers,
> FDISK, etc.)
>
> 3) The active primary partition must have the following files:
>
> ntldr
> NTDETECT.COM
> Boot.ini
>
> If one of the three files is missing, it often reports that ntldr is
> missing. And Boot.ini is editable and points to the drive and partition
> where Windows could be found and booted from. Microsoft OS isn't alone
> here. As all PC 32-bit OS needs these loaders to load the code to switch
> the processor from 16-bit mode to 32-bit mode. That is because all
> standard PC BIOS starts the processor in 16-bit mode for backward
> compatibility for 16-bit OS like MS-DOS. And btw, MS-DOS could and has
> been used as a loader as well. Such as it was in Windows 3.1, W9x, and
> ME.
>
> So when you take a functioning XP system and mess around and change the
> active partition, delete the recovery partition, or boot partition, you
> end up with boot problems and NTLDR errors. But with the right software
> tools, this can be easily fixed. So you need those three files on the
> active primary partition and not just on any primary partition. You
> could have these files on all primary partitions if you wanted to, then
> it wouldn't matter which one was set as active. As the results would be
> the same anyway.
>
> So that is all to it. The only other tricky part is editing the Boot.ini
> file to the right drive and partition Windows is installed on. And that
> isn't really hard at all. And there are software utilities out there
> that will create Boot.ini from scratch. There is even one on the Windows
> XP install disc.
>
> If you have any other questions, just ask.
>
From: BillW50 on 4 Apr 2010 08:44
In news:hp9vp3$m6d$2(a)news.eternal-september.org,
Barry Watzman typed on Sun, 04 Apr 2010 08:13:20 -0400:
> Partition Magic 8 is fine for systems running Windows XP.

I don't think this is so for newer hardware even running Windows XP. As
the newer hardware (especially controllers) and BIOS does things that
Partition Magic 8 doesn't expect and I have seen problems. Also drives
are larger nowadays and are larger than what PM8 was designed to handle.
So again, I have seen problems here too.

Also PM8 and earlier versions of PM, has lots of problems cloning a
drive to an USB external drive. As like when taking this drive and using
it as an internal drive. Say when you buy a new larger drive to replace
your older and smaller drive in a laptop. Oh it will usually work, but
once you place the drive and use internally, PM will either disallow
working with this drive and report the geometry is unknown. Or it will
work with it and really mess it up pretty badly. Meaning the partition
tables and/or files and folders will become corrupt.

--
Bill
Gateway MX6124 ('06 era) 1 of 3 - Windows XP SP2


From: dwn dwn on 4 Apr 2010 11:21
On Sun, 4 Apr 2010 06:47:17 -0500, "BillW50" <BillW50(a)aol.kom> wrote:

.......Snip

>First of all, Partition Magic hasn't been updated in many years. And I
>wouldn't trust it on any system say 8 years or newer. Both Paragon and
>EASEUS offer free partitioning software which would be much better to
>use.

OK understand. I have not partition the "C" drive, only attempt to partition.
>
>Secondly, when Windows XP reports NTLDR is missing. that isn't actually
>what that error means per se. As it could be there, but on another
>partition or something and Windows can't find it. As for Windows XP to
>start, it requires the following:
>
>1) Track 0, sector 0 of the HDD must have a MBR
>
>2) On the active primary partition (there can be only one and you can
>select which one is active with partitioning software, boot managers,
>FDISK, etc.)
>
>3) The active primary partition must have the following files:
>
>ntldr
>NTDETECT.COM
>Boot.ini

Found NTDETECT.COM and ntldr in C:\windows\servicePackFiles\i386
cannot find Boot.ini anywhere, and that including my other laptop Dell D600.

>If one of the three files is missing, it often reports that ntldr is
>missing. And Boot.ini is editable and points to the drive and partition
>where Windows could be found and booted from. Microsoft OS isn't alone
>here. As all PC 32-bit OS needs these loaders to load the code to switch
>the processor from 16-bit mode to 32-bit mode. That is because all
>standard PC BIOS starts the processor in 16-bit mode for backward
>compatibility for 16-bit OS like MS-DOS. And btw, MS-DOS could and has
>been used as a loader as well. Such as it was in Windows 3.1, W9x, and
>ME.
>
>So when you take a functioning XP system and mess around and change the
>active partition, delete the recovery partition, or boot partition, you
>end up with boot problems and NTLDR errors. But with the right software
>tools, this can be easily fixed. So you need those three files on the
>active primary partition and not just on any primary partition. You
>could have these files on all primary partitions if you wanted to, then
>it wouldn't matter which one was set as active. As the results would be
>the same anyway.

>So that is all to it. The only other tricky part is editing the Boot.ini
>file to the right drive and partition Windows is installed on. And that
>isn't really hard at all. And there are software utilities out there
>that will create Boot.ini from scratch. There is even one on the Windows
>XP install disc.
>
>If you have any other questions, just ask.

The used T30 came with the drive completely wiped clean. I fried the drive
while testing it. Replaced it with a same capacity, Preinstalled Win XP PRO
with Recovery sector. I also purchased a set of Recovery CD.

Somewhere along the ways, I deleted the Preloaded Virus protection to MS
Security Essentials. I must have done something to slow the T30 to a crawling
speed. I decided, it's time to clean install it to factory condition and add a
10Gb partition "D" drive after clean installation. I have done countless
formatting and clean installation Win98SE desktop. A few times on Dell D600 XP
PRO. T30 is so much different from my past experiences. I don't have the
Recovery CD with me now and need the drive's Recovery to re-install to factory
condition.

Now, for a start where can I find the Boot.ini, could the Recovery sector
corrupted? I will start searching for the software in the web after posting
this.

Thanks a million.



 |  Next  |  Last
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5
Prev: Adding Four USB Hub to Dell D600 Laptop
Next: Acer Aspire One 532 - continually losing date / time settings = a lemon?