\biosinfo.inf could not be loaded

[kickin_it]

Hi there,

Ok here is the scoop. I am trying to use the xp setup boot disks to boot into recovery console because of a corrupted registry. This I know how to do. Problem being is after I load the first xp setup disk it seems to start up but I get a black screen for a second or 2 and then I get and error saying "file \biosinfo.inf could not be loaded, Error code 4096; setup cannot continue, press any key to exit" Please Help!!!!! thank you

[Lance1]

Try booting from the CD to access the recovery console instead. If you have a corrupted registry, access the last known good by tapping F8 on a reboot and restore the registry

[kickin_it]

Hi Lance1, Unfortunatly last known good or safe mode do not work. For some reason when I try to boot from the cd it is just not recognized as being in the drive although once in dos with a normal boot disk I can access the cd rom drive and browse it. I get full power to it but just will not boot from it. Hence the boot disks. Thanks though

[paisan]

You could also try resetting the BIOS to its default settings and then try to get to the recovery console using your boot disks.

Has to do with APM vs ACPI. Setup looks to the biosinfo.inf to determine what type of power management to install. Resetting the BIOS to defaults or making sure all power management features are off first may get you past this error.

Some specs on your system would be of help too.

[kickin_it]

Thanks Paisan. I will try setting the bios to default values. Specs on my system are
MotherBoard: ASUS P3V4X ACPI BIOS Revision 1003, 3/14/2000
CPU: Celeron 500MHZ
OS: xp pro SP1
Sound: soundblaster live
Video: NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440
RAM: slot 1 256mb slot 2 64

Hope that helps. Thanks again

[Lance1]

Go to the site below and download a boot file and create new boot floopies. Now try to access the recovery console again with the new floppies.

BootDisk.com

Lance.

[kickin_it]

Tried to reset the BIOS to defaults. No go. Still getting the same error. Lance1, You think it may be the floppies I created. I got them right off of MS technet. Ahhhh wait, that says it all haha ok I will give that a shot. Thanks

Edit. It just brings me back to the ms site. The exact same disks I just created. Hmmmmmm

[paisan]

Wonder if this might work using the /cmdcons switch?

http://www.theosfiles.com/os_windows...xp_secrets.htm

worth a shot.

[kickin_it]

If I use the xp setup boot disks and boot with the 1st disk, I would not get the option of trying that.

[paisan]

You are correct. Thought of that after you did :P

Sorry bout that.

How is the hdd formatted FAT32 or NTFS?

[kickin_it]

haha yeah thought you might have caught yourself. It is formatted NTFS.

[paisan]

For some reason when I try to boot from the cd it is just not recognized as being in the drive although once in dos with a normal boot disk I can access the cd rom drive and browse it. I get full power to it but just will not boot from it. Hence the boot disks.

You mention that you can get to dos above using a boot disk. The boot disk loads cdrom drivers I assume and that then allows you to see the cd and browse the files on it correct?

"boot your PC with a DOS boot disk that has smartdrv.exe on the floppy and drivers for your CD. After booting with the floppy, run smartdrv and then run winnt.exe in the i386 directory on the XP CD."

Above info from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tre...ro/default.asp

[kickin_it]

There's a thought. I am going to try it right now. thanks for all your help on this

[kickin_it]

Thought we had it there. It started to run the cdrom but then I got an error " could not find a place for a swap file " Good thinkin though

[paisan]

Just to make sure you booted with dos boot disk and then typed smrtdrv at the prompt and then ran winnt.exe from the i386 folder on the XP cd and you still got the swap file error?