WinXP first drive1, Win7 next drive 2. Xp does not boot Please help

[dualwin]

Hello,

I saw many articles that seemed close. It seems like it will be easy for someone to suggest a solution in my case.
I have installed winXP on drive1.
I then disconnected this and installed windows 7 on drive 2. Both boot individually through bios.
I logged in to windows7. It sees the XP drive as drive F: and windows is on C: I then used bcdedit to create the following entry
Windows Legacy OS Loader
---------------------------
identifier {ntldr}
device partition=F:
path \ntldr
description Windows XP

When I reboot to windows7 through bios, I see a menu, but when I select Windows 7, system reboots!

To try something else, I tried copying the ntldr and NTDETECT.COM to the C drive, change the partition to C: but I get a ntoskrnl error.

ANy help will be greatly appreciated.
thanks.
I suppose I can used Easybcd, but I wanted to try it the simple way first.

 

[dualwin]

Sorry correction.
"
When I reboot to windows7 through bios, I see a menu, but when I select Windows XP, system reboots! Windows 7 runs fine"

 

[Ztruker]

When you installed XP, the partition you installed to was C:, right? Now you want it to be F: and that is not going to work. There are too many registry entries that point to where XP was when it was installed.

You're best bet is to get rid of the dual boot bcdedit data and boot either OS via BIOS.

If you really want a dual boot, see here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

 

[pbcopter]

Use EasyBCD, it is the simplest and easiest way.

 

[dualwin]

Hi Ztruker,

Win XP was put on a different drive. When I boot to windows 7 drive (different from XP), XP shows up as F: and windows 7 is on C:. Is this scenario still not possible?

 

[dualwin]

Use EasyBCD, it is the simplest and easiest way.

I was hoping to find a solution using bcdedit since it is native windows 7 software.
Thanks

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Helodualwin, welcome to Seven Forums!



Start by having a look through this tutorial at the link below.


How to Use the BCDEDIT Command Line Tool

 

[gregrocker]

Why exactly do you want to add a Windows-managed Dual Boot menu?

Having the OS you're booting into always be C is an improvement made in Win7 which is completely normal and beneficial. The other OS letter is irrelevant.

You should keep your HD's independent to come and go as they please, not interlocked by Windows dual boot, a benefit of having separate HD's,

If you still want a Windows Dual Boot, then use EasyBCD which is the easy way - nearly effortless compared to the mess of editing the BCD.

 

[dualwin]

Thanks Bare Foot Kid. That article is how I got to this forum. I created the entries based on the article and now I get a ntoskrnl error as I mentioned in the post even if I change the partition back to F: That file exists in the drive but replacing that will probably not solve the problem.

 

[dualwin]

Hi Gregrocker, I wanted to avoid changing it at the bios level everytime I wanted to boot to another OS. Easy BCD is probably easier, but I got the bcd to create the menu and everything. I am wondering if it is something else simple that I don't know that will finish this process.

 

[pbcopter]

Just a final point. EasyBCD just edits the BCD using a more user frendly interface.

 

[gregrocker]

Set the preferred HD to boot first in BIO setup..

Use the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key to boot the other HD, so you don't have to enter BIOS setup every time. It should be given on BIOS splash screen.

 

[dualwin]

Just a final point. EasyBCD just edits the BCD using a more user frendly interface.

After reading all comments, I used EasyBCD to create the entry and as you said it modified BCD to use some long id as the device and put the ntldr in an \NST folder on the windows 7 drive. wonder why the method I used to put the ntldr did not work. Oh well. no point rediscovering the wheel I guess

 

[dualwin]

Set the preferred HD to boot first in BIO setup..

Use the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key to boot the other HD, so you don't have to enter BIOS setup every time. It should be given on BIOS splash screen.

Could you please elaborate on what the one-time BIOS boot Menu key is and how it works? internet searches did not reveal much. Thanks

 

[gregrocker]

I would have given it if you had your System Specs filled in in the bottom left corner of post.

What is your computer or mobo make/model?