Windows 7: Another dual boot question

I have XP and Windows 7 (7048) installed on an old computer. When I open "msconfig"....XP is not there (in the boot tab). Shouldn't it be there so I can choose the default OS to boot. I really want to put 7 on my Vista machine but need to learn how to properly dual boot. I have read tutorials and am following them word for word. Is there a tutorial on this site about how to dual boot 7 with Vista and XP? Thanks.

Hello Nate.

Msconfig doesn't show the boot records irrelevant with Windows 7.

To do what you want, you could download EasyBCD or use BCDEDIT.

Here's a way to do everything with BCDEDIT:

First you need to assign a drive letter to your XP partition so that Windows 7 can "see" it.

To do that: Open Control Panel - Administrative Tools- Computer Management. In Computer Management, on the left pane click Disk Management. Under disk management you will find a partition without a letter. Right click on it and choose "Change Drive Letter and Paths" to give a letter to your partition. e.g. D:

Now the bcdedit part:

1. Open an elevated command prompt (run as administrator)
2. type:
(to create an XP boot record)

bcdedit /create {ntldr} /d "Windows XP"

bcdedit /set {ntldr} device partition=d:
(or the letter you assigned your XP partition above)

bcdedit /set {ntldr} path \ntldr

bcdedit /displayorder {ntldr} /addlast

Reboot and you should see an XP boot entry and be able to boot from XP.

If you need a Vista guide, please post back.

Hope it helps.

Thanks Limneos. I assume your instructions are from within Windows 7. While Windows 7 is running as the OS right?

Also, there is already a drive letter (D) within 7. That's what XP is on. It's "C" while XP is running. I am just wondering, I don't need to assign the letter if it's already there right? Should I follow the other directions from the elevated prompt?

Also when I start up, the boot manager says "older versions of Windows" as an option. I just don't dare try it. Last time I had to reinstall both OS.

Also...I just put Windows 7 on my Vista PC using VM. It seems to be very nice. I will use those directions on my XP machine. Thanks again.

Hello again.

Yes, these instructions are for Windows 7, while you're running Windows 7.

And yes, if you already can see your XP partition and you know which one it is, you don't need to assign any letter. Just use that letter instead (since its D: its the same I assumed)

Hope it helps.

I hope you don't think this is completely crazy but I have no experience with command prompts. These are not working. Do there need to be spaces? I have tried a few different ways. One said it was already done. The rest would not work. I will start reading about it but if there is a simple rule, please let me know. Thanks.

Hi Nate,

You could type

bcdedit {return}

and post a screenshot of what is listed , like this:



SIW2

Hi Nate

There are spaces in some areas, not in others.
(s)=space

Ex:

bcdedit(s)/create(s){ntldr}(s)/d(s)"Windows XP"

Note that there is no space between the / and the next word, which is the command
/set .. /create .. /displayfolder

But there is a space after that, to the object being created or set or displayed
/set {ntldr}

So basically, there is no space in the command switch (/set) but then there is before the object it's to work on ({ntldr})
and then a space after that to another command switch or object path (\ntdlr)
/set(s){ntldr}(s)path(s)\ntldr

/=command
\=path

Note that the path sign (\) is Not in the line /d "Windows XP", as that "d" isn't the path, it stands for Description. That one confuses some people who're working on the D: path

Hi Nate,

Chappy makes a good point - you have to enter them correctly.

You could try copying and pasting from Limneos post into the cmd prompt.

SIW2

I can get it to work now. Here is my screen shot. Does everything look right? I re-installed XP and Windows 7. It was a long way to fix the problem. Next time I will talk to you nice people first. Thanks.
Attachment 5551

Also...thanks for the info Chappy. That's good info I need to save.