Keeping a multi-boot system running while one boot partition is missing

[GarryJ]

I have a fault with one of my hard disks, call it HDD1, so it's being sent back to Seagate. I have a dual-boot XP system up and running - one system partition is on HDD1, the other is on HDD2. The boot.ini file is on HDD1. When I try simply unplugging HDD1 and booting from HDD2, I receive a "Disk boot error" message.

All my data is backed up but, I really don't want to have to reinstall XP (generally if I ever have problems I restore a Norton Ghost image - it's a saviour). Is it possible to twiddle with the boot.ini file so that, while HDD1 is away to be repaired/replaced, I can boot from the existing HDD2 system partition? Or am I overlooking an easier solution?

Any advice would be sincerely appreciated.

Cheers,

Garry

[photolady]

Since this deals mostly with software (XP) rather than hardware, I've moved your question to that forum. Someone in XP will know how to edit the boot.ini file.

[leroys1000]

Make sure the drive is connected as primary master.
Boot to the the windows XP disk and hit R when
prompted to enter the repair console.
Once in repair console,type fixboot at the prompt
and hit enter.
Reboot when completed.
Hopefully will get you going.

[renegade600]

the only way you can is do a repair install, however, it will mess things up when you get the other drive back.

[GarryJ]

Thanks for your help. My plan is to use the repair console and fixboot to be able to boot my PC while the hard drive is away, and then when it's back and reformatted, boot using Norton Ghost recovery disk, and restore images of both system partitions, which should, if I'm not mistaken, get things back to the status quo.