Triple boot 2 Windows 7 and 1 XP in one hard drive help

Hello,

Recently I had a drive failure and I need to have an extra Windows 7 x32. The remaining drive a WD 320gb drive has a dual-boot Win7 and XP. How can I triple boot in just one hard drive?

On that particular system I am using Neosmart's iReboot/EasyBCD so when I want to boot to either of the former arrangment I can do that easily and not be bothered by the boot selection.

Now I am using ATI Home 2011 and I was planning to make recover an image from the drive that failed to a 3rd partition on the WD320gb drive. How may I do that? Any ideas please...I really need to get this one going in the meantime I do not have the money to buy a new one.

Please help

Post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Mgmt drive map and listings, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu., if you'd like our advice.

Easiest would be to shrink Win7 partition enough to reimage in the shrink space. You would then add it using EasyBCD to multi-boot menu. It may require Startup Repair run on the new image a few times to start it. Keep only the WD HD System partition Active and do not include Track 0 or Active flag in image.

I would use WD's free Acronis premium imaging or cloning app. The Manual is easy to read and on the downloads page: WD Acronis free cloning app

@gregrocker,

Thank you so much for the reply. I was to take a pic of the disk management but it's taking too long..I don't understand really..but allow me to give some details so you can have an idea of the set-up.

On this machine there are (2) hard drives:

Boot Disk : WD 320gb SATA 2 drive with 3 partitions:

a. WD320_W7 (C) --total size 107gb

b. WD320_XPSP3 (D) --total size 107gb --contained the boot folder of the Windows 7 partition(WD320_W7)

c. WD320_Back(I) ----total size 83gb --empty/target partition for the 3rd boot of Windows 7

Logical drive : WD500gb SATA 3 drive with 4 partitions:

a. WD500_2 (E) --total size 161gb
b. WD500_1A (F) --total size 58gb
c. WD500_1B (G) --total size 83gb
d. WD500_Image Backup (H) --total size 163gb

That logical drive is where I keep all my files/backup of those files etc and image backups.

I do image backups with Acronis True Image Home 2011 Build 6942. I also have EASEUS Partition Master 9 Pro.

Now I have an existing image backup of the hard drive that failed on me which is:

SGT_KIS12_W7.tib -- image size is 15.3gb (This image came from an old 160gb Seagate IDE drive. The image backup (SGT_KIS12_W7.tib) has the System Reserve in it along with the Win7 partition.

Now in ATI Home 2011 I can "Explore/Recover" that image backup and just select the Win7 partition.

I plan to recover it to c. WD320_Back(I) ----total size 83gb

I tried to do that earlier but Acronis said FAILED.

A couple of questions please,

i. Can I use that image backup? I have a different setup there and I like using it over the WD320_W7. It's a leaner setup made for office/design applications etc.

ii. . If I cannot use that, "is" the "shrink" partition you mentioned for the a. WD320_W7 (C) --total size 107gb and then I'll try to recover that in c. WD320_Back(I) --total size 83gb ...Yes?

I am not really someone who knows much about all of this. I try to learn as much from reading and searching from forums such this so pardon if I seem slow to comprehend I'll try to get that image of the Disk Management later and post it again here.

Thank you very miuch for the accomodation!

Type Disk Management in Start Search box, open and maximize.
Type Snipping Tool in Search box, open and select Rectangluar Snip, draw box around drive map and listings, save file. Attach using paper clip in reply box. Screen Shots

Try deleting the partition then apply the Acronis image as I said earlier without Active flag or Track 0 if asked. You do not want the System Reserved partition included so don't select it.

If it fails again then post up the exact error message verbatim. You can also use installed Acronis and provide Screenshots of each step you're doing so we can check your work.

In case you can't understand Greg's clear instructions, this tutorial should help: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

WD320_XPSP3 (D) contains the boot folder you say. So it's an active, system partition in "disk management" (win7)?
If so, then the system boots from that partition and shows a bootmenu with selections: winxp, win7.

