Windows 7 BCDEDIT can't find boot store as it is on the XP partition.

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  1. Posts : 31
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
       #1

    Windows 7 BCDEDIT can't find boot store as it is on the XP partition.


    When I installed Windows 7 Pro64bit into a partition on my hard drive Windows dual boot was added but apparently all the files were placed in the root of the XP partition probably because it was the only one marked as primary.

    To keep from loosing System Restore points for the XP partition I had to add KB926185 to both XP and W7. Neither operating system uses the other's partition but now when I wanted to use bcdedit uder W7 to change the default operating system to boot the boot store cannot be found.

    I was able to use the W7 install CD to get to a command prompt and enter bootrec.exe and then bcdedit /enum. I don't know if bcdedit /default would work at this point.

    I could remove the KB926185 registry update but I would loose all my System Restore points for XP.

    Does anyone know how to get the dual boot stuff onto the W7 partition?
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  2. Posts : 11,408
    ME/XP/Vista/Win7
       #2

    Try using EasyBCD is best used in Windows 7.
    Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

    Use EasyBCD 2.0 in Win 7 .
    Download EasyBCD 2.1 - NeoSmart Technologies
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  3. Posts : 31
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thank you for reading my post and giving a possible solution. I will look into your suggestion. I am wondering though if Easybcd will be able to find the bcd when run under Windows 7 since it is on the other partition and it is not available because of the update to the registry I did.
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  4. Posts : 7,730
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-Bit
       #4
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  5. Posts : 31
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thank you too for your idea.
    At the point where I found out the reason bcdedit /enum would not work under W7 was because I had marked the drive where the BCD stuff lived as offline to W7 as per KB926185, I actually tried what you suggest except that I only tried the bcdedit /enum and it worked. I am not sure whether bcdedit /default would work but it most likly will. Since the W7 install put all that stuff onto the XP partition I am looking for a way to get all the necessary stuff onto the W7 partition.
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  6.    #6

    All of this is automated now so hopefully the attempts at manually editing the BCD didn't ruin your Dual Boot.

    First you need to start Win7 by marking it's partition Active in Disk Mgmt, rebooting into the WIn7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times.

    Once Win7 starts and holds the System flag install EasyBCD 2.02 to add XP, accept boot files, let it autocomplete, reboot to Dual Boot menu if it wasn't messed up.
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  7. Posts : 31
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Wow! I've never used a forum before and there is so much knowledge available. Thanks to all that replied and especially to Gregrocker. That is exactly what I want to do.
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  8. Posts : 1,872
    Windows 10 Pro x64, Windows 8.1 Pro x64, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1,
       #8

    While I have had booting to XP delete the restore points for Windows 7, I have never had booting to Windows 7 delete the restore points of XP.
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  9. Posts : 31
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #9

    I made a typo when I mentioned losing System Restore Points. In fact I was losing W7 restore points just like you say. Thank you pbcopter.
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  10. Posts : 31
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #10

    A new issue on this old problem


    I finally got up enough guts to try the well documented approach to getting all the necessary boot stuff onto the Windows 7 partition and I have hit a brick wall. The XP partition is marked SYSTEM, ACTIVE, PRIMARY PARTITION and the Windows 7 partition is marked BOOT, PAGE FILE, CRASH DUMP, LOGICAL PARTITION. When I attempt the very first part of the process to get everything for boot onto the Windows 7 partition I can't mark the Windows 7 Partition as ACTIVE or any other atribute. Right Clicking on the Windows 7 partition does not even have a grayed out option for Mark as Active. How can I "unmark" the XP partiton as active so I can "mark" the Windows 7 partiton as active?
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