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Invalid IP Config + Invalid BOOT.INI = HELP!!
You can cut and paste the questions below on your New Thread to easily give the answers:
Current Operating System, pre-install
• Do you have a single OS on your computer, are you planning on multi-booting with this installation? Single OS (XP Pro SP3), and yes I want to dual boot.• Are you multi-booting now? Yes! For reasons I will explain under Current Hardware, at startup I get a prompt to choose from two versions of the same OS (both had been working).Current Hardware
• How many internal hard drives (HD) are connected to your system? 3• Are they IDE or SATA? 2 IDE (D: Maxtor 60, G: Maxtor 80) and 1 SATA (C: WD 300). C is a newer drive, used to be G when it was first installed. G used to C. WD had some type of program that could copy drives, so I copied the old C to the old G, that flipped their drive letters. Since then I get the aforementioned dual boot screen for two versions of the same OS.• How many DVD drives are connected to your system? 2• Are they IDE or SATA Drives? I assume IDE.• Any external HDs used? No.• Are they connected by USB or eSATA? N/A• Check Disk Management for any HDs listed with a yellow triangle and explanation point? All 3 HDDs seem to be recognized before and after installation.• Is this a New Clean HD? No.Windows 7 installation details• Have you pre-formatted the HD? No.
• Which build number and version of Windows 7 are you installing? Not sure on this one, just got the family 3 pack upgrade at Costco. 7 Home Premium?• Are you installing a 32 bit (x86) or 64 bit (x64) OS? 32 bit. BTW, a clean install but I did not reformat the HDD prior to install.• Where did you get the ISO file from? Huh? I did select to download updates at the beginning of 7 installation.Installation Media
• Using a USB memory key?• From another partition or hard disk?• From a DVD? BINGO!The procedure and speed of burning the ISO to DVD has been the most frequent cause of installation failure
• How did you burn the DVD? Briefly describe the steps you used. I did no DVD burning during the istallation process.• Which ISO burning software did you use?• At what burning speed and with Verify checked?• A slow burn speed, lowest setting (example x4 speed), will ensure an error free burn.Other
• Any Over Clocking of the RAM, CPU or GPU? No.
Additional information: P4 3.0 GHz, 4 GB RAM
I am writing this from work because I have no access at home right now. Let me explain.
7 starts up fine, even better than XP used to on my relic of a PC. Main issue with 7 is I cannot access the 'net. 7 did not recognized my ethernet card at first, but I was able to un/reinstall using the drivers from the manufacturer's CD. Now I get the old "local Area Connection doesn't have a valid IP configuation" message. I have always been able to just plug and go in my house before. I do have a cable router and a 10/100 switch that send the 'net to the whole house, and seperate modem for the whole house VOIP. I have tried rebooting both of these routers individually and neither has resolved the connection issue.
Also, on startup I DO get a dual boot screen. When I select the older Windows I get the following message:
INVALID BOOT.INI FILE
BOOTING FROM C:\WINDOWS\
...which is where the screen hangs until I lose patience and reboot on my own.
I have read a few posts here, this one looks somewhat similar (post #14):
Dualboot
Only difference is that my XP is installed on drive G now (and was working fine before booting from either selection on the dual boot screen). And with the access problem I can't get the easybcd program (please don't ask about d/ling it at work...not appropriate activity ).
Any and all help will be GREATLY appreciated.
Last edited by 4left; 06 Nov 2009 at 12:10. Reason: To add install info