Dual boot?

[danviau]

I've read this link about dual booting Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

SO lets say I have win 7 on c: now and load xp on d: and if for some reason I can't get then to dual boot even after following step 2 would reinstalling win 7 on c: fix my issue and allow dual boot?

 

[gregrocker]

This actually should be in Installation where installers hang out.

If you install XP last then it requires adding XP using EasyBCD as per the tutorial.

And yes, reinstalling 7 will fix any dual boot issues, as will booting the Win7 installer's repair console and running Startup Repair 3 times (to regain Win7 boot) then running a repair install (upgrade over itself) from the Win7 desktop.

 

[danviau]

How do I do the following?

"Win7 installer's repair console and running Startup Repair 3 times (to regain Win7 boot) then running a repair install (upgrade over itself) from the Win7 desktop."

where do I find the repair console and running startup repair 3 times why 3 times?

 

[gregrocker]

The Windows 7 install DVD has a "Repair my Computer" console with the same tools as on the Repair Disk, including Startup Repair which will repair or rewrite the boot files for Windows 7.

But since Startup Repair runs many tests, it will assume that a fix it provides will also boot the OS, which isn't always the case if more than one fix is needed. So it needs to be repeated sometimes up to 3 times, which usually means it has finally decided to rewrite the MBR since all other fixes have failed.

However, just running Startup Repair for Windows 7 will not reconfigure a dual boot, so you need to go on to running a repair install from the Win7 desktop (now that you're in) which resintalls the OS (upgrade over itself) and reconfigures the boot.

There are more technical ways to achieve this but this is the automated way.

 

[seekermeister]

gregrocker,

From your last post, I get the impression that if I had to run the Startup Repair on W7, I would need to disconnect any other drives that had OSs installed, to prevent them from being included in the testing and repair done by that tool, since I specifically designed my systems to be totally independent of each other...true?

 

[gregrocker]

Yes, wise.

And keep them unplugged when installing another OS so they remain truly independent and are booted by selecting using BIOS boot order F-key at startup.

Much easier for them to be plugged and unplugged that way

 

[danviau]

Both my Win 7 & XP Pro will be on the same drive just on different
partitions can I stil follow the following steps?

BTW my win 7 is on now and I want to add XP Pro to different partition. ( old recovery section I deleted)

(1) Would this link be the the best way for my to achieve dual boot when I have win7 on first and want to add Xp Pro and be able to dual boot.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

or should I follow this?

(2)

"The Windows 7 install DVD has a "Repair my Computer" console with the same tools as on the Repair Disk, including Startup Repair which will repair or rewrite the boot files for Windows 7.

But since Startup Repair runs many tests, it will assume that a fix it provides will also boot the OS, which isn't always the case if more than one fix is needed. So it needs to be repeated sometimes up to 3 times, which usually means it has finally decided to rewrite the MBR since all other fixes have failed.

However, just running Startup Repair for Windows 7 will not reconfigure a dual boot, so you need to go on to running a repair install from the Win7 desktop (now that you're in) which resintalls the OS (upgrade over itself) and reconfigures the boot."

any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!

 

[gregrocker]

Follow the tutorial. You asked what you should do if it doesn't work and that's the steps I gave above.

 

[danviau]

Thanks gregrocker appreciate the help!!

 

[danviau]

I have a HP DV6000 I had a recovery section drive D: that I formated to use as extra space. I now have windows 7 installed on drive C: and want to install Win XP PRO on Drive d: old recovery section but in the set up once I try ( method 2 step 3. I get the following message..

"Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer. Make sure any hard disk drives are pwoered on and properly connected to your computer and that any disk related hardware configuration is correct.

How do I fix this problem??

 

[danviau]

ok ran into a snag.

I have a HP DV6000 I had a recovery section drive D: that I formated to use as extra space. I now have windows 7 installed on drive C: and want to install Win XP PRO on (Drive d: old recovery section but in the set up once I try ( method 2 step 3. I get the following message..

"Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer. Make sure any hard disk drives are pwoered on and properly connected to your computer and that any disk related hardware configuration is correct.

How do I fix this problem??

Thanks!

 

[gregrocker]

Did you boot into the XP installer and attempt to format D?

The drive will need to be formatted using XP's NTFS which has a different partition table.

If this fails, restart Win7 and in Disk management, delete the D: partition, then boot back into XP disk and try to create a new partition to format.

Is it prompting for any drivers for your DVD or HDD? Next would be to try to insert storage drivers (SATA or IDE?) when/if XP installer prompts for them.

 

[danviau]

Hi gregrocker,

Sorry I'm a novice user what I did was run the xp cd and did not get a chance to choose any option it told me to hit enter to install xp I did and got that message. I did not get the option yet to choose what drive to install on, did not get that far.

 

[gregrocker]

It probably needs the partition deleted and reformatted using the partitioning tools which will be offered when booting from the XP installer disk.

Insert your disk in the tray and restart the system. If it doesn't ask you to "hit any key to boot from CD", then restart and enter Boot Menu or BIOS using F-key given on first menu, set CD drive to boot first, save and exit.

When you boot into the installer and get to the partitions listing, highlight the one where you want to install XP, delete it, create a new one there, and format it to get the correct XP NTFS formatting.

 

[danviau]

that is excatly what I did and that is where I get this message it will start installing a bunch of files and then it says press enter to install xp, I do and get the message?

 

[gregrocker]

So when did you reformat that Xp partition using the XP installer as specified above?

You have to boot into the installer, Delete the given partition where you plan to install XP, create a new one there and format again to get correct NTFS formatting for XP.

 

[danviau]

just to be clear I don't get as far as the installer. i get the first part hit any key to boot from CD.

 

[gregrocker]

I believe you need to install a storage or optical driver which is not being found in XP.

But first, try running it from the Windows 7 desktop to see if it picks up the driver.

 

[danviau]

so you want me to run setup.exe on the xp disk when it pops up after I insert the cd?

 

[gregrocker]

yes, try it