Only thing you have to do:

1. restore the backup to WD320_Back(I). Don't mark that partition as active. don't restore the "system reserved" partition.
2. perform a "startup repair" so it finds the new windows 7 and updates the bootmenu

but acronis restore fails? any errors?
image is 15.3GB (maybe compressed?) so fits easy on 83GB. How large was the partion when performing acronis backup? I think you can see that when restoring

Acronis True Image: Resizing Partitions during Restore to Larger/Smaller Hard Drive | Knowledge Base tells you how to restore to smaller partition

gregrocker said:

Type Disk Management in Start Search box, open and maximize.
Type Snipping Tool in Search box, open and select Rectangluar Snip, draw box around drive map and listings, save file. Attach using paper clip in reply box. Screen Shots

Try deleting the partition then apply the Acronis image as I said earlier without Active flag or Track 0 if asked. You do not want the System Reserved partition included so don't select it.

If it fails again then post up the exact error message verbatim. You can also use installed Acronis and provide Screenshots of each step you're doing so we can check your work.

Click to expand...

-- That's what I did but it does not display. Please see image attached..it's still reading there....

--On the application of the Acronis image will do and will be back. Thank you

I still have not been able to see the Disk Management view..tsk I do not know why..anyway kindly see the EASEUS Partition Master Pro view(the Disk Management is at the background).

seavixen32 said:

In case you can't understand Greg's clear instructions, this tutorial should help: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

Click to expand...

-- I must have confused you..sorry for that. I usually use FastStone Screen Capture and post the image in a file hosting site. But I really do not understannd why it is not showing. Kindly see the window at the back of the EPM Pro view.

Kaktussoft said:

WD320_XPSP3 (D) contains the boot folder you say. So it's an active, system partition in "disk management" (win7)?
If so, then the system boots from that partition and shows a bootmenu with selections: winxp, win7.

Only thing you have to do:

restore the backup to WD320_Back(I). Don't mark that partition as active. don't restore the "system reserved" partition.
perform a "startup repair" so it finds the new windows 7 and updates the bootmenu

but acronis restore fails? any errors?
image is 15.3GB (maybe compressed?) so fits easy on 83GB. How large was the partion when performing acronis backup? I think you can see that when restoring

Click to expand...

-- Yes you are correct that the WD320_XPSP3 (D) contains the boot folder. The 15.3GB is I think compressed by Acronis. I use the default settings of ATI.

I am currently at the office so please allow me to read/print first and will get back later when I get home. Thank you very much gregrocker , seavixen32 and Kaktussoft for the accommodation and help

Only thing you have to do:

restore the backup to WD320_Back(I). Don't mark that partition as active. perform a "startup repair" so it finds the new windows 7 and updates the bootmenu.

Has WD320_back(I) enough space to put the data in? acronis shows you the old real partition size and the amount of data thas was filled. Give those numbers please. Don't mark I as active!
perform a "startup repair" afterwards to let the new windows show up in bootmenu.

Why diskmangemnet fails.... no idea

The problem is that C is incompetently placed on a Logical partition. This makes it harder to retrieve the boot files to C so that a Triple Boot can be configured if necessary with I, since a Logical partition cannot be marked Active to accept System boot files.

To re-image to I, delete the partition, during Image selection exclude the System Reserved partition and mark it Inactive. After imaging try adding I: from XP using EasyBCD which is harder to run from XP. If it fails try running Startup Repair repeatedly with XP marked Active to see if it will add I to Triple Boot.

If not try starting WIn7 on I by marking it Active then running Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times. Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two). Once I: holds the System Active flags you can install Easy BCD to more easily add XP and C: Win7.

You have significant corruption if DIsk Management will not load. Run SFC -SCANNOW Command to see if System files can be repaired. If not run a Repair Install or consider a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which itself will correctly configure the triple boot.

Although not very flexible, putting win7 on logical partition isn't a problem. But the boot partition must be primary and active of course.

Putting boot files on winxp partition is not very smart. He'd better use a special partition for that purpose only. In the situation as it is now, winxp can't be removed easily. (of course delete all winxp files and only leave bootmgr and bcd would work).

He can leave it the way it is now. Or he can convert win7 partition to primary using a partition manager. Afterwards a startup repair is needed I suppose.

The boot files are already on XP partition - smart idea or not - as they would be naturally if Win7 was installed second to XP. And if he were to clean install to i they would remain on XP and be updated there again.

