Multiboot HDD-W7 + HDD-XP + SSD-W7

[whs]

Alan, the good thing is that we all learned something. So as long as it works now, let's put it to rest. But Greg is right. It could have been less painful.

 

[AlanRR]

Again, had you moved the boot files as Wolfgang advised six days ago and I advised again yesterday, this could have been avoided because the Paragon error would not have arose.

I would not give BCD commands because we have more consumer-friendly automated methods that work better, and another manual method that always works - thousands of times here. Paragon is not the top tech forums on the web.

Have you cloned your drive successfully now? What do you wish to do with XP and old Win7?

Ok - you're right - just a passing thought ???

Yes W7 now successfully cloned/migrated to SSD and working rather pleasingly.

Consumer-friendly methods are always better - but I'm very much in the dark on these issues and admittedly use my system for what it can do for me rather than how I can tweak more mph out of it or play with its construction - but I am very grateful to you both for your support. I have learnt a lot but at my age if not used regularly it will probably soon pass into history.

At one time I always wanted to retain XP partly for old times sake and partly to enable me to go back and see how I did something that I can't get working on W7. Trivial I know. As for W7 HDD - probably similar reasons.

See next post for an idea I have for the future of XP (if not W7 HDD)

 

[gregrocker]

You have the SSD set in BIOS to boot first so that it boots directly to SSD with no other boot menu, correct?

Now what happens when you tap the BIOS Boot Menu key at boot and choose the XP hard drive. We need to know this first to help you further.

We also need a screenshot of http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[AlanRR]

Correct - W7 SSD now boots by default.

Please find attached a disc management capture.

Firstly - won't I have to set the XP partition to active? Or maybe not if Disk 1 already has a loader on partition D (wonder if it'll look like my original dual boot system offering the 2 HDD based OS's)

I'll try altering boot drive in BIOS (to disk 1)and report back.

 

[AlanRR]

Ooops - forgot management image.

 

[whs]

Disk 1 should boot since you have an active partition on there. Question is whether you want to keep that - e.g. as a backup.

 

[AlanRR]

Yep W7 booted off the original HDD - I can hear it

No choice - so it obviously does not see the "other" OS - XP.

Would it be as simple as running EasyBCD to add XP (as per attached image)???

PS: is there an easier way to see what you just booted off - rather than listening and trying to judge whether its SSD or HD?

 

[whs]

Would it be as simple as running EasyBCD to add XP (as per attached image)???

PS: is there an easier way to see what you just booted off - rather than listening and trying to judge whether its SSD or HD?

With EasyBCD you should be able to add XP to the bootmgr. Make sure you do that from the HDD system unless you want that on the SSD system too.

Just put something into one system (e.g. a picture on the desktop) that is not in the other system. Then you can tell them apart.

 

[AlanRR]

In reverse order...

What a simple idea changing the wallpaper - I'll make one with SSD somewhere subtle and the other with HDD on the wallpaper. Brill.

So before I do the EasyBCD bit - can I just run this past you...

In W7(HDD) - run easyBCD and Add the partition where XP is - then I'll get the usual dual boot option at boot time and be able to set the default OS and the wait time.

AND

In W7(SSD) - run easyBCD and Add the partition where XP is - then I'll get the usual dual boot option at boot time and be able to set the default OS and the wait time.

Then I would only have to edit the boot drive if I wanted to specifically get to the HDD W7/XP choice as opposed to what I think might be the default - namely the W7 SSD vs XP HDD.?

 

[whs]

I would not muck up the SSD with the XP BCD. The purpose of the SSD is a fast boot (among other things). Why hold that up with an extra boot selection - especially since you do not plan to use XP that often..

 

[gregrocker]

I agree.

Add XP from HD Win7, then getting rid of it is as easy as deleting its partition.

To delete 7 instead, you'd need to mark XP Active. If it wont boot run bootrec/bootsect commands we can give you from XP disk repair mode.

