Windows 7 install problem (Vista and XP dual boot)

mpol · 20 Jun 2009

I'm not sure if it's not off-topic (it's more XP problem I guess) but that's what happening to me:
I had 1 old ATA drive and 3 SATA connected in RAID 0. XP boot files (ntldr, ntdetect, etc.) were located on ATA drive. I removed it, and repaired bootloader with windows 7 dvd. Windows 7 works great, but (as you could expect) windows XP gave "no NTLDR" error.
Windows 7 is currently at partition C: which is 2nd partition on raid, and windows xp is on D: which is first partition. Please notice that when I boot XP (connecting old ATA drive again - it works ok), windows 7 partition is J:, XP is I: and old ata drive is C:.

I found solution on other forum to copy ntldr, ntdetect, and boot.ini onto windows xp partition and rebuild windows 7 loader with some tool doing same thing which is described at the begining of this thread.
After I've done it I get error (when trying to boot xp) which goes sth like this:

Incorrect file BOOT.INI
Running C:\WINDOWS\

and it immidiately resets (took me some skill in reflex reading, and couple of resets to get it)
It might not be exact words as i'm translating it from my language version.

My boot.ini looks like that:

Code:

;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT

I'm not sure about it, but I guess that if there is only raid left in the system, and ata drive is disconected, multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1) should become multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1). I tried this, but came up with the same error.
It's courious that if I connect ATA drive in USB case as USB drive, I can boot xp from it with no problem.

Any idea how can I fix it?

I need to add, that windows XP instalation doesn't see XP installed and wants to make fresh instalation (I fixed such problems couple of times by reinstalling XP), and windows 7 instalation sees only windows 7 (no XP listed).

FreddiePhuzz · 08 Jul 2009

This worked for me with extra steps. Read all before trying.

limneos said:

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

[code]
bcdedit /create {ntldr} /d "Windows XP"

bcdedit /set {ntldr} device partition=D:

bcdedit /set {ntldr} path \ntldr

bcdedit /displayorder {ntldr} /addlast

Do all of the above first. Next you need to go to this website and Download the newest Beta of EasyBCD. Yes it is a vista program but run it under windows 7.

EasyBCD 2.0 Beta Builds - The NeoSmart Forums

Once you have it installed, Click on the tool pull down and select:

Auto-Configure Boot.ini

This will rebuild your NTLDR files and the BOOT.ini files on your XP partition

Reboot and select the XP installation from the start up menu and see if it worked. Worked for me.

By the way.. I have one hard drive partitioned into 2 and had XP pro running on both partitions. I installed Windows 7 on the first partition and that is what seems to have killed my XP install. I followed Limneous's instructions and got the NTLDR errors. I manually copied the NTLDR files to the XP partition and got the x000brf blah blah error. EasyBCD fixed it all for me. I am not sure what else it does or if it will mess up your Windows 7 or XP installs by playing with other options but it fixed my dual boot.

errolgreer · 06 Aug 2009

cr2112 said:

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.

I have EXACTLY the same problem. In my case Win 7 is on a seperate HD. The boot menu shows Win 7, XP and Vista. I can boot into Win 7 and Vista, but If I select XP, I also get your error message. And no, Win 7 is NOT on the same partition as XP. I can look at the XP partition from Win 7 or vista and all the files are there. I desparately need to get into XP. The error message tells me to run Repair from its Install CD. I DO have an image backup of the XP partition. Should I resore it, or is there an easier fix ?
Errol

errolgreer · 06 Aug 2009

Just to let you all know, the fixes here including the one about bcdedit beta fixed my problems ! Many many thanks.
Errol

4s8kalz · 02 Sep 2009

Please i need help!
I've just installed Windows Vista x86 in a partition of my HD.
In another partition it was installed Windows 7 RTM x64, my preferred OS.
Now, i cannot boot Win 7.
I tried to repair Win 7 boot with rescue tool of the dvd: now Windows 7 (repaired) appears in the boot menu, but when i try to select it (or F8) it says that error: <<File: \Windows\System32\winload.exe Status: 0xc0000428 Info: Windows cannot verify digital signature for this file.>>
I tried also this guide MBR - Restore Windows 7 Master Boot Record with those commands: bootsect /nt60 SYS ; bootsect /nt60 D: (Windows 7 drive); bootsect /nt60 D: /mbr . Operations successfully executed, but same error message.
I tried to repair Win 7 boot also with Easy BCD and Vista Boot Pro from Win Vista, but the problem is the same...
I don't know what i can do....
Pleas help me!

Sorry for my English...

Pierre6 · 04 Sep 2009

Hello guys! Great forum about the great W7!

I have a similar problem with a tripple-boot:

First i had a Vista/XP dualboot installed, than i
installed Windows 7. After i did this i could only
boot Windows 7 and Windows Vista.

But when i try to boot XP it gives the following error:
" ... mising or corrupt: <Windows>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

What are the steps i have to do now? Can this be fixed
with the BCDedit?

Kind regards,

Pieter

horiz0n · 13 Sep 2009

Deleted because I did a reinstall - won't help others.

asdflkjh · 24 Feb 2011

Hi,
I have the same problem finding the boor loader of xp as i have installed 7 after xp in another drive

i have followed all steps specified and installed easybcd but couldnt find the Autoconfigure boot.ini option in the tool pull down menu.
This following error is being shown.
Please tell what am i missing.
btw.. i couldnt find the boot.ini file even in the installation CD of XP. I have copied ntldr and ntdetect into the xp drive though!

Windows 7 install problem (Vista and XP dual boot)

XP problem

Finally dual boot fixed!!!

Win 7 and multiboot fix

prob with easy bcd