Windows Boot Woes

[volrath]

I recently wiped out my C:\ partition. Apparently, this is where my two different windows installs (F: and H were looking for boot information. Thus, I cannot boot after deleting this partition.

I have copied ntldr, ntdetect.com, and my old boot.ini to the root of all my partitions. I can successfully boot the drive which has my new windows install which I want to use (partition H. It lists the two windows installs I have. When I select either of them, it says that <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll is missing or corrupt. The file exists and has not been modified on the F or H partitions.

However, when I use a boot disc that contains ntldr and a generic boot.ini, it successfully boots one of my windows installs (and does not have an entry for the other one). What's the deal? What should I do?

My boot.ini:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(2)partition(1)\WINDOWS="XP Pro Maxtor (New)" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="XP Pro WD (Old)" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Working entry from boot disc's boot.ini:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\Windows="3RD TRY THIS wahlen Sie diesen Third" /fastdetect

 

[volrath]

Adding the other boot entry to the boot disc allows me to boot that install. After I replaced hal.dll it wants me to reinstall all my devices . But why can't I boot from the hard drive? Why do I have to use a boot disc?