Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP


  1. Posts : 366
    Win7 x64
       #1880

    Ouick question
    I set up my backup system to dual boot XP and Win7 x64 on 2 seperate SSD's. I have it set up as the tutorial states using BCD installed on the win7 drive. It works fine except when I turn the system on for the first time (cold-boot) power off state. It just beeps and does nothing but when I hit restart it comes up fine and it doesn't happen again until the next startup after being shutdown.
    Thanks
      My Computer

  2.    #1881

    Someone else may recognize it as harmless but I would research the beep codes for your mobo or PC to see what a single beep at boot means. It may be trying to tell you something.
      My Computer


  3. oao
    Posts : 9
    windows 7 ultimate (64 I think)
       #1882

    Here's the result. It's Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit, so why x86?

    Volume in drive C has no label.
    Volume Serial Number is 10F5-90E0

    Directory of C:\Windows\System32\oobe

    FirstUXRes.WIM
    1 File(s) 637,052 bytes

    Directory of C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-setup-component_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_3202d4720e95de08

    FirstUXRes.WIM
    1 File(s) 636,800 bytes

    Directory of C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-setup-component_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_3433e83a0b8461a2

    FirstUXRes.WIM
    1 File(s) 637,052 bytes

    Total Files Listed:
    3 File(s) 1,910,904 bytes
    0 Dir(s) 447,863,287,808 bytes free
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 9
    Win XP 32
       #1883

    Hello All. Looking for help, just about at wit's end. Have scoured the net for 2 days now, and the answer to my riddle does not seem to be posted, have tried a whole whack of things to no avail.

    The issue in short, is I have a laptop with Win 7 32bit on it, and can't get XP to finish its install. It is on a separate partition, and that was formatted before install. When that gave me grief and after trying many other things, I tried again letting XP do a FULL format, and that gave me the same damn result.

    The result, and where I am stuck, is after XP loads all the setup files and does its very first reboot, I get an error that says Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

    <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll

    And that is it, XP will not resume its install no matter what I have tried.

    Things to note:

    - I am using XP Pro with SP2 slipped, that I used just 6 months ago so I know its good
    - It is a Sata drive and XP sees it and all partitions no problem before the install without doing F6
    - Win 7 does not reboot, of course, unless I boot from Recover CD I made prior and repair boot
    - Once in Win 7, I do see boot.ini, ntdetect and other file in the 200mb system partition that Win 7 made, right where they should be. I have tried changing the partition number in the boot.ini file to no avail, maybe I didn't try all the numbers though (there are 4 partitions counting the 200mb one)
    - The Hal.dll file IS in the Windows folder on the drive XP is being installed on.
    - I tried installing NOT giving the 200mb partition a letter, AND giving it a letter, no difference (files were in right place)
    - I even tried editing the Boot manager with EasyBCD to include XP, so I get a choice of Xp or 7, when I pick XP I get some kind of error instead of the "install" resuming.
    - I also tried booting the XP disc and trying a repair install but this goes no where.

    I hope someone will have an idea or two on what to do and what is happening, because I am ready to ditch 7 or something and dont want to go that route.

    TIA
      My Computer

  5.    #1884

    An XPired OS won't install on new hardware and the answer is to get rid of Win7?

    Please post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Mgmt drive map and listings, using the Snipping Tool in Start menu. Tell us what is on each partition.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 9
    Win XP 32
       #1885

    Hi thanks for reply. Yeah I guess I am pointing the finger at 7 in my frustration...

    Not able to take a snippet atm, but what I have is 4 healthy primary NTFS partitions, first is the only active one 100mb with all the boot stuff (7 and XP), 2nd is 244gig with 7, 3rd is storage 185 gig, last is 265 gig with the windows xp setup files.

    I forgot to mention this is an HP compaq nw9440, I got it with 7 on it, and judging by the sticker on the bottom XP was on it sometime ago in the past.
      My Computer

  7.    #1886

    Then I'd reinstall that OEM version of XP using the Product Key on sticker.

    Do you have the packaging with COA sticker for Win7, because it they had installed a bootleg copy it could well be interfering. The only way to know for sure if this is the case is to wipe the HD with Diskpart Clean Command, so you'd need to know you have Genuine Windows 7 to reinstall.

    Are you booting XP CD to install? The reason I ask is because you said you have the XP Setup files on your fourth partition. You should install from booted CD. Is this a known-good XP CD which is clean and unscratched.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 9
    Win XP 32
       #1887

    gregrocker said:
    Then I'd reinstall that OEM version of XP using the Product Key on sticker.

