Help Edit Boot WIN7/XP

[Terry60]

It's supposed to point to C: (or more precisely to "system")
The BCD does not point to XP. It points to copies of the XP boot files. They point to XP(s) (via C:\boot.ini)
Can you post the current state of the BCD debug mode and the contents of C:\boot.ini

Have you tried a different IDE cable ? Or swapping them over if you don't have a spare ?
I just want you to ascertain whether the problem stays put or moves with the cable.

[Coolname007]

Justin - I would try EasyBCD -> Tools -> Edit Legacy Entries.... but I don't like messing with stuff I don't know what I am doing. Can you elaborate? What do I change exactly?

Hello, Craig. That option opens up your boot.ini file, so you can copy over the contents of it into your next post. That's all it does...
It does not change anything. It only allows you to edit the contents of the boot.ini, should you need to, or as in this case, to copy the contents of it into your post, so we can take a look at it.

EDIT:

And by "Tools", Justin meant the Tools menu in EasyBCD.

[craigconwater]

With the pins on cable select, I get this error: "A Disk Read Error Has Occurred... cntrl-alt-delete to reboot"

Tried a new cable, reboot, delete, add new XP, restart and I get: "A Disk Read Error Has Occurred... cntrl-alt-delete to reboot".

The other error (making two masters on one IDE cable) seems to be gone.

EasyBCD Debug Contents Below:
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}
device partition=C:
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e}
default {fc9435e3-c123-11de-a8a2-a09f45c8592c}
resumeobject {fc9435e2-c123-11de-a8a2-a09f45c8592c}
displayorder {fc9435e3-c123-11de-a8a2-a09f45c8592c}
{fc9435ee-c123-11de-a8a2-a09f45c8592c}
{fc9435ef-c123-11de-a8a2-a09f45c8592c}
toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
timeout 60
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {fc9435e3-c123-11de-a8a2-a09f45c8592c}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {6efb52bf-1766-41db-a6b3-0ee5eff72bd7}
recoverysequence {fc9435e4-c123-11de-a8a2-a09f45c8592c}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {fc9435e2-c123-11de-a8a2-a09f45c8592c}
nx OptIn
Real-mode Boot Sector
---------------------
identifier {fc9435ee-c123-11de-a8a2-a09f45c8592c}
device partition=C:
path \NTLDR
description Windows XP
Real-mode Boot Sector
---------------------
identifier {fc9435ef-c123-11de-a8a2-a09f45c8592c}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume5
path \NTLDR
description Microsoft Windows XP


Addendum:


Strange, I was in the middle of posting this and the site crashes. Thought it got attached. Here it is. Sorry for any double posts.

And here is the Boot using EasyBCD -> Tools -> Edit Legacy Entries

;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=c:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
[operating systems]
c:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /CMDCONS

Thanks again all!

[Terry60]

That boot.ini is not one created by EasyBCD 2.0, and you shouldn't have 2 XP entries in the BCD.

Go back to my 1st reply - post #3

[craigconwater]

Sorry, I was messing around this morning and added another XP to try and point to E drive. It didn't work and I forgot to delete it before posting that info. When there is one XP and one WIN7, I get the error.

I will look at post #3 to figure out how to copy the boot.ini properly for you. And, will repost confirming the error with one XP.

Sorry about the confusion.

[Coolname007]

Ok, let's cut to the chase here, and perform the following:

1. Open "Computer" in Win 7.
2. Double-click the C: partition to open it, and browse its files.
3. Open "Control Panel".
4. Go to the Folder Options.
5. Click the View tab.
6. Click the "Show hidden files and folders option".
7. Uncheck the "Hide protected system files and folders" option.
8. Uncheck the "hide file extensions" or some such option.
9. Go back to the explorer window.
10. Look in the root of the C: partition.
11. You should see 3 hidden files, with the names "boot.ini, NTLDR, and NTDETECT.COM".
12. Double-click the boot.ini file to open it in Notepad.
13. Use Ctrl + A to select all of the contents.
14. Use Ctrl +C to copy it.
15. Use Ctrl + V to paste it into your next post.

Let us know how it goes.

Addendum:

If the above boot.ini you posted is actually the one on the C: partition, it looks like Easy failed to auto-configure it for some reason....hence why you can't boot into XP.

[Computer Guru]

Can you please do

EasyBCD | Useful Utilities | Power Console

bootgrabber.exe /list

and copy & paste the output here in a reply?


That'll help me debug what went wrong with the auto-config.

Thanks~!!

[craigconwater]

Ok, let's cut to the chase here, and perform the following:

1. Open "Computer" in Win 7.
2. Double-click the C: partition to open it, and browse its files.
3. Open "Control Panel".
4. Go to the Folder Options.
5. Click the View tab.
6. Click the "Show hidden files and folders option".
7. Uncheck the "Hide protected system files and folders" option.
8. Uncheck the "hide file extensions" or some such option.
9. Go back to the explorer window.
10. Look in the root of the C: partition.
11. You should see 3 hidden files, with the names "boot.ini, NTLDR, and NTDETECT.COM".
12. Double-click the boot.ini file to open it in Notepad.
13. Use Ctrl + A to select all of the contents.
14. Use Ctrl +C to copy it.
15. Use Ctrl + V to paste it into your next post.

Let us know how it goes.


Addendum:


If the above boot.ini you posted is actually the one on the C: partition, it looks like Easy failed to auto-configure it for some reason....hence why you can't boot into XP.

WOW... That is a mess. Please see attachment. You did want me to copy and paste all three, right? That's the way I read it.

