# Invalid BOOT.INI file, Booting from c:\windows\, NTDETECT failed



## CD27 (Apr 12, 2007)

Just as the title says, i'm having yet another problem with my computer. So here's the drift: remember my laptop (the dv6433cl HP Pavilion) that i was trying to get Vista off of since it totally sucks? Okay, well, before i had bought a $400 HP Compaq Pavilion desktop which came with XP. What i decided to do was fix up this laptop and give it to my little brother for Christmas and give the desktop to my grandpa. My grandpa is currently using a Gateway desktop with Windows ME, less than 512 MB Ram, and 10 Gigs Storage memory...it sucks, yeah.

So i was gonna do all this for them for Christmas. The desktop is absolutely fine, but my little brother was using it and i can't do a destructive repair to set it back to factory settings for my grandpa until i get my brother's stuff off of it. In order to do that i need this laptop to work correctly. SOOO....i went and got a copy of Windows Media Center Edition (XP) to put on it. The problem i had before was that i couldn't find the drivers for XP. That problem is fixable and my brother knows a few IT's here that can help him get that (I'm leaving for Japan in a few days and won't be around to help), but i want him to at least have a half-way working laptop to work with.

So i installed MS MCE and that worked fine, but when i boot it up it gives me this error directly after the main bootup screen (the first screen you see when you turn your computer on):

Invalid BOOT.INI file
Booting from c:\windows\
NTDETECT failed

...and it does and automatic reboot, which brings up the error again and does the reboot again and just goes in that circle until i either put the install cd back in or i press f10 to go to the bios. It'll install, but not boot. So, it's definately the boot.ini file, DUH, but i don't know what to do to FIX this problem...i've never run into it before. The install cd works, that SHOULD fix the problem. I did a full scandisk and got strait PASS on everything, so the hard disk itself is fine, but it just won't boot. I don't have time to sit here and go back and forth like i usually would to fix it...and i assure you, i could fix it if i did have the time, but i don't, i've only got a few days and i'll be gone.

Again, the specs for this laptop are the following:

Model #: DV6433CL
HDD: SATA (disabled in bios) 160 GIGS
RAM: 2 GIGS
Processor: 2 GIGS

I'm sure you can get more info on this particular computer if you went to www.hp.com and typed in DV6433CL. I wouldn't usually make this request, i have before but that was in another important respect, but i SERIOUSLY don't have the time to wait till tomorrow and the day after and ect. for a response on this forum, so i'm leaving my personal cell phone number for anyone who wants to help (don't worry, i'm not worried about any prank calls b/c i'll be changing plans and phone numbers when i change my military command ) that can assist me. I'll accept calls at any time that's available to you tonight. If you wake me up from sleep i don't care, i need the help, just call if you can. I will check this thread again in the morning, but i'd much rather you called the following cell phone number if you can (It's Verizon so it's free for all who have the same company). I would greatly appreciate it and i know that i'd be able to get it solved a great deal faster by phone than by web.

(850) 375-6679

PLEASE call that number if you can help...my little brother's Christmas present depends on it! 

God Bless and In Him,

Eric Wright


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## justpassingby (Mar 11, 2007)

Hi Eric !

Follow these instructions from Microsoft :
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;330184&x=7&y=16

When you run bootcfg /rebuild, enter "Windows XP Media Center Edition" instead of "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" as the load identifier.


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## belli88 (Oct 20, 2008)

im having a similar problem, i have a gateway profile 4.
it was working fine this morning, all of a sudden it froze so i restarted it, when i tried turning it back on it when to the usual start up but instead of booting u it gave me invalid boot then it said booting from c:/windows and then it just restarted


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## justpassingby (Mar 11, 2007)

Hi belli88 and welcome to TSF !

Grab a retail XP CD (borrow one from a friend), boot on the CD, press 'R' at the first installation screen to access the recovery console and at the c:\windows\ command prompt type chkdsk c: /R. Wait until the scan finishes (will take some time) then retry to start normally and see how that goes. If it didn't work then follow these instructions : http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;330184&x=7&y=16


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## palacide (Aug 12, 2009)

I'm having a problem with boot.ini.

I have a Toshiba Tecra M2 laptop with Windows XP Pro SP3. The problem started when I set the computer to hibernate. I use hibernate a lot without any problems. When I booted the computer, it showed the error screen with Invalid BOOT.INI file, NTDETECT failed. I'm actually lucky I was able to read the error screen because the words show up only for an instant, then the computer _immediately_ reboots. The computer is in an endless loop of boot up, error screen, reboot, error screen, etc. I never even reach a choice of going into safe mode or anything like that.

I have tried using the recovery console on the XP cd.  I have done chkdsk /r multiple times. It corrected errors the first time, but no more errors since. I have tried rebuilding the boot.ini file by following http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=k...30184&x=7&y=16 . 

The rebuild hasn't worked. I've tried it three times already. However, one thing that is strange is that when I did bootcfg/ list the first time, it showed the following under load options: "OS Load Options: /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn". I'm not sure what this /NoExecute=OptIn thing is, but I have tried rebuilds that have both included it and not included it.

I have not installed anything new, unless Windows update did something behind my back. This is not a dual boot system. Like I said, I use hibernate a lot, almost every day, without any problems.

Please help. Thanks.


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## jimrockford (May 16, 2008)

IT seems this is some kind on boot sector virus as far as i have been able to figure out. i have been fighting this problem for the past 2 weeks. after i installed a new HD and it showed up on the new HD i figured it must be in the BIOS. It take control of the registry, disables IE, setup.exe, changes permissions on the sys files, blocks online scans blocks cut and paste and a bunch of other problems. i have unplugged my comp removed the HD and ram and battery, hit the start button to clear the capassitors and still it comes back. run malware, registry mechanic and they both find registy errors and fix them but they are right back.


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## willmon2000 (Dec 7, 2009)

Hey I don’t think that too many people that actually have this, that the problem lies on files not being copied. This is meant to the people who are reinstalling windows from a previous or new Windows. Well to make it short this is what I did I went through the installation process and then I told it to delete the partition by choosing L then I made a new partition (this comes up right after you delete the partition). Then I just did a quick format and reinstalled and everything went great. So try it I hope it works for who ever has this problem later


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