Windows 7 - Problems with triple boot XP,Vista and 7

Hi everyone,

I have read through quite a few posts and guides but unfortunately I'm unable to get XP to boot after installing Windows 7.

I'll try and explain the situation.

I have a laptop that came with Vista pre-installed. I found this operating system to be very slow and sluggish. I then installed XP on the same drive under a different folder name.

Afterwards I was unable to log into Vista (can't remember the error code) however this wasn't an issue as we weren't planning on using it again.

I have now been asked to download and install Windows 7 onto the laptop. I created a separate partition of around 30GB and successfully installed Windows 7, during the course of the installation it was able repair the problem I was having with Vista. This is all well and good but now I am unable to log into our XP operating system.

The hard drive is set out as follows:



Drive D: called "Vista" has XP and Vista installed on it. Vista is installed in a folder called "Windowsv" and XP is installed in a folder called "Windows".

Drive C: just simply has Windows 7 installed.

I have tried using EasyECD 1.7.2 to add the XP entry but I get an error message stating that there is a problem with "\nltdr" when I try and boot into windows.

Here is the information listed in the EasyBCD Window:

There are a total of 3 entries listed in the Vista Bootloader.
Bootloader Timeout: 15 seconds.
Default OS: Windows 7

Entry #1

Name: Windows 7
BCD ID: {current}
Drive: C:\
Bootloader Path: \Windows\system32\winload.exe
Windows Directory: \Windows

Entry #2

Name: Windows Vista (TM) Business (recovered)
BCD ID: {06772280-ca61-11de-a3fb-f558a868a8ba}
Drive: D:\
Bootloader Path: \Windowsv\system32\winload.exe
Windows Directory: \Windowsv

Entry #3

Name: windows XP
BCD ID: {ntldr}
Drive: D:\
Bootloader Path: \ntldr

Can anyone offer any help? I'm sorry if this question has been asked many times before but I couldn't find the answer I was looking for.

Thanks in advance.

*bump*

Welcome to Seven Forums.

You can't have two operating systems in one partition.

It's best to install OSs in order of age, XP first, Vista and then Windows 7.
The boot manager will be correct and let you choose from the boot menu.

If you want to try and install XP last, it will be possible but, difficult.
Make another partition and install XP.

Read this Seven Forums tutorial for help.
Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP, use METHOD TWO: When Windows 7 is Installed First.

Since you have to (I agree) reinstall XP anyway, consider moving Windows 7 into the first part of your HDD by using a partition manager like bootable Partition Wizard to Delete the unneeded Recovery (disabled by Windows 7 install anyway) and Vista partitions, then Move the Windows 7 over into the lower address. It is already the active system partition anyway.

You can then create a second partition to install XP which puts you in a much better position to get rid of XP later. Just follow the tutorial from Dave above on how to install XP last in a dual boot.