i have a problem with the easyBCD

[speedtouch]

Hi!

i have a problem with the easyBCD

at first when i open the bcd program it tells me:
"The boot configuration data store could not be opened.
The system cannot find the file specified.
Would you like to manually load a BCD registry for EasyBCD to manage?"

but i fixed that going to its folder in program files and opening "NeoSmart.bcd"

I continued to step 13, and at step 14 there was only "microsoft windows xp" entry, and it was set as default.
I added windows 7 to entry too (set up the letter of the drive on witch it is), and put it as default, rebooted, but it automatically booted windows xp

I need help.

Thanks!

 

[gregrocker]

Can you please post back a screenshot of your full Disk Management drive map and listings?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-how-post-screenshot-seven-forums.html

 

[Night Hawk]

That's easy to fix since you opted for Method Two seeing XP Installed after 7. You will now need to boot up from the 7 dvd and right under the Install Now button when going to install 7 select the repair tools instead.

The XP installer simply overwrote the 7 mbr entries on the boot drive that need to be rewritten. The startup repair tool is one option following the detection of the one 7 installation or selecting the coomand prompt option to enter the "Fixboot" and "Fixmbr" commands at the command prompt window and typing exit for seeing that close out and the system reboot.

As far as the EasyBCD program it sounds as if you installed that on XP and not on 7. Automatically you would see the single entry for the version EasyBCD installed on but nothing for either a Vista or 7 BCD store. For seeing a working dual boot you first need to get 7 running and install EasyBCD there and add the entry in for XP leaving 7 as the default OS(recommended).

 

[speedtouch]

That's easy to fix since you opted for Method Two seeing XP Installed after 7. You will now need to boot up from the 7 dvd and right under the Install Now button when going to install 7 select the repair tools instead.

The XP installer simply overwrote the 7 mbr entries on the boot drive that need to be rewritten. The startup repair tool is one option following the detection of the one 7 installation or selecting the coomand prompt option to enter the "Fixboot" and "Fixmbr" commands at the command prompt window and typing exit for seeing that close out and the system reboot.

As far as the EasyBCD program it sounds as if you installed that on XP and not on 7. Automatically you would see the single entry for the version EasyBCD installed on but nothing for either a Vista or 7 BCD store. For seeing a working dual boot you first need to get 7 running and install EasyBCD there and add the entry in for XP leaving 7 as the default OS(recommended).

I did all of that, but now it only boots Windows 7.
Here is a screenshot...

 

[gregrocker]

The problem is that C Win 7 is on an extended logical drive, which cannot be marked Active to recover the System MBR. Nor can Win7 host the boot files for XP since boot files cannot be placed on a Logical partition.

The next step would normally be to start XP back up to install EasyBCD 2.0 to attempt to add Win7 from XP but since you've already tried this, unless you want to try it again it is probably best to convert the Win7 logical partition to Primary so you can recover the System MBR into Win7.

To convert the extended Logical partition you'll need to move the data off of D and E to delete them because only one partition can be converted, then use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to convert C to Primary: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html Use option 4.

If you have installed programs on E then they need to be installed onto the OS partition(s) anyway and should not be separated out into another partition.

Once you delete the two data subpartitions, rightclick C with Partition Wizard CD to Modify>Convert to Primary. You can then resize C as desired using PW, or create new data partition(s).

 

[Night Hawk]

You can't add 7 into the XP boot loader! Greg No go for that one! And installing 7 on an extended volume not a primary doesn't work at all either as we all know.

Since 7 went onto a third primary and is running you install EasyBCD on 7 and add the new entry into the 7 BCD store for XP. You may have already seen the boot options screen for 7 or "previous version of Windows" when first booting into 7.

Too bad the H partition wasn't a bit larger where 7 could have easily gone there on the first primary which any Windows installer prefers. Since both are on the same drive however the new entry for XP should see you able to boot right into XP due to all boot files being present on the drive.

For clarity you can also label the 7 volume as W7 and the XP as XP(edition) so when in the DM you can tell them apart regardless of which one you are booted into at the time.

 

[gregrocker]

Since the screenshot is from Win7: isn't C Windows 7 and part of the extended Logical partition? It would have been helpful if you would have told us what is where.

Attached Thumbnails


You can install Win7 on a Logical partition as long as the boot files are on another partition, as they are here due to XP apparently pre-existing in a Primary partition. So Win7 configured a Dual Boot by placing its boot-critical files on the XP primary partition.

EasyBCD 2.0 can indeed add Win7 from XP as it is a popular method for doing so used by many of those who installed XP last using SevenForums own tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html It works better adding XP from Win7 however, which is why the OP might want to convert Win7 from Logical to Primary here as suggested.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

You can also successfully create the 100MB "System, Active" boot partition anywhere you like.

click to enlarge

​

 

[Night Hawk]

The D and E partitions one having XP on it would see the other as the extended since you are looking 7 as C with boot files, paging file, and even a crash dump file present if the snipping was made while booted in 7. That would be showing 7 on the 3rd partition.

As far as XP EasyBCD will install on XP as well as Vista and 7 but cannot edit the XP boot loader. It can however edit the Vista boot since it was first written for Vista with 7 using the exact same type of boot loader allowing you to add 7 entries into the Vista boot options.

The suggestion to label the volume for 7 and XP was for avoiding any confusion when posting screens since you can then easily see which is for what and distinguish them from the one extended? volume.

 

[speedtouch]

Now i'm a little confused...
Windows 7 is on C partition(logical drive) and xp is on E(primary)
What should be the best to do?

 

[gregrocker]

You need to convert Win7 from Logical to Primary partition so it can be marked Active, then recover the System MBR into it. You can then add XP using EasyBCD.

To do this move the data off of D and E, rightclick Delete them using booted Partition Wizard CD, OK.

Next rightclick Win7 to Resize by dragging left border to the left against XP partition, resize right border to size desired, OK.

then rightclick Modify>Convert to Primary Win7 partition, OK.

Next rightclick Win7 partition>Modify>Set to Active, OK.

Then rightclick XP partition>Modify>Set to Inactive, OK, Apply all steps.

Now boot the Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots until Win7 starts. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105541-startup-repair-run-3-separate-times.html

You can now use EasyBCD 2.0 from Win7 to add XP: accept offered boot files, autocompletes, Save, Restart to Dual Boot menu. Create new data partitions using Partition Wizard.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html

 

[Night Hawk]

Now i'm a little confused...
Windows 7 is on C partition(logical drive) and xp is on E(primary)
What should be the best to do?

Since your snipping was taken while booted in XP the 7 primary will be seen as simply another logical volume in the older version. When viewing primaries in Vista and 7 however they will be indicated as primary type or extended.

You wouldn't have seen 7 go on well to an extended volume without the use of workarounds as someone reported having 7 running on one awhile back.

As for seeing an entry for XP added into the 7 boot loader and appear on the boot options screen the first place to start would be the wiki for the program seen at Windows XP - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

Nore that the same methods for Vista as originally prepared work for 7 since both versions use the same type of BCD the program is used to edit. At the bottom of the page there you will see the links for installing XP before and after Vista which apply to 7 as well as the guides here at SF. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

 

[speedtouch]

Thanks for your reply Night Hawk, but thanks to gregrocker the problem is fixed.

Thanks!

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Glad you found a solution and thanks for the update.