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-   -   Dual Boot Vista and XP with Vista already installed (http://www.syschat.com/dual-boot-vista-xp-vista-already-1946.html)

William_Wilson 09-08-2007 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SubMatrix (Post 8019)
Ok, so after giving up on installing XP on Vista I went about trying to install XP first, and then Vista as I've read from different sources that it just works easier that way.

So I install XP, run through some updates, and install some drivers and notice that the first time I booted without the disk in the drive I got a "NTLDR is missing" error. I sort of ignored this error since it would boot fine with the CD in and thought that maybe when I installed Vista it would fix it.

Well I install Vista and get the same "NTLDR is missing" error. I've run repair from both CD's. I've used fixMBR, and fixBOOT. I've used /copy to copy a new ntldr and ntdetect.com file. In the process I've learned way more about how a computer boots up than I've ever wanted to know. I rewrote my boot.ini file in XP only to find that it was a moot point since Vista takes over with Windows Boot Manager after the ntldr error is avoided by having the CD in. I've used bcdedit to both screw up and then fix the xp bootable option (that was fun).

Long story short, everything works perfectly so long as either my Vista or XP CD is in when I start up. Otherwise I get the NTLDR error. I've read every help guild I could find and either I'm doing something wrong or they didn't work. I'm thinking it could be a partition error. I have 3 partitions: the first is my XP partition, second is my Vista partition, and third is just file storage. My XP and Vista partition are primary partitions and the 3rd one is a logical partition. Since NTLDR doesn't exist in Vista whatever is causing the error I'm pretty sure is on the XP side, but as I've said, I've been unable to isolate it. I appreciate any help you could offer.

I am going to ask the same thing from you:
Could you post the partition label vista is on, and your bcdedit (boot.ini) file from in vista?

William_Wilson 09-08-2007 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pyroshock (Post 8020)
Hello, and thank you for your tutorial. It is very well explained, but I have a couple of errors.

When I try to format the new space from shrinking my main partition, it becomes an Extended Partition Logical Drive instead of a Primary Partition. How do I fix this?

Here is my disk manager setup:

0 - (Hidden) - EISA Configuration
2 - My Book (E: ) - Primary Partition (this is a external USB hdd)
0 - OS (C: ) - System, Boot, Page File, Active, Crash Dump, Primary Partition -
0 - RECOVERY (D: ) - Primary Partition
0 - Unallocated 17.09 GB
5 - Flashdrive (L: ) - Active, Primary Partition

My second error occurred when proceeding to install Windows XP Pro with leaving the partition I plan to install it on unformatted.

The initial CD loading its files works fine until it says it's preparing to load Windows XP, shortly after I get a BSOD. The BSOD says something to the effect of "check your computer for viruses, remove any newly-installed hard drives, run check disk on F (it was either F or L, I can't remember)"

I'm going to try running the installation without the L: Flash drive in now, but if that doesn't work I'd appreciate an answer, even if you don't know what the problem is.

Thanks

Edit: Nevermind, it was CHKDSK /F, not on F.

The xp formatting tool has a limit to the number of primary partitions it will create and it looks as though you may have reached that, as you have at least 3. Try without your usb drive attached, this can cause issues on installations.
What is this: 0 - (Hidden) - EISA Configuration
Where did you buy your laptop?
Also why do you have a usb primary partition?

If you can't create a new primary partition you cannot install windows.

Pyroshock 09-08-2007 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William_Wilson (Post 8035)
The xp formatting tool has a limit to the number of primary partitions it will create and it looks as though you may have reached that, as you have at least 3. Try without your usb drive attached, this can cause issues on installations.
What is this: 0 - (Hidden) - EISA Configuration
Where did you buy your laptop?
Also why do you have a usb primary partition?

If you can't create a new primary partition you cannot install windows.

Thank you for your time.

My computer is a Dell XPS 410.

I don't know why the USB HDD is a primary partition, it is plug and play so I just plugged it in and didn't configure anything with it. I have tried installing without the Flashdrive in, but I will try it without the USB disk now.

Is the total of 3 primary partitions throughout the entire computer or just in seperate discs, because I have two on disk 0 and the USB HDD is disk 2.

And I don't know what the hidden EISA Configuration is. It doesn't have a name in the disk management, and in DISKPART it is simply titled "(Hidden)".

EDIT: I have succeeded in making a primary partition titled "XP" on disk 0 using DISKPART, so I am going to attempt the installation again, without the USB HDD and Flashdrive.

EDIT2: Still BSODs, but I have an idea. In my desktop's BIOS there is an option for the HDD to be in Performance, Suggested, or Quiet mode. I'm thinking that maybe XP doesn't recognize the performance mode? I'll change it to bypass those options and try it again.

hitman88 09-08-2007 09:02 PM

solution found to ntldr problem
 
first of all, i would like to thank William again for his step-by-step guide. i have finally be able to dual boot Vista Ultimate and XP SP2. here is the url to resolve your ntldr problem: How To: Edit the Windows Vista Boot Menu Options – BCDEDIT.
look for swoopy2's post. make sure you run command prompt as Admin, go to folder boot on your c drive, then follow his commands. after that, use your easybcd application to edit the list again and save the settings. reboot your system, everything should work. good luck to you all and thanks again to William.

