boot.ini will be hidden. I just so happened to get a lap top today with Windows XP on it, and I found boot.ini in the C:\ root directory. Even if you don't see it, you can try this:

1. Go to Start->Run
2. type Notepad.exe C:\boot.ini
3. Press enter
4. you will now be editing boot.ini
5. change it so it fixes your problem
6. save and close the file.

Now you shouldn't have that problem anymore.