Deleting Partitions causing problems booting up W2k. Need help.

[TomBilliodeaux]

I have 3 partitions (C,D,E) before my F, W2k partition.
C: is W98.
I deleted E (5GB) to make room for Linux so that it will be located where it can be booted. I changed the letter of my W2k partition back to F and also edited boot.ini to correct the partition # and rebooted.

I could not enter W2k. It would boot but when i entered my pw, it accepted it but came right back to the login screen.
I then booted up with W98 emerg.disk and executed FDISK /MBR command. Rebooted and same result.

I used Boot Magic by Partition Magic to correct all the letter assignments for F.
Ran chkdsk. Rebooted. Same.
I then booted into my backup W2k which is on D and added a small (16mb) partition as E. Reset boot.ini partition #s. Rebooted and was able to boot into F, W2K.

My problem is :
1. How can I delete the partition before F and be able to boot into W2k (F)?

(When I install linux, the partitions before F will not be recognized and it will be the same situation).

 

[AKA]

Might have to do it over again and when you get to where you cant login.. do the repair option.

Or take that 5gb E: partition and take some free space and make another partition in addition to your Linux partition.

Need an excuse for another partition? Drivers partition? Mp3's? Cabs?

 

[TomBilliodeaux]

Thats what I had to do (create a small 16mb)partition in order to boot into W2k.
But I don't want to leave it. Maybe i will have to leave it.
I did do a "REPAIR" but it did not correct it.

 

[obenton]

Your problem is described in MS KB Article ID: Q223188.

 

[TomBilliodeaux]

Did a search at MS KB and no results for "Q113188".

edit: I missed a criteria in the search. Thanks, found it.
Will try the regedt32 fix as it described.
Sure glad you guys keep track of where these things are.

 

[TomBilliodeaux]

It worked.
Really i did not have to edit the registry because i was able to delete partition #3 and then make W2k reflect the change concerning drive letters as well as correct the boot.ini file for partition numbers BEFORE rebooting.

The registry reflected these changes accurately except it did have a J partition listed. I changed that to letter "I" rather than deleting it, without adverse consequence (so far). Don't know what that was except a partition that i deleted.

I believe the sequence is important before rebooting. That may have caused my problem initially.