William_Wilson 09-08-2007 10:16 PM

i see, he simply sets the boot device option as well. This shouldn't be necessary, but aparently on some systems it is.

The ammendment to match my instructions would be as follows:
bcdedit –set {ntldr} device partition=C:
bcdedit –set {ntldr} device boot
bcdedit –set {ntldr} path \ntldr
bcdedit –displayorder {ntldr} –addlast

SubMatrix 09-10-2007 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William_Wilson (Post 8034)
I am going to ask the same thing from you:
Could you post the partition label vista is on, and your bcdedit (boot.ini) file from in vista?

My partions are set up as such:

Disk 1
C: (XP Partition) - Primary Partition
D: (Vista Partition) - Primary Partition
G: (Extra) - Logical Partition

Disk 2
H: (Backup) - Logical Partition

I have noticed though that when I boot into Vista my Vista partition is listed as being the C drive and XP is listed as the D drive, but I assume that only has something to do with the fact that I booted into Vista. When I boot into XP it looks as listed above.

My bcdedit.exe looks like this:

Windows Boot Manager
___________________
identifier________________ {bootmgr}
device _________________ partition=D:
description______________ Windows Boot Manager
locale __________________ en-US
inherit _________________ {globalsettings}
default _________________ {current}
displayorder_____________ {current}
_______________________{ntldr}
toolsdisplayorder ________ {memdiag}
timeout ________________ 30

Windows Boot Loader
__________________
identifier _______________ {current}
device _________________ partition=C:
path __________________ \Windows\syste32\winload.exe
description _____________ Microsoft Windows Vista
locale _________________ en-US
inherit _________________ {bootlodersettings}
osdevice _______________ patition=C:
systemroot ____________ \Windows
resumeobject ___________ {cf5c333b-5d4c-11dc-9ea2-ebe1296eeddc}
nx ____________________ OptIN

Windows Legacy OS Loader
_______________________
identifier ________________ {ntldr}
device _________________ partition=D:
path ___________________ \ntldr
description _____________ Microsoft Windows XP


When I first edited this file I had put XP to boot from partition C:, but this caused XP to not be bootable from the startup options. When I noticed that Windows Explorer listed my XP partition as D: while booted into Vista I changed my boot.ini file to reflect this and was then again able to dual boot. The only problem I'm getting is the NTLDR missing error and even that goes away if I have a system disk in my CD drive. Hope this information is useful.

falcon.. 09-12-2007 06:03 AM

"No HardDisk drives found" error (blue screen)
 
I hav a compaq C571NR Notebook with Vista installed on C drive & a recovery Drive D.However i hav followed yor Step 1-'Partition the Drive' & made a new partition E for XP (im using a XP Prof Sp2 bootable Cd)
Now when i boot from Cd i get 3 options namely : ENTER (to install XP) , R (repair XP) & Cancel.Next,on pressing Enter i get another blue screen that gives this error :
"Setup did not find any Hardisk Drives installed.Make sure any drives r powered on & properly connected & that any disk related configuration is correct."
i read the previous posts wherin i encountered ppl with a similar problem & somone suggested "slipstreaming" but i tried doin that(gave the same error) though i alrdy hav the XP bootable Cd with SP2...

SGTBURNS 09-12-2007 08:15 PM

hope it works for me
 
1 Attachment(s)
i am doing this for my boss in the morning hope it works

William_Wilson 09-13-2007 08:26 AM

Quote:

Windows Boot Manager
___________________
identifier________________ {bootmgr}
device _________________ partition=D:
This is odd, if you installed XP first, then Vista, this should definatly be reading C:
when you installed XP were there multiple partitions? and did you install to the first partition?
Although a long process, I would suggest running the Vista boot fixing again, which "should" attempt to put it on C:, check if at least Vista is avaible without the cd. If not run the xp boot manager/fix, and Vista again... hopefully that will load the MBR files into the first sectors of the drive.

William_Wilson 09-13-2007 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by falcon.. (Post 8062)
I hav a compaq C571NR Notebook with Vista installed on C drive & a recovery Drive D.However i hav followed yor Step 1-'Partition the Drive' & made a new partition E for XP (im using a XP Prof Sp2 bootable Cd)
Now when i boot from Cd i get 3 options namely : ENTER (to install XP) , R (repair XP) & Cancel.Next,on pressing Enter i get another blue screen that gives this error :
"Setup did not find any Hardisk Drives installed.Make sure any drives r powered on & properly connected & that any disk related configuration is correct."
i read the previous posts wherin i encountered ppl with a similar problem & somone suggested "slipstreaming" but i tried doin that(gave the same error) though i alrdy hav the XP bootable Cd with SP2...

Odds are the drive is SATA, in this situation, since you are using SP2, it should be a simple fix. Go to your bios: F8, delete or some other key while booting.
check that your SATA drive is labeled -0 and is set to ON. Then change the SATA operation to "Combination" which should allow the boot to find your drive. If this does not work, you will need to press F6 during your startup of setup and install your SATA drivers. They often come on floppies, so hopefully you still have them.
*If you get XP installed correctly, remember to change the SATA operation back to the default afterwards.


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