3 replies to this topic

[Virii]

Hello.

I recently added additional extended logical partitions, and also resized the partition I have Windows Vista installed to.

After rebooting, I'm receiving an error message about a missing or corrupt file.

File: \Windows\System32\winload.exe

I have messed up Windows installations in the past by messing around with the partitions, and sometimes like in XP it was simply just the disk/partition info in the boot.ini that needed correcting. With Vista, I have no idea if there's a way to manually change the boot info.

I'm currently using Grub4Dos as a boot manager to multi-boot WinVista, Linux, and FreeDOS.

Edited by Virii, 06 July 2011 - 03:11 AM.

[Virii]

For instance...

Would it be possible to edit the Vista boot loader from Linux?

No, I do not have a Vista install disc. No, I do not have a Vista recovery partition (anymore). No, this error is fatal, so there's no recovery/safe mode available.

[Wonko the Sane]

I recently added additional extended logical partitions, and also resized the partition I have Windows Vista installed to.

No, you did not.

You may have added one (single) extended partition and one (or more) logical volume(s) in it.

The above looks like I am picky (which is actually true ) but in this kind of things EXACT wording is vital.

Adding an extended partition and/or one or more logical volumes should NOT normally change drive order (and thus create the problem you posted.
As well resizing the primary, system partition does NOT normally change drive order.

Can you try to detail EXACTLY what changes you made and with which tools?

Unlike BOOT.INI (which is a plain text file), the \boot\BCD is a Registry hive and normally "specialized" tools are used.

Have you got some form of PE (2.x or 3.x is better, but even a 1.x may do)?

Tools to edit the \boot\BCD (NOT from Linux ) here:
http://reboot.pro/7476/

You can try using a Registry editing tool from Linux, but the internal format of the BCD is completely UNLIKE "human readable".
http://www.pogostick.../~pnh/ntpasswd/

No, I do not have a Vista install disc. No, I do not have a Vista recovery partition (anymore). No, this error is fatal, so there's no recovery/safe mode available.

Yes, unfortunately you are pretty much stuck.


Wonko

[Virii]

No, you did not.

You may have added one (single) extended partition and one (or more) logical volume(s) in it.

The above looks like I am picky (which is actually true ) but in this kind of things EXACT wording is vital.

I used the Linux program Gparted for all the partitioning. What I had done was "recreate" the extended partition to use the remainder of the 1TB drive disc space, so I would not have to create one large primary. I use a second hdd for the Linux swap-file, and Windows paging file. When I "moved" the Linux partition with Gparted, and resized the Windows partition with Gparted, Linux reported the disks differently. '/dev/sdb' became '/dev/sda', and vice-versa. Don't ask me why...

Have you got some form of PE (2.x or 3.x is better, but even a 1.x may do)?

Tools to edit the \boot\BCD (NOT from Linux ) here:
http://reboot.pro/7476/

You can try using a Registry editing tool from Linux, but the internal format of the BCD is completely UNLIKE "human readable".
http://www.pogostick.../~pnh/ntpasswd/

No, I do not have any PE discs. I have an old copy of XP somewhere, but it seems a bit much to build a PE disc from it. Thanks for the Linux links though.

I eventually found this though: NeoSmart's Vista recovery disk

It worked like a charm. Thanks for your time Wonko.

Edited by Virii, 07 July 2011 - 03:55 AM.