Windows XP bootloader interchangeable?

[sgtmattbaker]

Hello, I accidentally wrote over my Windows XP bootloader. I have used super grub disk to allow Windows XP to boot again but it isn't the Windows XP bootloader, it is syslinux or something like that. My question is: is the bootloader interchangeable? If I use a low level copying program (like the dd utility in Linux) to copy the first 446 bytes of the hard drive of another computer with the Windows XP bootloader can I copy that to the first 446 bytes of my hard drive to replace the bootloader? Or, will there be some unresolved issues? I don't really have any idea myself, I am just fairly sure that the boot information is stored in boot.ini and I would think that the bootloader would simply be the same and just see that boot.ini file. I could be wrong though and there may be something special about it such as having the bootloader specifically tied to your hardware or something (which, in my opinion woul d be ridiculous).

Thanks.