Windows 7 install problem (Vista and XP dual boot)

[canisarmani]

I have a Vista laptop with xp and Vista installed because I do not want to give up xp, I enjoy it to much. I wanted to try Windows 7 so I set it up in a "triple boot" fashion. Vista and Windows 7 works great, but xp will not boot. It says I have a missing or corrupt hal.dll. When I uninstall Windows 7 and restore my backed up bootloader settings Windows xp boots up. I want to keep trying 7 but I don't want to give up xp, can this problem be fixed?

 

[limneos]

How to solve basic Dual Boot Issues

Case 1: You have Dual Boot Win7 and XP/Vista and you lost the XP/Vista boot option at startup, but Win7 boots fine.

Solution:
1. Start Win7.

2. If you can see your XP/Vista partition in Computer, write down the drive letter (e.g. D:)

3. If you can't see the XP partition and you see all others but this one, open Control Panel - Adminstrative Tools - Computer Management -> Disk Management(left pane) and right-click the partition without a drive letter, choose "Change drive letters and paths" and assign a drive letter for the partition, e.g. D: .

4. Open an elevated command prompt and type the following lines followed by Enter for each line, changing the drive letter D: (in blue) with the one on your XP/Vista partition:

FOR RESTORING XP

[B]bcdedit /create {ntldr} /d "Windows XP"[/B]
 
[B]bcdedit /set {ntldr} device partition=D:[/B]
 
[B]bcdedit /set {ntldr} path \ntldr[/B]
 
[B]bcdedit /displayorder {ntldr} /addlast[/B]

FOR RESTORING VISTA

[B]bcdedit /copy {current} /d "Windows Vista"[/B]

(You will get a response saying that a new {UUID} was created successfully.
Write down or copy the new UUID.)

[B]bcdedit /set {[COLOR=blue]place_new_UUID_here[/COLOR]} device partition=[COLOR=blue]D:[/COLOR][/B]
 
[B]bcdedit /set {[COLOR=blue]place_new_UUID_here[/COLOR]} osdevice partition=[COLOR=blue]D:[/COLOR][/B]

5. Done

Case 2: You have Dual Boot Win7 and XP/Vista and you lost the Win7 boot option at startup, but XP/Vista boots fine.

Solution:
1. Insert the Win7 Installation DVD and boot your computer with it (as if you were making an installation).
2. At the first screen , select your language etc and press enter.
3. At the second screen, click "Repair Computer" at the bottom left.
4. Wait until startup repair is finished and reboot.
5. Done. You can now boot Win7.

Case 3: You have restored booting Win7 using the Case 2 method or other way, but now you've lost XP/VISTA .

Solution: Follow Case 1 Solution.


Case 4: You want Win7/Mac Dual Boot.

Solution: Follow these instructions: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/2774-osx-windows-7-dual-boot.html#post26210

Hope it helps.

Limneos

 

[son110]

Case 2: You have Dual Boot Win7 and XP/Vista and you lost the Win7 boot option at startup, but XP/Vista boots fine.

Solution:
1. Insert the Win7 Installation DVD and boot your computer with it (as if you were making an installation).
2. At the first screen , select your language etc and press enter.
3. At the second screen, click "Repair Computer" at the bottom left.
4. Wait until startup repair is finished and reboot.
5. Done. You can now boot Win7.

I don't have DVD, help

 

[limneos]

You mean you don't have a DVD drive or a DVD Installation Disc?

Edit:
If you do have the ISO downloaded, you can create a USB stick to boot your computer with. ->
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-...table-so-i-can-load-w7-netbook.html#post13746

Then just go to case 2

If you don't have the Windows 7 Installation ISO/DVD disc , you will need to download one

 

[Supervisor]

Hello.
I have one question.
Which edition is better?
32 bit or 64 one?

 

[cr2112]

I have similar problem.

I am also using 3 OS. Win 7, Vista and XP. After i installed windows 7 my xp has crashed. It is showing me that \ntdlr is missing. My windows vista and seven are working fine.
Please help me.

Thank you

 

[Supervisor]

I am also using 3 OS. Win 7, Vista and XP. After i installed windows 7 my xp has crashed. It is showing me that \ntdlr is missing. My windows vista and seven are working fine.
Please help me.

Thank you

Well probably you cant boot you XP because boot files are located to another location, because the fact that you have three OS systems.
My advice, true to run one OS and use VMWare workstation to create virtual machines for the other ones.

