Computre Troubles

[KH-Cloudy]

My other (good) computer has problems. It's a Windows XP Pro. It says boot filename is missing and it doesnt goto that windows xp load screen any help?!?

[Yamaneko]

Sounds like your boot.ini file is missing from C:\. Without it POST doesn't know where to look for your OS.

From the Windows support site:

To resolve this issue, start the computer from the Windows XP CD, start the Recovery Console, and then use the Bootcfg.exe tool to rebuild the Boot.ini file. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Configure the computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For information about how to do this, see your computer documentation, or contact your computer manufacturer.
2. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer.
3. When you receive the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.
4. When you receive the "Welcome to Setup" message, press R to start the Recovery Console.
5. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you have to use from the Recovery Console.
6. When you are prompted, type the administrator password, and then press ENTER.
7. At the command prompt, type bootcfg /list, and then press ENTER. The entries in your current Boot.ini file appear on the screen.
8. At the command prompt, type bootcfg /rebuild, and then press ENTER. This command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows NT installations, and then displays the results. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to add the Windows installations to the Boot.ini file. For example, follow these steps to add a Windows XP installation to the Boot.ini file:
a. When you receive a message that is similar to the following message, press Y:
Total Identified Windows Installs: 1

[1] C:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
b. You receive a message that is similar to the following message:
Enter Load Identifier
This is the name of the operating system. When you receive this message, type the name of your operating system, and then press ENTER. This is either Microsoft Windows XP Professional or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.
c. You receive a message that is similar to the following:
Enter OS Load options
When you receive this message, type /fastdetect, and then press ENTER.

Note The instructions that appear on your screen may be different, depending on the configuration of your computer.
9. Type exit, and then press ENTER to quit Recovery Console. Your computer restarts, and the updated boot list appears when you receive the "Please select the operating system to start" message.
Is that the specific error you get?

[KH-Cloudy]

yeah thanks =)

[rubah]

yeah and what if it's OEM and you don't HAVE a cd. Punx.

[KH-Cloudy]

Hmm my brother let his friend borrow the cd...DAMN

[Peegee]

yeah and what if it's OEM and you don't HAVE a cd. Punx.

Don't ever get OEM

[Mirage]

Just get a pirated CD then. Doesn't matter because it won't go online, nor will it ever require you to enter a CD key.

[Sylvie]

Pirated CDs fucked my Dads old computer up really bad. He couldn't update Windows with it or anything.

[KH-Cloudy]

...my brother doesnt have the Windows XP Disk..........DAMNIT!

[Mirage]

Pirated CDs smurfed my Dads old computer up really bad. He couldn't update Windows with it or anything.
First, it didn't smurf his computer, he simply hadn't paid for Windows, and Windowsupdate is only for those tho has paid for it.

Second, you're not installing Windows from that pirated CD, and even if you did, it'd work if you used a valid product key. You pay for a license to use Windows, and the product key is used to check whether or not you've paid for the license. The media on which the OS is installed from doesn't really matter.

And Cloudy, you already told us your brother had lent it to a friend.

[Yamaneko]

yeah and what if it's OEM and you don't HAVE a cd. Punx.

Don't ever get OEM
Most people don't have a choice.

I think it's possible to download the Recovery Console onto a floppy and boot off that. Might want to check the Windows support site.

[rubah]

yeah and what if it's OEM and you don't HAVE a cd. Punx.

Don't ever get OEM
Most people don't have a choice.

I think it's possible to download the Recovery Console onto a floppy and boot off that. Might want to check the Windows support site.
The thing about telling me not to get OEM is that it's just about five years too late.

[KH-Cloudy]

My brother told me he didnt lent it to his friend, it was his friends not his..and i might have to buy the cd..

EDIT:How did this problem occur anyways?

[Samuraid]

On the contrary, XP OEM CDs are the only way to go. They are exactly the same as retail CDs with the exception of the nice packaging, some install conventions, and the registration code printed on the manual instead of on a sticker.

[Endless]

First, it didn't smurf his computer, he simply hadn't paid for Windows, and Windowsupdate is only for those tho has paid for it.

Or people who know what they're doing ;)

[Yamaneko]

Yes, cracked .dll files are fun. ;)

The address bar trick doesn't work anymore.