Solved Installed Xp efter win7, now i can only boot xp??

[Navqual]

I was running on Windows 7 Ultimate, and i have an HTC Hero that won't Sync properly with w7. So i created a separate partition wich i installed Xp on and now i can't boot Windows 7. What should i do?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Navqual.



Before we make any specific recommendations will you please post a snip/screen-shot of the entire disk management drive map with a full description as to which drive/partition is which, so we can see what you have going on as there may be a fairly simple way to resolve the situation.

In the Windows start menu right click computer and click manage, in the left pane of the "Computer Management" window that opens click disk management and post a snip of that.


How to Upload and Post a Screenshot and File in Seven Forums

 

[whs]

See Method 2 here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

 

[Navqual]

Okay here's the snip.

 

[brady]

Does your boot.ini list both installations? Are they fighting over top spot?

 

[gregrocker]

Since you didn't tell us what is on which partition, I am going to guess that Win7 is on C and the new XP install is on G.

What has happened in that case is that XP has taken over the boot as it always does when installed last (see tutorial posted earlier) however since it was installed to a Logical Extended partition it has placed its boot files on C which is the first available Primary partition. An OS can install to Logical but cannot place its boot files and boot from one.

You can try installing EasyBCD 2.0 in XP per the tutorial to add Win7, but it may not be able to sort the complications.

It may be best to mark Win7 Active, boot the DVD Repair console or Repair CD to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times until Win7 starts. Then install EasyBCD 2.0 to try to add XP which tends to work better in Win7. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105541-startup-repair-run-3-separate-times.html

If these attempts fail, to correct this I would delete G in Disk Management, then shrink the Extended Volume to make room for a new Primary partition where G currently is to reinstall XP upon. If Disk Mgmt cannot do this correctly, use free Partition Wizard bootable CD. Free Download Magic Partition Manager Software - Partition Wizard Online

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

As Greg has said, you should be able to mark the Windows 7 C: partition "Active" from XPs disk management and run the 3 startup repairs with the restarts to get Windows 7 booting again; then you will need to add an entry to the Windows boot (dual boot) menu using EasyBCD from within Windows 7 to get both booting as normal.

Greg posted it once but here it is again at this link below.

Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times


Here's EasyBCD

EasyBCD Free Boot Manager Software

 

[Navqual]

Thanks for the help, i did not have the option to mark c: as active in Xp's disk management, so i used diskpart and marked it as aktive, and then i booted win7 install and did a repair and now everything is back to normal. Thanks again and a Merry Chrismas to u all!!

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Good to see you got it sorted and thanks for the update.