Help! Windows won't boot!

[Syhaeruic]

I'm typing this under Knoppix, in case you needed to know-

When I start my computer, the BIOS works, but Windows XP (home ed) doesn't boot.

I think I know what's causing this problem, but I don't know how to fix it. Here's what my root (C:/) directory looks like (simplified).

C:/

-Archives
--OLD DRIVE.rar
--OLD DRIVE (extracted version of: OLD DRIVE.rar)
---Program Files
---Windows
---etc (standard root folders for WinXP)

-Windows
--(standard windows files)

Notes:
OLD DRIVE.rar is an image of my hard drive about 6 months ago. I made the image because Windows had to be reinstalled. It only consists of the the stuff windows

As you can see, I seem to have two version of windows in folders and stuff. I'm thinking that the BIOS is using the old version of the windows folder (since A is higher up in the alphabet than W: see the Archives and Window folders). Since a lot of stuff has changed since the rar, (I also deleted things in the OLD DRIVE folder to save HDD space), I think that's why windows won't boot.

Sorry for any confusion you might have; english was my second language. I really need help on this; ask questions if you need anything clarified. Thanks,

Peng

[Ranma_Sao]

Please post the text that is in the boot.ini file located on the root of your C drive.

[Syhaeruic]

C:\boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noguiboot /fastdetect

C:\Archives\OLD DRIVE\boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect

I just noticed something: /noguiboot ?!?! I wonder how that got there. I can't edit the boot.ini file in Knoppix though.

[Syhaeruic]

Please post the text that is in the boot.ini file located on the root of your C drive.

Thanks for the idea of checking the boot.ini file. Now the only thing I have to do is edit the file and remove the "/noguiboot" option. Can someone tell me how to edit the file? I can't do it under Knoppix.

[Ranma_Sao]

That shouldn't matter, but I assume you have to chmod the file for rw access.

[Syhaeruic]

Can you explain to me how to chmod the file? I don't really know much about the linux shell.

[Syhaeruic]

Good news: I was learned how to use the shell and chmod! :D

Bad news: the file is in an NTFS partition, so I can't chmod it. :mad:

[j4zzee]

As an alternate to method:

1. create a new boot.ini on another machine and copy to floppy
2. boot off your xp cd disk and go into recovery console
3. copy the new boot.ini from the floppy to the root of C:\