Hello all, 1st time poster here. I hope someone here can help me with my problem.
To explain my situation I will give a brief summary.
I just built a new computer; E8400, 4 GB RAM, 9800 GTX+, windows XP home edition. 1x 500 GB HD.
Original install had C: for HD and D: for dvd rom.
I had everything finely tuned and was very happy with it. But, yesterday using Symnatec Partition Magic 2003 it all went downhill fast.
When I first installed Windows, I made a partition of 40 GB for the OS/Programs etc...
I noticed in partition Magic that 460GB was unallocated.
I decided to make 1 partition for files, 1 for back-up and 1 for OS/Programs.
I made Files a primary drive, along with OS/Programs, and Back-up a logical drive. And here is where I messed up, I set the fles drive as active and rebooted to make changes.
I got the NTLDR not found message.
To fix this I tried to do the following to fix it.
1st I tried to repair the existing OS through Windows XP recover. Didn't work.
next I tried to install another windows XP (Windows2) on the same partition. Still didn't work.
Next I installed a 3rd Windows XP on the Files drive that changed to drive C: when I set it as active. That got me back inside windows on the 3rd OS install.
Then I deleted the Windows2 folder from the original OS/programs partiton.
And then set the original OS partion as active, which set it back to drive C then.
My problem now is it keeps booting up on the 3rd OS I installed, that is now on the (Non-)Active partiton.
I want to get back to my finely tuned original install of XP and delete the 3rd install.
Any suggestions?
PS Sorry for the long question.
To explain my situation I will give a brief summary.
I just built a new computer; E8400, 4 GB RAM, 9800 GTX+, windows XP home edition. 1x 500 GB HD.
Original install had C: for HD and D: for dvd rom.
I had everything finely tuned and was very happy with it. But, yesterday using Symnatec Partition Magic 2003 it all went downhill fast.
When I first installed Windows, I made a partition of 40 GB for the OS/Programs etc...
I noticed in partition Magic that 460GB was unallocated.
I decided to make 1 partition for files, 1 for back-up and 1 for OS/Programs.
I made Files a primary drive, along with OS/Programs, and Back-up a logical drive. And here is where I messed up, I set the fles drive as active and rebooted to make changes.
I got the NTLDR not found message.
To fix this I tried to do the following to fix it.
1st I tried to repair the existing OS through Windows XP recover. Didn't work.
next I tried to install another windows XP (Windows2) on the same partition. Still didn't work.
Next I installed a 3rd Windows XP on the Files drive that changed to drive C: when I set it as active. That got me back inside windows on the 3rd OS install.
Then I deleted the Windows2 folder from the original OS/programs partiton.
And then set the original OS partion as active, which set it back to drive C then.
My problem now is it keeps booting up on the 3rd OS I installed, that is now on the (Non-)Active partiton.
I want to get back to my finely tuned original install of XP and delete the 3rd install.
Any suggestions?
PS Sorry for the long question.
