Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

debugged · 22 Feb 2011

WindowsStar said:

If I remember correctly (forgive if I am wrong) but you cannot boot Windows XP off a logical partition.

You're right - XP works fine in logical partition, but its boot files have to be in an active primary, either a "system reserve" mini-partition that's just for boot files (XP and/or 7), or a different primary system partition.

bolekilolek said:

Code:

[boot loader] 
timeout=30 
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP 
[operating systems] 
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINXP="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptInM

Is it ok? I have chenged windows to winxp.

No, you should change WINXP back to WINDOWS, and if you want to change what appears in the multi-boot menu, only change the part inside the quotation marks, e.g. change "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" to "XP Pro" or what you want.

gregrocker · 22 Feb 2011

toobyteme said:

Hi, I have windows 7 on my laptop. I created a primary partition for XP but when I try to load it I get a message that says "windows can not find any drives on this computer". What part of the tutorial did I miss?

Newer hardware often requires having the SATA controller driver loaded into the XP installer, either at the F6 prompt during initial driver-loading phase using a floppy drive, or by slipstreaming them into install CD.
SATA Drivers - Load in Windows XP Setup on Dual Boot
SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD

EverWin · 22 Feb 2011

@toobyteme

This is b'cos you are trying to create 5th primary partition which is impossible in MBR disk. You can create only 4 primary partition or you can create 3 primary partition & 1 extended primary partition (Extended primary partition is used to create logical partitions upto 128)

use freeware software to convert P: & E: drive to Logical partition & then create Unallocated free space as primary partition to install XP.
Partition Wizard home Edition

How to

Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

Best of Luck
harjit

bolekilolek · 23 Feb 2011

debugged said:

No, you should change WINXP back to WINDOWS, and if you want to change what appears in the multi-boot menu, only change the part inside the quotation marks, e.g. change "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" to "XP Pro" or what you want.

OK. The only reason I have changed 'windows' to 'winxp', is because this is the name of the folder where XP is located. I will try with 'windows'.

[+]
How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP

This is a sample of the above Boot.ini file with a previous installation of Windows 2000 on a separate partition.
[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="Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

In section with win 2000, it doesn't have 'windows' in its path, thats because 'winnt' was the actual name of the folder with windows files. Isn't this a similar situation to my 'winxp' folder name?

[++]
After accessing System Reserved this is what I've found - check screen.

I didn't copy anything, it was all already there.
boot.ini

Code:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINXP
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINXP="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

debugged · 23 Feb 2011

bolekilolek said:

'winxp' ... is the name of the folder where XP is located

Sorry, I didn't get that. So WINXP it is.

Why and how did the WINDOWS directory get named WINXP? Seems that can only be trouble.

bolekilolek · 23 Feb 2011

It was all by default, I didn't interfere in it. I have Windows XP Professional SP3 x86 (January 2011).

So, what next?

I still can't add a new entry in EasyBCD.

[+]
screen from boot-us

btw. Any idea why the disks order list looks like this? I mean, why disk #2 isn't on first place?

theog · 23 Feb 2011

bolekilolek said:

It was all by default, I didn't interfere in it. I have Windows XP Professional SP3 x86 (January 2011).

So, what next?

I still can't add a new entry in EasyBCD.

[+]
screen from boot-us

btw. Any idea why the disks order list looks like this? I mean, why disk #2 isn't on first place?

Check to make sure your WinXP DVD is a Legal copy.

bolekilolek · 23 Feb 2011

theog said:

Check to make sure your WinXP DVD is a Legal copy.

It looks like normal oem cd, it have label on it, holograms etc., beside during the installation I was asked for the cd key (which is printed on the envelope).

debugged · 23 Feb 2011

Weird stuff going on. Maybe it's time to wipe the disk and start again (drastic, but you're not getting anywhere at the moment.) I start to wonder about corrupt MBR that isn't getting fixed by normal means.

Can you get Partition Wizard Bootable CD? Burn the iso file to a CD. I like to use ImgBurn. Boot the Partition Wizard CD, with only the one hard drive connected, and when the GUI comes up select the disk, right click and select "wipe". Everything, including any traces of MBR should be erased. It may take hours.

Then you can follow the tutorial again.

Or you could do what I do instead: Use Partition Wizard bootable CD to create a 200MB primary partition (system reserve) and set it active. Create a logical partition for XP. (Make sure you Apply changes - bottom left of P.W. GUI). Install XP, selecting to keep formatting intact, or else the XP installation may change the partition to primary and make it active, bypassing your system reserve mini-partition.

If that works out, then you can create a partition for Windows 7, install, and normally it finds the XP system and sets up a multiboot for you with XP under the menu title "Earlier versions of Windows".

If you get no joy after all this, start to wonder about the XP disk and maybe getting a replacement.

gregrocker · 23 Feb 2011

Try booting Partition Wizard bootable CD to rightclick XP partition>Modify>Convert to Primary.

See if you can add XP on EasyBCD 2.0 Add New Entry tab now.