help with Windows XP startup problem

i recently deleted a partition on my hard drive, which was the recovery parition created by HP, already there when i bought my computer. i deleted it in order to use that space for other things, considering how it was nearly 10 gigs. when i deleted it however, i restarted the computer, and when it started, a menu comes up displaying this:

I/O error accessing boot selector file multi(0)disk(0)partition(1)\BOOTSECT.DOS

heres some info: the recovery partition was on partition 1, and the actual OS partition was on partition 2. maybe it boots into the first one, but since the file isnt there (im assuming its Boot.ini?), maybe i can switch its position to the one with the OS? im really not sure whats going on here. maybe someone else actually knows whats going on? thank you for looking

 

anyone? tartersause?

 

i know someone out there must know how to solve this, please, any insight at all?

 

I think it's just a matter of having fried your boot section. I THINK you can repair the problem by simply repairing your XP installation, but I've never tried it myself and am not totally sure. Google is your friend at this point.

 

hmm thank you

 

anyone else?

 

When you install Windows XP to a second partition, it still writes several files to the first partition, that load and then point toward the second partition, where the OS finishes loading.

By deleting the first partition, you have eliminated the link between the master boot record (which is still OK , it sounds like) and the OS--fixing it from here can be tricky because we don't know what state you are in

It sounds like you just deleted the partition completely and it is not there at all?

What do you intend to do with the empty space?

Ideally, you should combine/expand the existing partition to take up all the space using a third party partitioning tool, then run a windows xp repair installation.

You will need a bootable re-partitioning tool like the one you can create from partition magic, or perhaps using gparted

http://qtparted.sourceforge.net/

The, you use a Windows XP disk and run the repair installation, which will recreate the critical files needed to revive your existing OS (do not format the drive during the repair, but choose a repair installation)

 

yes i deleted the partition and it isnt there, i was going to use the space to probably store school projects and the like, considering how university work is getting rather demanding now. i have a bootable cd with partition magic in it, but am not sure how to combine/expand the existing partition 2 with the OS in it to the new unallocated space i made by deleting the old partition 1. thank you very much for your reply though! i feel hopeful that i wont lose mydata now!

 

I haven't used parition magig for a while but the steps are fairly self-explanatory..you will not lose any data during this process.

Once the partition is expanded, then you run a repair install as outlined here using your windows xp disk

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

 

Pop in your XP CD if you have one. If you don't get one.

Change SATA to normal or compatibility then boot the XP disc.

Let it do it's thing till it gives you and option to install XP, Delete/Create partitions and most importantly REPAIR XP.

Hit R for repair. Once there type Fixmbr then when that's done fixboot then type chkdsk C: /r

That should fix it.

 

but expand the partition first or you will be right back where you started

 

thank you very much! i shall try this as soon as i get back