    Do you have the packaging with COA sticker for Win7, because it they had installed a bootleg copy it could well be interfering. The only way to know for sure if this is the case is to wipe the HD with Diskpart Clean Command, so you'd need to know you have Genuine Windows 7 to reinstall.

    Are you booting XP CD to install? The reason I ask is because you said you have the XP Setup files on your fourth partition. You should install from booted CD. Is this a known-good XP CD which is clean and unscratched.
    The XP I have is a good copy I used 6 months ago, but it is not the one that matches the sticker on the back of laptop. When I do the install I boot from CD, then it loads the Windows files to the fourth, and the ntdetect, etc to the 100 meg partition but when it does the first reboot I get the hal.dll error and have an unbootable PC. Only with the 7 repair disc can I get back in, by repairing the start up files.

    Since I have posted, I tried editing the boot.ini again with 4 different lines under [operating systems] one with each number 1,2,3,4 (maybe I should try 5?). When I reboot I get a dual-boot option only because I edited the bootmgr (otherwise there was NO option to go to XP at all and it justs boots to 7 after repairing the startup files), but when I choose XP from HERE, I get a different error (not hal) as I mentioned.

    I think there are two things going on here. I mean trying to boot XP from the dualboot menu gives a completely different error likely for good reason (if only I knew what that was... ) Trying to boot right after the XP file setup seems to go a different path, and this is before I can edit boot.ini since an XP install will replace any boot.ini file that is there. Right after the install when I check boot.ini, it has the path of (4) for which partition to look at, and maybe this is the whole issue (I seen others with this problem). 4 SEEMS right, but maybe in fact it is not, and I should try editing it a different way BEFORE repairing the 7 files.

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314477 kind of hints at what I am pointing to. What I should probably try is editing boot.ini right after the install gets stuck, by booting from CD and going to repair. I am not totally sure how to do this, and hope if I do do it I won't totally screw up 7 in case what I do doesn't work.

    I'm stuck in a never-ending loop. The 7 does say it is not genuine unfortunately. I am trying to avoid a full wipe as there is a bunch of stuff I want to keep on here, and I have no where else to put it currently its a 750gig drive. I do have another 7 CD that is OEM 64bit, and am contemplating putting it on the 4th partition instead of XP, but this is backwards to what I was hoping, since then I will be faced with the same problem, trying to install XP from 7 machine, instead of getting XP on it first, then putting the good copy of 7 over the bad one. (and apparently doing 7 dualboot from an XP machine is much easier than vice versa)
      My Computer

  9.    #1888

    If you were sold a PC with bootleg Win7 then you'll need to Clean Reinstall with Genuine Windows after wiping the HD with Diskpart Clean Command first.

    Since you must do this you might as well correctly install XP first as is optimal in a Dual Boot with Win7, even if you install it to the last created partition so it can be more easily removed later. You can create your partitions after wiping HD using the XP CD then full format the XP partition before install.

    Then Win7 installer will configure the Dual Boot during Clean Reinstall - OEM Windows 7 .

    I would buy or borrow an external HD to store my data, or upload up to 7gb with each Windows Live ID to Skydrive, which can also Sync your user folders to storage and other devices. Sync Any Folder to Your SkyDrive Account | PCWorld
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 9
    Win XP 32
       #1889

    gregrocker said:
    If you were sold a PC with bootleg Win7 then you'll need to Clean Reinstall with Genuine Windows after wiping the HD with Diskpart Clean Command first.

    Since you must do this you might as well correctly install XP first as is optimal in a Dual Boot with Win7, even if you install it to the last created partition so it can be more easily removed later. You can create your partitions after wiping HD using the XP CD then full format the XP partition before install.

    Then Win7 installer will configure the Dual Boot during Clean Reinstall - OEM Windows 7 .

    I would buy or borrow an external HD to store my data, or upload up to 7gb with each Windows Live ID to Skydrive, which can also Sync your user folders to storage and other devices. Sync Any Folder to Your SkyDrive Account | PCWorld
    Okay thanks, as I say was hoping not to go this route but you are making it sound like I must (have never seen anyone say that could be cause before, usually sata drivers, boot.ini etc)

    Looking at the link you posted, it begs the question of could I not just "clean" or "clean all" (which should I do btw?) the 100 meg partition and the C:system partition with all the windows stuff on it? Then install XP from there avoiding the need to delete ALL the data on the drive (all that would be left is a bunch of movies and music on one of the partitions, the other 3 would be empty)?

    Edit, ok I think that utility will wipe the whole thing, and no option for parts only. Are there not utilities I can use to wipe only the ones I need to? (Windows stuff)
      My Computer


 

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