EasyBCD error message when setting up XP dual boot

martinlest · 19 Sep 2015

I get

The boot configuration data store could not be opened. The system could not find the file specified....

.. the file specified clearly being the Win7 bootloader.

I do already have Win7 installed on the PC. For some reason, when I reinstalled it (as I had to yesterday), no 100MB system partition was created, so everything is in one partition. It ran fine and I installed all the necessary drivers.. At that stage, there was no other O/S on the PC.

Then I installed Windows XP to a separate hard drive, and set that up to with drivers so it boots fine.

Next, I ran EasyBCD, but I get the error message about boot configuration data store. Clearly EasyBCD cannot find the Win7 bootloader...

How do I proceed please? I do not just want to go ahead and press the 'Write MBR' button until I know it's safe!

Many thanks,

Martin

martinlest · 20 Sep 2015

Well, I fixed the "boot configuration could not be opened" issue, but I still can't get the dual boot to operate. I can only boot into Windows XP.

As this is no longer about the EasyBCD error message, I have started a new thread about the failure of the dual boot.

Thanks!

Night Hawk · 20 Sep 2015

The fast and easy way to see a working XP/7 dual boot is simply following the instructions in the guide for this! How to Dual Boot XP with Windows 7

You can't go wrong following a proven to work set of instructions seen there! The fast and easy way of course is not trying to add any new boot entry for 7 in the XP boot.ini file since it won't be capable of seeing 7 start when selecting it at startup. To the contrary adding the XP boot entry into the BCD store 7 has even when seeing XP installed last will end up with working results when done properly!

When taking a close look at Option Two where XP goes on last and the 7 mbr ends up being trashed as you saw there the EasyBCD tool can easily be used to repair the 7 mbr problem as pointed out in the guide there. The Neosmart page also sees some useful instructions for how to go about using their tool. https://neosmart.net/wiki/easybcd/du...alling-second/

You may have some fun locating NetFrameWork 2.0 at this late date since all support for XP was dropped a year and a half ago in early 2014! If you were simply looking to add 7 or newer onto an older XP system the newer version's installer would automatically set things up for you with 7 seeing "Previous version of Windows" which can be renamed by using the EasyBCD tool in either version. For 10 only the latest and next to latest version of EasyBCD however will run on the new version now seen.

martinlest · 20 Sep 2015

Hi again!

The Neosmart page is what I was following to set up the dual boot. It worked fine, but the copy of WinXP I was using would not activate (no idea why) so I replaced it with a different instance of XP - obviously messing up my MBR in the process!

OMG, I was SO nearly there!! All I had to do was to reinstall Windows 7: I now get the boot screen where I choose between 'an earlier version of windows' and 'Windows 7'. Great!!

Thanks!!

Night Hawk · 21 Sep 2015

Well you now have a better guide to go by!

The Neosmart guide there lacks quite a bit since that was only meant for a quick reference while the guide here at SF is a step by step detailed guide to follow to see working results!

You should have been able to repair the 7 mbr with the use of the "bootrec /rebuild" command while booted live from the 7 media at the command prompt option there once having selected the correct drive letter to type in like "G:" and then pressed the enter key. I'm surprised the Startup Repair tool didn't work if you ran that a few times but at least you now have everything running good.

Remember if you put EasyBCD on 7 you can easily rename the "Previous version of Windows" to "Windows XP", "Windows XP Home" or Pro depending on which edition that is using the edit option. You can also change the default OS easily in the Boot tab of the msconfig utility as well as with EasyBCD options. The time out option can be changed there as well.

martinlest · 21 Sep 2015

Yes, all OK. I use iReboot in conjunction with EasyBCD - a great little tool for booting.

Will make a Macrium image later today, and then I can start using the PC again!

Night Hawk · 21 Sep 2015

If you are saving that image to an internal drive it shouldn't take more then a half an hour give or take a few minutes depending on the size of the drives you have there. For backing one of the 1tb OS drives here that would run about 34 minutes with just over 400gb of disk space in use.

That's still running with the 2014 Home edition of Acronis True Image however. The other tools from Neosmar are also well written and can really be an asset to have onhand if the occasion comes up. But with everything working as it should your best move now is to see a full system image made for each drive!

You can make separate images with each as a stand alone option as well as seeing a larger image for both depending on how much space you have available to store them! Here I now have a pair of 2tb drives in with one mostly for storing images not only for the main build for the second plus a few laptops! I know a couple who simply won't take the time to learn how to do this for themselves and always the kids end up trashing something....?!