boot.ini missing - but I did recovery!

[Gary M]

I have an XP home PC that had quite a few viruses, including a boot virus.

I have managed to get all of the viruses off (except for the boot.ini), and
tried to create a new boot.ini file by going thru windows recovery.

I went thru the attrib commands, then attempted to delete the boot.ini, did
the bootcfg /rebuild and then fixboot.
nothing indicated that it did not work.

BUT - when I boot up, I get the error that it could not find the boot.ini
file now.

the only thing I noticed funny is that when I got to the dos screen and
typed CD.. it said it did not recognize the command, but I just typed del
c:\boot.ini, etc, to get around it.

other than that, all the steps seemed to go fine.

the PC boots up OK, runs okay, I have installed antivirus on it now, finds
no viruses.

what else can I look at?

gary

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

See below.

"Gary M" > wrote in message
...
> I have an XP home PC that had quite a few viruses, including a boot virus.

Bad news. If this was my PC then I would rebuild it - it is
badly compromised.

> I have managed to get all of the viruses off (except for the boot.ini),

Getting all viruses off is one thing. Repairing the damage
they caused is another.
Boot.ini is not a virus. It is an important boot file.

> and tried to create a new boot.ini file by going thru windows recovery.
>
> I went thru the attrib commands, then attempted to delete the boot.ini,
did
> the bootcfg /rebuild and then fixboot.
> nothing indicated that it did not work.
>
> BUT - when I boot up, I get the error that it could not find the boot.ini
> file now.
>
> the only thing I noticed funny is that when I got to the dos screen and
> typed CD.. it said it did not recognize the command, but I just typed del
> c:\boot.ini, etc, to get around it.

When you say "DOS", do you mean the Recovery Console?

> other than that, all the steps seemed to go fine.

Good luck!

> the PC boots up OK, runs okay, I have installed antivirus on it now, finds
> no viruses.

Where have you been? Viruses have been around for 15 years, yet
you run a PC without virus protection software?

> what else can I look at?
>
> gary

If you insist then you can keep on using your machine without
rebuilding it. I wouldn't. You can restore boot.ini in the following
way:
1. Click Start / Run / notepad c:\boot.ini {OK}
2. Paste these lines into notepad:
Line1 [boot loader]
Line2 timeout=30
Line3 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOW S
Line4 [operating systems]
Line5 multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
3. Remove the word "LineX" from each line. It's only there to
show you where each line starts. Line5 is a very long line!

[gary]

where have I been?
working on a friends PC who removed their antivirus. yes they shouldnt
have, and beleive me I have explained to them that was not a very good idea.
they asked me to try to save it without formatting it, so that is what I am
trying to do.

I am quite aware that boot.ini is not a virus. yes, when I said DOS I meant
the screen while in the recovery window.
I apoligize if I was not clear enough
my issue is that after deleting the boot.ini file and going thru the
suggested steps from the ms website to recreate it I get an error saying it
is missing.

I will try what you have suggested.

I also would prefer wiping it and setting it up again from scratch, goodness
knows after removing all the software that comes packaged with a new PC they
usually run faster, but they have asked me to save it, as they do not know
where any of their disks are.

thanks for your suggestions.

gary



"Pegasus (MVP)" > wrote in message
...
> See below.
>
> "Gary M" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I have an XP home PC that had quite a few viruses, including a boot
>> virus.
>
> Bad news. If this was my PC then I would rebuild it - it is
> badly compromised.
>
>> I have managed to get all of the viruses off (except for the boot.ini),
>
> Getting all viruses off is one thing. Repairing the damage
> they caused is another.
> Boot.ini is not a virus. It is an important boot file.
>
>> and tried to create a new boot.ini file by going thru windows recovery.
>>
>> I went thru the attrib commands, then attempted to delete the boot.ini,
> did
>> the bootcfg /rebuild and then fixboot.
>> nothing indicated that it did not work.
>>
>> BUT - when I boot up, I get the error that it could not find the boot.ini
>> file now.
>>
>> the only thing I noticed funny is that when I got to the dos screen and
>> typed CD.. it said it did not recognize the command, but I just typed del
>> c:\boot.ini, etc, to get around it.
>
> When you say "DOS", do you mean the Recovery Console?
>
>> other than that, all the steps seemed to go fine.
>
> Good luck!
>
>> the PC boots up OK, runs okay, I have installed antivirus on it now,
>> finds
>> no viruses.
>
> Where have you been? Viruses have been around for 15 years, yet
> you run a PC without virus protection software?
>
>> what else can I look at?
>>
>> gary
>
> If you insist then you can keep on using your machine without
> rebuilding it. I wouldn't. You can restore boot.ini in the following
> way:
> 1. Click Start / Run / notepad c:\boot.ini {OK}
> 2. Paste these lines into notepad:
> Line1 [boot loader]
> Line2 timeout=30
> Line3 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOW S
> Line4 [operating systems]
> Line5 multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
> Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
> 3. Remove the word "LineX" from each line. It's only there to
> show you where each line starts. Line5 is a very long line!
>
>