Windows 7 and XP install --> only XP boots

Can you explain exactly how did you install. You should not need the DISK in drive to boot at all.
EasyBCD is easy enough to use, I prefer --> orb --> type msconfig -->
move to boot... should see this: or very similar:

I burned the ISO to a DVD, then rebooted my PC and set it to boot to disk then used custom install to select the empty partition (100gb) install went without a hitch and the computer restarted. when it came to the 'press any button to boot for CD/DVD' i pressed nothing and windows 7 booted, i downloaded drivers etc which required a restart, this time i took the installation disk out of the drive, so the 'press and key to boot from CD/DVD......' part did not come up then the computer just booted straight into XP with no option to do other wise.
So i restarted again and put the disk back in the drive. the 'press and key to boot from CD/DVD......' message came up, i pressed nothing and it booted straight to windows 7.
so i did a little digging and found the /bcdedit tutorial and set up the XP part as per its instructions.
Restarted, took the disk out, straight to XP, restarted again, left the disk in, press any key message, let it time out, got a boot menu.
from this windows 7 booted fine, so i restarted to see if i could boot to xp from this menu, but it just restarted my computer when i selected it.
So i downloaded easy BCD to see if that would help, but no difference.
also tried repair install with no luck.
I have since formatted the partition, disconnected my second unused HDD and tried to reinstall, but now i get 80070017 errors, so i tried to burn a new disk and i think my DVD drive may be broken as i cannot even boot to this disk without getting I/O device errors

Jayk1188 said:

I burned the ISO to a DVD,
(Recommend very low speed 2x to 4x no faster) then rebooted my PC and set it to boot to disk then used custom install to select the empty partition (100gb) install went without a hitch and the computer restarted. when it came to the 'press any button to boot for CD/DVD' i pressed nothing and windows 7 booted,(Did you have an option ) i downloaded drivers(this means you installed new drivers) etc which required a restart, this time i took the installation disk out of the drive, so the 'press and key to boot from CD/DVD......' part did not come up then the computer just booted straight into XP with no option to do other wise.
So i restarted again and put the disk back in the drive. the 'press and key to boot from CD/DVD......' message came up, i pressed nothing and it booted straight to windows 7.(who did you DL your ISO from)
so i did a little digging and found the /bcdedit tutorial and set up the XP part as per its instructions.(what does your msconfig look like, reason
XP should be on C:\ and Win7 should be on a different X:\)
Restarted, took the disk out, straight to XP, restarted again, left the disk in, press any key message, let it time out, got a boot menu.
from this windows 7 booted fine, so i restarted to see if i could boot to xp from this menu, but it just restarted my computer when i selected it.
So i downloaded easy BCD to see if that would help, but no difference.
also tried repair install with no luck.
I have since formatted the partition, disconnected my second unused HDD and tried to reinstall, but now i get 80070017 errors, so i tried to burn a new disk and i think my DVD drive may be broken as i cannot even boot to this disk without getting I/O device errors

That could be a good reason, if the DVD drive was crapping out, then you install was borked.
You can install from the extra HDD> that is what I do...
c:\ Vista SP2
x1:\Drive has uncompressed Win7
x2:\blank drive for Win7 install.
while booted into Vista. go to x1 --> 2x click win7 setup. and when ask install in x2:\ then you should get a msconfig like this.

Thanks for the help snuffy.
I managed to get the DVD to burn properly, not sure why it decided not to play for a while but its all good now. i downloaded from the microsoft website.
My XP pertition decided to assign itself the letter E: and i dont really wanna have to reinstall it.
I managed to get 7 to install to C: and i now get a boot screen when the install disk is not in the drive, although i have 3 options now;
Earlier verion of windows
Windows 7
Windows 7 ultimate (recovered)

Both the top options are working fine now
Im not sure what the bottom is all about but its not that big a problem.
I reconnected the unused HDD and all works fine now. I dont understand why the boot didnt work with the HDD connected through the install, but its not that big a deal now it works.

Jayk1188 said:

I reconnected the unused HDD and all works fine now. I dont understand why the boot didnt work with the HDD connected through the install, but its not that big a deal now it works

can you give specifics on unused HDD. I have one I have to load specific drivers for it (on clean installs).

can you give specifics on unused HDD. I have one I have to load specific drivers for it (on clean installs).

It's a Samsung 120GB IDE. I didn't have to install any drivers.

I just wanted to know, what type you had that for some reason seemd earlier to cause a problem... but a Standard IDE, unless your using a IDE Card Adapter on a SATA mobo, should make NO DIFFERENCE.
I connect my OLD IDE HDD's thru a IDE Adapter Card, which takes Special Drivers in Windows 7.

Nope just plugs directly into the MB. Not sure why it wouldn't work but it wasn't too big a problem to pull the power cable out of the HDD while it installed and set-up.

Huuuummmm you had me going there for a bit ... Win7 is touchy on how you have the code set.... do not use CABLE Select. either set it as Master or Slave. Most HDD's come from factory as cable select.

It was set as master, with my DVD drive as slave origionally. I meant disconnect the 4-pin power cable so HDD receives no power and set the DVD drive as master.