WIndows 7 dual boot with XP, boots from wrong drive


  1. Slorrin
    Posts : 20
    W7 RC x64
       New #1

    WIndows 7 dual boot with XP, boots from wrong drive


    Hi. I installed windows 7 x64 RC a while back, and it detected windows xp and set up a dual boot. All was well.

    I had a PSU failure, and i replaced the PSU. I set the BIOS to boot from the drive with windows 7 on it. It wouldn't boot. I set the bios to boot from the drive with windows Xp on it, and it booted to the dual boot screen.

    Apparently, windows 7 placed the boot information on the old XP drive, so if i try to boot to windows 7 from the windows 7 drive, its a no go.

    Now, this wouldnt' bug me so much, except that i want to replace the Xp drive with a larger 1tb drive. I don't need XP anymore, and do need storage (xp drive is 160gb).

    if i remove the XP drive, windows 7 won't boot. How can i fix this?
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  3. mckillwashere
    Posts : 1,849
    Windows 7 x86/x64, Server 2008r2, Web Server 2008
       New #2

    Put your install disk back in,
    tell it to do a repair.
    and that should find it :)
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  4. Slorrin
    Posts : 20
    W7 RC x64
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    aw man, i installed RC1 a while ago and i'm not sure i have the DVD. I guess i will have to look for the image.
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  6. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #4

    Mark Win7 active in Disk Management.

    Unplug your XP HD. Make sure Win7 HD is first HD to boot in BIOS, after DVD drive.

    Boot into Win7 DVD Repair console, click through to recovery tools to run Startup Repair 3 separate times with reboots. This rewrites the MBR to WIn7 HD.

    Now you can plug the XP back in, remove Win7 from dual boot in msconfig>Boot tab.

    Then boot either one from the BIOS shortcut key for Boot Menu, set Win7 HD to boot first in BIOS. Drives are now independent and can come and go as you please.

    If you will post back a screenshot of your full Disk Management drive map first, we can advise you more fully. https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...en-forums.html
    Last edited by gregrocker; 05 Jan 2010 at 19:31.
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  7. Saltgrass
    Posts : 1,031
    Windows 7 x64
       New #5

    He does not have the boot folder or bootmgr file on the Win 7 drive. Copying those things to the root directory of the Win 7 drive prior to doing a startup repair should really help. Also, probably a good idea to make the partition acitve, but the repair might do that.

    These items are hidden system files, so you will have to set folder options to be able to see them. If you can't get them from the XP drive, they are also in Windows 7 and on the Win 7 install DVD.
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  8. SIW2
    Posts : 16,153
    7 X64
       New #6

    If you can't find the install media/repair cd - you can always download one.

    Download Windows 7 System Recovery Discs — The NeoSmart Files

    Or use Easybcd 2.0 change boot drive feature.

    EasyBCD 2.0 Beta Builds - The NeoSmart Forums

    Install it on 7, select Diagnostics Center, Dot Change boot drive , click Rescue my system , select the 7 drive letter in the drop down- OK - let it do it's thing.

    As long as 7 HD is the first ( or only ) HD in boot order - you're good.
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  10. Slorrin
    Posts : 20
    W7 RC x64
    Thread Starter
       New #7

    Thaqnk you so much. EasyBCD 2.0 worked perfectly. I booted from my win7 drive without the xp drive attached, now, i can finally remove that ancient harddrive, and install my new fancy tb harddrive.

    life is sweet.
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  11. SIW2
    Posts : 16,153
    7 X64
       New #8

    You're welcome. Glad to hear it.
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