Complete freeze when I select an OS from boot menu

[spoovy]

I did have a working installation of Windows XP SP3 on sda1, and Debian GNU/Linux on sda3. I decided to multi-boot Windows Server 2003 RC2 on a spare partition (sda5).

Initially the W2K3 installer picked up XP but not Debian - as I expected - leaving me with a choice of XP or W2K3 when I rebooted. W2K3 booted fine, but XP took a long time to get to desktop, about three minutes. But it did get there in the end.

I reinstalled grub(2) to the MBR as I always planned to do, knowing that it would pick up the active Windows installation (still XP as it turns out).

It did pick it up. So when booting I now get a grub menu with two choices - "Debian" or "Windows (loader)". The Debian option boots Debian fine. The "Windows (loader)" option takes me to a submenu with XP and W2K3 on. This menu worked, ONCE - to load XP - but since I closed that session the Windows boot submenu no longer works.

Now when I get to the submenu I can move between the options with arrow keys, but as soon as I try to select one or the other the screen freezes. No ability to do anything to recover. I can press F8 to select recovery options but it always takes me back to the boot submenu and the freezing problem again.

I currently can't get into XP or W2K3, so any help on this very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

spoovy

[spoovy]

..additional

my boot.ini from XP -

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003, Enterprise" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /noexecute=alwaysoff

[bludgard]

spoovy,this is over my head.I wouln't have the first clue how to go about maintaining the boot continuity or the software or code to use to do this.I have to keep backups in anticipation of failure.Lately I've been having this feeling of dread when I go to boot my machine with all the babylon going on on the inside.I'm suprised that it was so stable for so long.:0 About six mounths of being tossed about like a skiff in a hurricane.Only had to reimage the internal drive twice.Ok.

I have since this morning removed all the non Windows 7 OSs (except what is on the VM).I had a small problem with Win 7 at boot -something about no operating system- and took care of that with

bootrec.exe /fixmbr

from an administrative command prompt.I'm going to reinstall Windows 7 on this and leave it dedicated.Along of course with a VM.I have another machine to torture for a while.:D

It is advised I believe to install your Windows operating systems first.Maybe some one could shed some light on this....

I'm sure there is a way to accomplish what you are trying to do.Lot of maintenence.Consider reinstalling the setup that you have right now from scratch after a full Image Backup of the hard drive.Before the great crash,about a minute_WIN 7X64 (2GB RAM) was the slowest OS that booted to an operative state.25-28 seconds for the quickest _XPX86.

I can always go back if I miss them....

Sorry I couldn't help any further.If I come up with something I'll post it.

Welcome to Windows Forum,spoovy.

I gotta go fiddle for a bit.

One

P.S.Tell MANEMAN I says "Howdy".

If i miss all the

[spoovy]

I sorted this in the end by reinstalling W2K3 over the existing installation. This kept all my personal files/settings/applications etc in place, but it presumably replaced whatever was causing the freeze - a corrupted boot file I assume.

Anyways it's sorted. Thought i'd post just to add to the knowledge base.