I didn't say you can't install Win7 to Logical, even though it is meant for data and cannot be marked Active to receive the System files so that it can be used to stage the Dual- or Triple-boot. However you can Convert it to Primary using Partition Wizard bootable CD if you want to move the System boot files there - then mark Active and run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

Perhaps the best option is to mark Active and run 3 Startup Repairs with reboots on the image on I to start it, then add the others using EasyBCD. This will settle up front the issue of whether the image is going to start, then use it to stage the triple boot.

Hello guys,

Just got home awhile earlier and I gave it a shot. Using the existing image backup it failed again. There were no logs! It just showed Acronis Failed with a red X mark. So I tried to validate it and lo and behold it was "corrupted". So that was why it failed. The log can only be seen when you validate it and not when it actually fails..tsk..bad interface.

So I used a different image, did not select Track 0 and System Reserve. It did went through! Nice. It finished successfully.

Then I did a Start-up Repair as guided by the link you gave. And now it's okay!

Then a thought came to my mind of maybe I can use EasyBCD... So I tried using another image(validated) of the dualboot. Did not select Track 0 / System Reserve(as instructed) and installed over the WD320_Back(I). It also went through. Then I used EasyBCD>Add Entry> and selected the OS and drive letter (I). Renamed the item to WD320_SGT_KIS12_W7. Then reboot. It also went through okay. In fact I am using it now!!!!

Great help guys! Now I know how to do it 2 ways! Checked the system if it will boot okay around 3-4x and it did flawlessly! You guys rock!

Now the only issue I have is that I cannot see the Disk management view. It shows blank still ...Any ideas....? Does having EasyBCD and iReboot affect it? or maybe EASEUS Partition Master Pro..?



The dualboot was made with XP first and then installing Windows 7. It did place the boot folder in XP. Initially this drive was only for dualboot. I used an additional IDE drive for a separate Windoes 7 Basic(that was the Seagate that died on me). Did not have the time to do a clean install as this was only previously a test pc for software prior migration of that software to the other units I have. This also had already 3 hdd failures...all Seagate IDE drives from China and Thailand. Had been at it with the RMA system of Seagate for 1+ year now and replaced them 3x. Those replacement hdd's was really problematic to me and the previous failure was the last straw. Finally I am on Western Digital. Never let me down...yet.

However you can Convert it to Primary using Partition Wizard bootable CD if you want to move the System boot files there - then mark Active and run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

Click to expand...

-- I am gonna take a look at that and will try that out once I get the new 500gb drive. I'll try it out there first so I can see what will I have to do. Is that Partition Wizard bootable CD freeware?

You have significant corruption if DIsk Management will not load. Run SFC -SCANNOW Command to see if System files can be repaired. If not run a Repair Install or consider a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which itself will correctly configure the triple boot.

Click to expand...

-- Will do thanks!

I would not use Easeus which can fail, as can any installed Partition Manager except Disk Manager. Use free Partition Wizard bootable CD which is the only manager which will not ever fail. Partition Wizard

But for now you can post up an Easeus screenshot so we can check it over.

I'm assuming you added I from XP which held the boot files. So you have all three choices now working on the Multi-Boot menu? If so there's no reason to move the boot files for now - only when you're ready to delete XP and recover it's System boot files and disk space into Win7.

@gregrocker,

Kindly see the image below. Will perform SFC -SCANNOW tomorrow. I am sleepy now

We know the XP partition continues to hold all 3 OS's boot files because it holds the System flag. If all three are working OK then you can leave it that way. You've done well. Sleep tight.

@gregrocker,

Kindly see images of EASEUS Partition Master view and Disk Managament view in the XP partition.






Thank you.

Is each OS seen as C when booted into it?

I would mark XP Active now so it is less likely to have it's System Boot files derailed during any future repairs or reinstalls.

If you decide to remove XP, move the System boot files to a Primary partition holding Win7 by Marking Partition Active, then running Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until it boots and holds the System Active flags. You can then add any other OS's using EasyBCD from that partition's OS.

@gregrocker,

Is each OS seen as C when booted into it?

Click to expand...

-- Yes. I see that it's all marked as C.

I would mark XP Active now so it is less likely to have it's System Boot files derailed during any future repairs or reinstalls

Click to expand...

.
-- How may I do that?

Thank you so much for the assistance here I really appreciate it. I'll wait and try it out when I get home as I am ow in the office. We just changed shifting schedule.

Thank you again

It's linked twice in the thread: Partition - Mark as Active