Using Partition Wizard will allow you to also recover deleted OS space into any other partition on the HD. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/109752-partition-recover-space-used-older-os.html?ltr=P

 

[AlanRR]

Yeah - fair point - you may well be seeing into the future better than I am

Changed my wallpaper for HHD experience - see attached.

 

[DavidE]

In post #1 you stated

Boot into XP and run EaseUS or whatever to clone the dormant W7(HDD) partition to the SSD.

Looking at the latest Disk Management it seems the only partition you need on Disk 1 is the XP [H] partition.
Do you have a reason for wanting to keep the dormant Win 7 [D] partition/installation ?
Disk 1 [J] and look unused.
All this seems like wasted HD space to me.
If you get rid of the dormant Win 7 on the HD, it can't ever bootup.

 

[AlanRR]

David: a fair point as realistically I probably won't go back into W7 HDD - but I am attracted to having it as a backup - and I like the idea of retaining the ability to revisit XP.

Yeah there is wasted HD space - but I'm not bothered or desperate for space ATM.

Your interest appreciated.

 

[gregrocker]

Can you boot into XP as well as old Win7 now? Yes or no?

When you're ready to remove either, post back a Disk Mgmt screenshot.

 

[AlanRR]

Yes - got both XP and W7 running as a dual boot off the HDD.

When I set the HDD in BIOS it just went straight into W7 - but I have run easyBCD and added XP and now when that drive is set in BIOS I get the usual dual boot decision to make - and XP runs ok.

I am presently considering retiring the 600GB Disk 1 before it dies on me. >36000hrs on the clock and under a yellow Caution from CrystalDisk.

I plan to install a much newer 200GB HDD split into 2 equal partitions, one for XP and the other for W7 (as a standby backup), dual booting.

I can temporarily remove disk 4 to make space for the migration/clone exercise as I only have 6 sata sockets.

So now I need to find the best way to clone/migrate XP and W7 to the fresh 200GB drive. I can then retire Disk1 and reconnect Disk4.

Maybe this exercise is easier as both source partitions will be dormant as I run the show from W7 SSD.

I have easyBCD, EaseUS and Paragon MigrateOStoSSD at my disposal so this should be easy.

 

[whs]

You can also make 1 image of both partitions with free Macrium and dump them into the the 2 partitions of the new disk. You have plenty of space on F to store the image of the 2 partitions. And it gives you some practice with Macrium.

Advantage is that you don't have to take out any third disk. Just swap the new for the old once the images are on F.

 

[gregrocker]

You can clone XP to then new disk but I'd only save a backup image of Win7 from the SSD to storage on that or another disk, since there's no need to have two Win7's as you've said except as backup and the proper backup for your new SSD install is as a backup image when it's running best.

So make sure you've followed everything you want that works best from Clean Reinstall Windows 7.

Clone XP to the new disk, adjusting the borders to take as much or little of the disk as you want. You adjust these borders after you drag the partition to the new disk at the link just below it.

Remember that you don't need to go into BIOS to change from HD or SSD but can use the one-time BIOS boot menu interrupt key which should be given on first screen. On most Asus' this is the F8 key but it may be different on yours so look on the first boot screen for its listing, or read the Manual on the mobo's Support Downloads webpage.

 

[AlanRR]

Thanks gents - much to go on and some ideas to think about - hopefully get some time over the weekend to have a play - I just knew it would be easy.

Greg I'm not sure I understand what you mean by the "one-time BIOS boot menu interrupt key"

What I normally do is hit Del at the appropriate point and this gets me a BIOS screen where I nip to Boot and change the disc to boot from - then do a Save and Exit to continue booting.

Is this what you mean - or is there some magical alternative that I know nothing about?

The idea of a W7 image appeals - is restoring an image easy? Can be done from within XP?

Thanks again.

 

[gregrocker]

Every BIOS has a boot menu key. It's normally listed on the first boot screen. If not I already suggested ways how to find out what it is. Did you try these before asking me again?