[craigconwater]

Can you please do

EasyBCD | Useful Utilities | Power Console

bootgrabber.exe /list

and copy & paste the output here in a reply?


That'll help me debug what went wrong with the auto-config.

Thanks~!!

Here you go! See below:

C:\Program Files\NeoSmart Technologies\EasyBCD\bin>bootgrabber.exe /list
BootGrabber utility.
Copyright NeoSmart Technologies 2009 <http://neosmart.net/>
Error issuing IOCTL_DISK_GET_PARTITION_INFO on partition \Device\Harddisk2\Parti
tion1
D,0,500107862016
P,1,C:\,7,105908673024,50035097600,Yes
P,2,G:\,7,53409218560,53313474560,Yes
P,3,H:\,7,131072000000,130973884416,Yes
P,0,,15,209716248576,0,Yes
P,4,I:\,7,209715200000,209612574720,No
D,1,60022480896
P,1,C:\,7,60019835904,11334115328,Yes
D,2,320072933376
P,1,,66,320070288384,0,Yes
C:\Program Files\NeoSmart Technologies\EasyBCD\bin>

[Coolname007]

WOW... That is a mess. Please see attachment. You did want me to copy and paste all three, right? That's the way I read it.

Not exactly. I wanted you only to copy the contents of boot.ini into your next post.

EDIT: But nevermind. I got the gist of it from the attached .txt file.
It is indeed the same as you posted earlier (I just wanted to make sure you grabbed the right boot.ini the first time).

So EasyBCD is indeed failing to autoconfigure it, for some reason...
Perhaps the bootgrabber output will shed light on the situation.

The line "Error issuing IOCTL_DISK_GET_PARTITION_INFO on partition \Device\Harddisk2\Parti
tion1" does indeed look interesting. Most likely something is wrong with one of the partitions on your storage HDD, and for some reason, that's interfering with BootGrabber auto-configuring boot.ini. But we'll need CG's input on this.

In the meantime, just change your boot.ini to the following:

[boot loader]
timeout=2
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /NoExecute=OptIn /fastdetect

Try that, and if it doesn't boot, keep adjusting the rdisk and partition values in both lines (they will need to match), until you find the right combination (I'll go look at your screenshot of Disk Management again, I forgot what your setup looks like...).

Addendum:

Ok, it should be rdisk(2) and partition(1) in both lines of the boot.ini file.
Try that first, and if it doesn't work, change the rdisk value to a 1 instead (sometimes Disk Management sees things differently than the BIOS).

[craigconwater]

Not exactly. I wanted you only to copy the contents of boot.ini into your next post.

EDIT: But nevermind. I got the gist of it from the attached .txt file.
It is indeed the same as you posted earlier (I just wanted to make sure you grabbed the right boot.ini the first time).

So EasyBCD is indeed failing to autoconfigure it, for some reason...
Perhaps the bootgrabber output will shed light on the situation.

The line "Error issuing IOCTL_DISK_GET_PARTITION_INFO on partition \Device\Harddisk2\Parti
tion1" does indeed look interesting. Most likely something is wrong with one of the partitions on your storage HDD, and for some reason, that's interfering with BootGrabber auto-configuring boot.ini. But we'll need CG's input on this.

In the meantime, just change your boot.ini to the following:
Try that, and if it doesn't boot, keep adjusting the rdisk and partition values in both lines (they will need to match), until you find the right combination (I'll go look at your screenshot of Disk Management again, I forgot what your setup looks like...).


Addendum:


Ok, it should be rdisk(2) and partition(1) in both lines of the boot.ini file.
Try that first, and if it doesn't work, change the rdisk value to a 1 instead (sometimes Disk Management sees things differently than the BIOS).

So I tried your addendum rdisk(2), no luck. Restarted same error. Then went as far as to start EasyBCD, deleted XP, re-added XP, restarted and again same error.

Help me! I really want to keep xp working. Dual boot seems like the best way to go. I have Adobe CS3 running on my XP and I desperately need to get it working again.

[Coolname007]

Please verify that your XP entry in the BCD is pointing at the "system" partition, not the XP partition, and that you also tried rdisk(1) as well in the boot.ini.

[craigconwater]

First and foremost, I owe you a huge thanks. Got it working!

I had to shutdown and take a break today. The settings that finally worked are below:
;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=2
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /NoExecute=OptIn /fastdetect

rdisk(2) ended up giving me the following error:
windows could not start because the following file is missing or currupt:
<windows root>\system32\ntoskrl.exe
BUT WHO CARES!!!! Because YOU fixed it and got it working for me!!!! Amazing thanks! Not sure why, because the old boot.ini file looked like this:
;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=c:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
[operating systems]
c:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /CMDCONS

Hopefully this thread will be helpful to someone else down the road. Many many thanks!!!

[Coolname007]

Yep, its like I thought.
rdisk(1) was correct after all.
I originally suggested rdisk(2) because your Disk Management screenshot showed the XP disk as the third disk, but sometimes (as in this time) Disk Management sees the disks differently than the BIOS. That's why I suggested rdisk(1) next, which worked.

Glad you got it working.

Addendum:

Actually, on second look, I see the order of the disks varied from the first screenshot you posted, till you posted the second one. Did you change the boot order in the BIOS since posting the first screenshot? Not really important, but just curious...

[craigconwater]

No, but I did move the drive running XP from the secondary IDE cable to the primary IDE. Originally, I had one the primary WIN7 HDD and a storage HDD. And, then on the secondary was the old XP and a DVD burner. Would that have caused the switch? Because now its primary IDE WIN7 and XP and secondary storage and DVDburner.

Very Happy!