Windows 7: How do I get XP to boot as default on a dual boot setup

s0me0ne · 28 Sep 2009

I have xp 32bit and 7 64bit on a dualboot and 7 is the default, however I want to change that.

hometownnerd · 28 Sep 2009

Try this out, this is how I set mine to work ..... Intel Software Network Blogs » Dual Boot Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 should help you. you could also go to Control Panel...System...Advanced System Settings...Startup and Recovery...Settings, at the top is a dropdown to pick default.

Let me know if you need some more help,
Larry

rerice · 29 Sep 2009

Try EasyBcd a ( Fairly ) simple free program with which you can change the boot settings without pain.

They also have iReboot which will shutdown and reboot in any other
system installed.

Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies

Hope this helps,
Richard

mn9500 · 29 Sep 2009

My Computer>Properties>Advanced>Startup & Recovery>Settings

s0me0ne · 30 Sep 2009

I only have 1 option in the dropdown. I booted into my XP (which isnt the default right now).

I clicked on "edit" and it shows this in the boot.ini

Code:

;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT /USEPMTIMER

I dont see where Windows 7 is listed

Night Hawk · 30 Sep 2009

The thing you would need to change there is seen when booted into 7 not XP since the 7 BCD store is what manages the boot loader.

Since you are unfamiliar with the EasyBCD tool and not running Vista you will wonder why the 7 boot splash screen will be replaced by the Vista boot screen instead when using the 1.7.2 currently available.

Another free tool called BellaVista can easily change the default OS without making other changes or need any installation. System Tools - BellaVista

The quick and easy method however is to simply go into the boot tab found in the msconfig utility and set XP as the default there or in the Startup and Recovery settings mn9500 pointed to there.

s0me0ne · 01 Oct 2009

Thanks. Changing it in Windows 7's advanced settings is much better than dealing with other software

Night Hawk · 01 Oct 2009

The BellaVista tool is a self contained executable nothing to install but simply unpack seeing two separate exe files one 32bit and the other for the 64bit Windows. That replaced the BCD Editor which someone wrote to offer a gui alternative.

The time you would need a program like EasyBCD however is if you had installed XP or Vista after 7 was already on. Then you would use that to add a new entry into the BCD store. For XP the ntldr, NTDETECT.com, and boot.ini files would need to be present at the 7 root or copied over if XP was on a separate drive. Otherwise the quick setting change in 7 is all you need!

Windows 7: How do I get XP to boot as default on a dual boot setup

How do I get XP to boot as default on a dual boot setup problems?