 

[YupYup]

I am also using 3 OS. Win 7, Vista and XP. After i installed windows 7 my xp has crashed. It is showing me that \ntdlr is missing. My windows vista and seven are working fine.
Please help me.

Thank you

Scroll up the solution was given. If you don't like using command line you can use EasyBCD - Edit Boot Configuration Data (BCD) in Windows Vista | Windows Reference

Case 1: You have Dual Boot Win7 and XP/Vista and you lost the XP/Vista boot option at startup, but Win7 boots fine.

Solution:
1. Start Win7.

2. If you can see your XP/Vista partition in Computer, write down the drive letter (e.g. D:)

3. If you can't see the XP partition and you see all others but this one, open Control Panel - Adminstrative Tools - Computer Management -> Disk Management(left pane) and right-click the partition without a drive letter, choose "Change drive letters and paths" and assign a drive letter for the partition, e.g. D: .

4. Open an elevated command prompt and type the following lines followed by Enter for each line, changing the drive letter D: (in blue) with the one on your XP/Vista partition:

FOR RESTORING XP

[B]bcdedit /create {ntldr} /d "Windows XP"[/B]
 
[B]bcdedit /set {ntldr} device partition=D:[/B]
 
[B]bcdedit /set {ntldr} path \ntldr[/B]
 
[B]bcdedit /displayorder {ntldr} /addlast[/B]

 

[cr2112]

Still same problem

Scroll up the solution was given. If you don't like using command line you can use EasyBCD - Edit Boot Configuration Data (BCD) in Windows Vista | Windows Reference

I have tried everything shown in the post. I have even tried repairing my windows xp, but when i do a startup repair for my win vista, then xp crash again. But my Vista and 7 are working fine. My windows xp keep showing me \ntdlr missing and some error x000000f.

 

[YupYup]

I have tried everything shown in the post. I have even tried repairing my windows xp, but when i do a startup repair for my win vista, then xp crash again. But my Vista and 7 are working fine. My windows xp keep showing me \ntdlr missing and some error x000000f.

Are you sure you did not install windows 7 to where XP was installed?

 

[cr2112]

Are you sure you did not install windows 7 to where XP was installed?

of course not. I have 3 separate partition for all the operating system.

 

[YupYup]

of course not. I have 3 separate partition for all the operating system.

Ok can you post a screen shot of the partitions in the disk managment and the readout from bcdedit so we can get a clearer picture of what is going on.

 

[cr2112]

Ok can you post a screen shot of the partitions in the disk managment and the readout from bcdedit so we can get a clearer picture of what is going on.

I have attached the the screenshots. Please help me i need windows xp to play game.

 

[YupYup]

First i would make sure you can see hidden folders and protected OS files (in folder options), then confirm if ntdlr is missing/corrupt from E: if it is replace it from your XP disc. Did you just install all 3 Operating Systems? because typically you would want XP,Vista,7 in that order ie:XP would be the active partition containing the boot files.

P.S. can you post the same easybcd screenshot but in the detailed(debug mode).

 

[cr2112]

First i would make sure you can see hidden folders and protected OS files (in folder options), then confirm if ntdlr is missing/corrupt from E: if it is replace it from your XP disc. Did you just install all 3 Operating Systems? because typically you would want XP,Vista,7 in that order ie:XP would be the active partition containing the boot files.

P.S. can you post the same easybcd screenshot but in the detailed(debug mode).

I can see hidden files in my com. When i search for the ntdlr file in my win xp partition it returns with no result. But when i try to copy thentdlr file using the cd in recovery console it says accsess denied. I have already attached the the bcdedit debug mode with this post.
Thanks

 

[YupYup]

I can see hidden files in my com. When i search for the ntdlr file in my win xp partition it returns with no result.

You need to deselect "hide protected operating system files" as well as being able to see hidden files and folders. Once you can see ntldr you need to remove the "read only" attribute then you can replace it.

 

[cr2112]

You need to deselect "hide protected operating system files" as well as being able to see hidden files and folders. Once you can see ntldr you need to remove the "read only" attribute then you can replace it.

I have already deselect the "hide protected operating system files" but i cant still find the ntdlr file.

 

[johngalt]

are you looking for ntldr or ntdlr?

You'll find the first one - but not the second.

(ntldr stands for NT Loader, so that makes it easy to remember the spelling)

 

[cr2112]

are you looking for ntldr or ntdlr?

You'll find the first one - but not the second.

(ntldr stands for NT Loader, so that makes it easy to remember the spelling)

Which file am i supposed to replace. ntldr or ntdlr ?

 

[johngalt]

There is no ntdlr.