I have Windows Me. My HD is partioned into 2 C:\(Windows Me) and D:\. I get 2 options when i boot Microsoft Windows(Windows Me) Windows Default(Just Crashes) can anyone help so that my boot.ini has Windows Me as my default. [boot loader] timeout=30 [operating systems] C:\="Microsoft Windows"

try this boot ini [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect C:\="Microsoft Windows" its from my computer. and if that dont work read the rest and try the links. When you reinstalled ME you rewrote the Master Boot Record. Now your system only recognizes that ME is installed. To get your dual boot system back you will need to boot to the XP cd and enter the recovery console (you will need the administrator password to do this). When you get to a command prompt in the Recovery Console type: fixboot c: and hit enter. This should rewrite the bootloader and your system will recognize the XP partition. The MSKB is being "revamped" and "upgraded" right now... but I did find this article about the Recovery console that may be of use to you if you are not familiar with it: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q307654 I have dual boot systems of ME & XP. I had to reinstall ME & have lost that operating system choice window for booting ME or XP, & now ME boots up as a single operating system... I thought that one day this may happen, so I did back-up my BOOT.INI file prior to the reinstall... ***Is there a way to use the backed-up BOOT.INI file to repair the dual-boot? (tried putting it back under C:/BOOT.INI, but didn't work...) thanks for any advice! Report Offensive Message For Removal Response Number 1 Name: §øù£§tãçè Date: November 09, 2002 at 08:05:59 Pacific Subject: Lost dual-boot window. Reply: Make sure the file is not read-only. Go to C:\ and in folder options check "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck "Hide Protected OS files". Then right-click on boot.ini and go to properties. Make sure the read-only box is unchecked. Restore boot.ini to its previous state. If it still doesn't work, you may have to reinstall XP. Someone else may know an easier method however... from 2000 forum Go to Command Prompt (Win2k) or DOS Prompt (Win9x) type in root directory: attrib boot.ini -r -h -s now you can edit the file BUT, if you're unsure, try not to play with these settings, you're better off using the properties sheet from "My Computer". If you make a mistake in boot.ini file, you can actually stop your computer from booting, both to Win9x and Win2k Multibooting with Windows XP http://windows.about.com/gi/dynamic...2Fmultiboot.asp http://www.ultratech-llc.com/KB/?File=BootMgr.TXT http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/...d/multiboot.asp http://www.pcclubaid.net/reviews/ar...xpdualboot.html ------ Selecting Operating System dual booting XP . keys/Advanced tab , in the "Startup and Recovery" section click on the button then select the Default operating system . ------ How do I install Windows® 98/Me after I've installed XP? (without 3rd party software) http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_9x.htm http://www.wown.info/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm http://www.wown.info/j_helmig/wxppasr.htm courtesy of Jo Helmig at: http://www.wown.com aka http://www.helmig.com http://www.pcqanda.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=50280&forum=computer http://www.pcqanda.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=49677&forum=computer The question is, can you still access that partition? If you are using FAT32, then you should be able to access the partition that Windows XP is on from within WinME. If NTFS, it won't be assigned a drive letter. I'd be leery of letting Norton fix it, if you can still access the partition. If you cannot, then you probably have little to lose by trying. If the partition is NTFS, I would just attempt to repair Windows XP. Boot with the Windows XP CD, and start the recovery console and use the fixboot command. Your boot files should still be intact, in the root of drive C: so if it's just the bootsector that has been overwritten and the Windows XP partition is still accessible, then the fixboot command should do the trick. http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm If you need to start the recovery console, download the Windows XP setup boot disk creating executable from Microsoft. Run it to make the Windows XP setup boot disk set. I think you'll need 7 floppies if I recall. If you boot with this set, you can start the recovery console in the same manner. Q310944 - Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks You've lost more than your dual boot, your hard disk has suddenly become unbootable. First of all, see if the hard disk is still being recognized by the bios. Enter your bios setup, and see if it is still being listed (may be set to "auto" in which case you should be seeing it detected as the PC boots up). It might be just as easy to boot up with a WinME startup disk, and see if you can access the C: partition (note: if you can't... WinME startup disk will assign C: to the Ramdrive) Oops, it's a Compaq. Entering the bios setup may not tell you anything... I've yet to see a Compaq that has any configuration options for hard disks. They either autodetect or they don't. Your compaq computer would likely be giving you a message if the hard disk was not present during initialization. If you can access the hard disk, boot with the Windows XP CD and start the recovery console. Run chkdsk. Use the fixmbr command and then the fixboot command. If your boot files are still intact, that should make the hard disk bootable again. If you cannot access the hard disk, or it's not being seen by the bios, open up the case and check the data ribbon connections on both ends, and check the power connector to see that it hasn't come loose (unlikely). It is entirely possible that your hard disk has failed, but it is too soon to say anything like that. P.S. If you've forgotten the details of how to use the WinXP recovery console... http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm How to Repair the Boot Sector: If XP won't start it may be due to a damaged boot sector or a missing or corrupt ntldr or ntdetect.com files. To replace damaged ntldr and ntdetect.com you can copy fresh files from the XP CD using the COPY command. Boot with the XP CD and enter the Recovery Console (as above). At the Command Prompt type the following (where "X" is your CD-Rom drive letter) allowing the files to overwrite the old files COPY X:\i386\NTLDR C: COPY X:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C: To repair a damaged Boot Sector at the command prompt type FIXBOOT and press Enter. Then answer "Y" How to Repair the Boot Sector: If XP won't start it may be due to a damaged boot sector or a missing or corrupt ntldr or ntdetect.com files. To replace damaged ntldr and ntdetect.com you can copy fresh files from the XP CD using the COPY command. Boot with the XP CD and enter the Recovery Console (as above). At the Command Prompt type the following (where "X" is your CD-Rom drive letter) allowing the files to overwrite the old files COPY X:\i386\NTLDR C: COPY X:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C: To repair a damaged Boot Sector at the command prompt type FIXBOOT and press Enter. Then answer "Y" How to access the Recovery Console: The Recovery Console is a set of tools which run from a Command prompt. If your system is formatted as NTFS then these tools can help you manage the partition. You can learn more about the Recovery Console through Help and Support or Click here for information about the different commands and their functions . The Recovery Console can be run from a Command Prompt by going to Start->Run and enter "CMD" to open a command window. Type HELP for a list of functions. To run the Recovery Console from CD boot with the Windows XP CD (or with the optional 6 floppy disk set) and select "R" at the Welcome Screen. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307654 http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/30687.html

Since you don't mention wanting to run XP my advice is much shorter. Make a ME boot diskette. Copy sys.com to it. Boot up on it and run fdisk/mbr. This will assure us your master boot record is correct. Then "sys c:". This will assure us you have the correct versions of msdos.sys, io.sys and command.com. Your system should not stop at a boot menu anymore but go straight into ME. You can then delete any files associated with multiboot like ntdetect, ntldr, boot.ini, etc.