Dual-boot confuzzlement

[Arclight]

I've got Win7 RC 64-b installed on my primary HD. A while ago, I installed XP 32-b to a secondary disk. As a result, Win7 wouldn't boot anymore, so I booted from a Win7 disk and restored the boot sector. Win7 boots fine, but I don't have the option to boot XP.

Is there something I can modify to get a multi-boot menu and select XP?



Never dabbled in this particular topic of the dark arts, so I'm at a loss at the moment.

[FIREWALL]

Hi Arclight

I partitioned C drive and installed W7 Ultimate 64 and XP Pro sp2.

Did you Partition ?

[Arclight]

Ugh, where are my manners.

Hiya, FIREWALL.

Aye, been running this setup for a while;

HD connected to SATA0 port: 1 partition for OS (contains Win7), 1 for data
HD connected to SATA1 port: 1 partition for secondary OS (contains XP, but can't boot), 1 for media
HD connected to SATA2 port + HD connected to SATA3 port in RAID0: 1 partition for page-file, 1 for game installs.

So I have Win7 on that first disk on it's first partition, running and all, and XP is installed on the first partition of that second disk, but no way to boot. I figure I just need to modify the boot.ini or something, but I don't know what to do with it.

[FIREWALL]

Hmmm I don't know if you can put them on separate hdd.

Win7 is the dominate OS.

Hey People !!!! We need some help here.

I'm basicialy doing the same thing you are but, I think in a different way.

btw I'll stay here with you to see how this works out.

I'm on my first cup of morning coffee.

[Arclight]

That's reassuring, but you'll probably last longer than me though; almost 19:00 over here.
Hmm, time for diner. Think I'll just pop something in the oven.

I think "normally" you install XP first and then paste Win7 on top of it, all on the same partition. But there has to be a way to make this work... just because I say so.

[longam]

You always have to install the lowest OS first. XP then Vista then Windows 7.

XP will then control the boot loader.


Acronis makes a boot manager that's not to expensive.

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...tibooting.html

[FIREWALL]

Originally Posted by longam

You always have to install the lowest OS first. XP then Vista then Windows 7.

XP will then control the boot loader.

I don't think so. Just got off the phone with MS.

Win7 first.

edit: I have a close ( GEEK/Hacker ) friend on the way over here (my house) will explain how-to.

[kiwi_2005]

Originally Posted by longam

You always have to install the lowest OS first. XP then Vista then Windows 7.

XP will then control the boot loader.


Acronis makes a boot manager that's not to expensive.

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...tibooting.html

Yep thats the way it works, might be different with Win 7 but like longam said always the lowest OS first on C then Vista on D etc., A partition manager will let you choose any OS to be first to boot so it wouldn't matter otherwise. I use 'Paragon Partition Manager 10', lets you setup partitions, choose what OS you want to make active/primary boot, boot loader wizard , retrieve deleted partitions <-- the retrieve option has saved my arse many times.

When i tried a early version of Win 7 back in august (XP on C, Vista on D win 7 on E and games on F). Win7 decided to delete my games drive during the setup! 120gigs wiped. Paragon got it back thou and it was bye bye Win7 after a week.

edit: If anyone cares.. make sure Paragon manager 10 is the server edition comes with far better tools