How do you create a boot.ini file?

[Emily]

I am having computer issues (ahh!) and I'm getting
an "unmountable boot data" error. When I wrote my tech
support people they told me to follow the instructions in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base article number Q305595.
This tells me to move a couple files to a floppy disk
(did that, no problem) and then tells me to create a
boot.ini file or copy one from a computer that is running
Windows XP. I can't find this file anywhere on the
computer I'm currently using (which is running WinXP) and
I can't create it on my problem computer because it won't
boot up (hense why I'm having to do this). And on top of
that I don't know how to go about creating one since I
can't find one. Any help anyone could give me on this
would be greatly appreciated. I've been told I can just
reinstall Windows, but my most recent backup isn't recent
enough and I will lose some VERY VERY important data
related to my work that is irreplaceable.

[Lawrence]

First.... be careful messing with it... it is hyper important....

The boot.ini file is 'hidden'.... It is in the root directory of your
system....

Go to a command prompt:
1) Click Start, then Run, then type cmd in the field, and press enter.
2) You can find it using the DIRectory command.... by typing "dir
boot.ini/a:h" (w/out quotes)
(the "/a:h" part means to show hidden files. DIR won't see it otherwise...
Do "dir /?" to learn more about the dir command)
3) You can view the contents by typing "more boot.ini" (w/out the quotes)
(more /? for more on more... heh heh)

You can copy the file to a floppy, by putting a diskette in, and while at
the command prompt, typing "copy boot.ini a:\" (again w/out the quotes)
(do "copy /?" to learn more about that command - see the pattern?)

You can also view its contents by doing Start/then Run, and typing
"msconfig" in the field.... then click the Boot.ini tab.....

Be careful, don't mess with it if you don't know what to do.... otherwise,
you'll need goggles, and a snorkel, you be in it so deep.

Type exit, to leave the command prompt, and close the window.

Regards,
-Lawrence in Seattle



"Emily" > wrote in message
...
> I am having computer issues (ahh!) and I'm getting
> an "unmountable boot data" error. When I wrote my tech
> support people they told me to follow the instructions in
> the Microsoft Knowledge Base article number Q305595.
> This tells me to move a couple files to a floppy disk
> (did that, no problem) and then tells me to create a
> boot.ini file or copy one from a computer that is running
> Windows XP. I can't find this file anywhere on the
> computer I'm currently using (which is running WinXP) and
> I can't create it on my problem computer because it won't
> boot up (hense why I'm having to do this). And on top of
> that I don't know how to go about creating one since I
> can't find one. Any help anyone could give me on this
> would be greatly appreciated. I've been told I can just
> reinstall Windows, but my most recent backup isn't recent
> enough and I will lose some VERY VERY important data
> related to my work that is irreplaceable.