Had a self-inflicted system crash of my dual-boot Win 3.11 (DOS 6.22) (partition 1 C:\) and Win 2000 Professional (partition 2 D:/). Both operating systems are /were on the same HD and are in working order. Believe the problem is with my boot.ini file residing on C:\. It no longer contains the "instructions" for booting to the DOS based partition; I can only boot-up Windows 2000 Professional. Here is my boot.ini: [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)C:\="Microsoft Windows 3.11" /fastdetect The last line is my latest attempt at getting partition 1 OS to boot. I do get the screen to select which OS to boot, but only Win 2000 boots when selected or as default. I would be extremely grateful if someone could tell me what the last line(s) should be, if that in fact is the problem. Bottom line, how can I get back to where it was before the system crash? Both operating systems are on the same HD. Win 3.11, 1.99 GB, FAT, Healthy, Primary Partition (Partition 1) Win 2K Professional, 17.09 GB, NTFS, Healthy, Extended Partition Logical Drive (Partition 2). texlee

Have you tried? C:\ = "MS-DOS" instead of C:\="Microsoft Windows 3.11" /fastdetect CoffeeBreak

Hi CofeeBreak, I think the problem is not what you NAME it. I think it's getting tripped up by the multiblahblah. Here's mine: [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000" C:\="DOS" If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

Been a while since I was in this situation but... Presuming dos is still installed on c: (intact and still works if given the chance - i.e. to boot), run a W2K repair routine - fixmbr (fixboot won't hurt either - but isn't really necesary at this time). Run the repair routine from a CD boot (or the 4 floppies + CD); not from within recovery console etc... NT/W2K if they find a working dos based OS (win2x/3x'/9x etc...) will create (or recreate if needs-be) the necessary bootsect.dos, both during a fresh installation our via any standard repair routine; useful to remember that XP will "not" do this via any standard repair routine; only via an installation... Usually the situation is that a dos-based OS has gone in (after NT/W2K) and reset the previous W2K/NT mbr to a dos version; thus disabling W2K/NT... The fixmbr routine restores the mbr to W2K/NT version; the dos version mbr info is used to (re)create the bootset.dos. You "may" need to reset the mbr to a dos level initially.. (the usual sys c: routine from a dos boot-disk). But go the standard W2K fixboot routine first; it may do all that's necessary.... If you have (by chance...) a valid W2K ERD (one that was made when both dos/W2K were working) run the repair routine and use/offer up that ERD; the whole process will then do what's required. Regardless of whether or not you have a valid ERD - once you have the dual-boot again, make/renew the ERD accordingly... An ERD is the most overlooked (and very useful/valuable) item in any NT/W2K system..

Oooops... sorry - typo: "But go the standard W2K fixboot routine first; it may do all that's necessary...." should read: But go the standard W2K fixmbr routine first; it may do all that's necessary.... sorry about that...

texlee - did you sort this problem? the C:\="Dos" entry (text in "" can be anything) in boot.ini should do it, UNLESS the bootsector image file containing the dos 6.22 boot image has gone/is corrupt (its called bootsect.dos and should be in root of C:). If it is gone, you can recreate it using the instructions in the 'Repairing the Windows® XP Boot Loader' section on this page: http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_9x.htm

The Doug Knox routine would allow a manual recreation of a bootsect.dos...; but W2K repair routine will do it automatically (unlike the XP equivalent) as outlined earlier above...