Two OS win7 and XP on two disks - no dual boot

Installed win 7 on a clean disk this weekend but ended up with two independent OSs on two disks. Both OS run perfectly but the only way to get them to run is by changing boot disk priority in the BIOS setup.

Have done a similar setup on a different computer involving Server 2003 and Server 2008 R2. Had no problem then - Windows 2008 setup a dul boot configuration automatically without the need for EasyBCD.

Have now installed EasyBCD (lastest version) on Win 7 and created a second boot alternative (WinXP) letting EasyBCD set up the parameters.

When using the WinXP boot alternative XP doesn't boot however. System halts for a moment, get back to BIOS-screen and then Win 7 boots again.

Have not touched the Win XP disk and the system boots fine when disk order is switched in BIOS.

I suppose the WinXP entry somehow mix up the disk reference but cannot figure out how to solve this.

Hi wabe,

Can you post the contents of EasyBCD's detailed mode?

You said "latest version"
Are you referring to 1.7.2, which expects you to know the additional tasks and to do them yourself ?
Or are you using 2.0 latest build, which will automate the XP dual-boot process for you ?
If not the latter, get it, delete the XP entry, add it again and let 2.0 auto-configure.

I'm using 2.0 latest build.
Did some investigation by googling around and found some references to the hidden first 100 mb partition created by Win7. I have such a partition. Someone mentioned that the startup files from XP (NTLDR etc) should be copied to this folder and that a drive letter should be assigned. Is this correct? I don't have access to my computer right now but will post the content you requested later.

EasyBCD should handle the unlettered partition.
When you post the detailed settings, can you include a DM screenshot (details in the sticky)

Here is the detailed view from EasyBCD:

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e}
default {96cb5a41-39d9-11df-9e29-bb71c6dbceea}
resumeobject {96cb5a40-39d9-11df-9e29-bb71c6dbceea}
displayorder {96cb5a41-39d9-11df-9e29-bb71c6dbceea}
{96cb5a4a-39d9-11df-9e29-bb71c6dbceea}
toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
timeout 15
displaybootmenu Yes

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {96cb5a41-39d9-11df-9e29-bb71c6dbceea}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {6efb52bf-1766-41db-a6b3-0ee5eff72bd7}
recoverysequence {96cb5a42-39d9-11df-9e29-bb71c6dbceea}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {96cb5a40-39d9-11df-9e29-bb71c6dbceea}
nx OptIn

Real-mode Boot Sector
---------------------
identifier {96cb5a4a-39d9-11df-9e29-bb71c6dbceea}
device boot
path \NTLDR
description Microsoft Windows XP

and the screenshot of DiskManager attached:

I've done some more checking while trying to understand how this works. From my understanding NTLDR, boot.ini etc should be present in the boot folder in system partition of the first disk (the invisible first 100 mb partition). None of these files are there. Also when checking boot.ini in the XP partition it points to the first disk not the second one as seen from the system partition.
Is it safe to move these files to this location? At what stage should these files have been moved? By the win 7 installer or should EasyBCD have taken care of this task?

EasyBCD should have copied those files into that partition (you won't be able to do it yourself without assigning a letter). Make sure you're using the very latest build (they're coming thick and fast), and try delete/add again. (a few working features got broken with the major UI redesign build, and are being fixed when reported broken)
If it still doesn't work, give the partition a letter, and delete/add again.

So your recommndation is to:
- Upgrade EasyBCD, delete XP-alternative and re-create XP alternative
- If this doesn't work
- Attach letter to first partion and repeat process
- If this doesn't work
- Manually copy boot.ini, NTLDR etc

I suppose the last alternative needs a manual edit of boot.ini also so boot.ini points to disk 2 (logical 1)?

When EasyBCD moves this file does it automatically do this remapping of the disk parameter?

Easy2 does all the copying and editing for you.

Hi

Have upgraded EasyBCD to latest. Tried adding with and without assigned letter to system (first partition). In none of the cases do the necessary files get moved to the hidden boot folder.

Any other suggestions? I suppose I one way is to do the manual copying of the files to this folder and manually edit boot.ini

Did this a long time ago but have forgot the different moves involved to make the boot.ini editable. Remember "attrib" command but recall you first had to take ownership of the file somehow.

Would be nice if EasyBCD would do if for me!

Hi,

EasyBCD *does* do it for you. When you add a new XP entry, EasyBCD should offer to auto-install NTLDR, NTDETECT, and BOOT.INI for you - is that not the case?

Computer Guru said:

Hi,

EasyBCD *does* do it for you. When you add a new XP entry, EasyBCD should offer to auto-install NTLDR, NTDETECT, and BOOT.INI for you - is that not the case?

Click to expand...

Absolutely correct! No files are moved from XP partition to the hidden boot folder.
EasyBCD does offer to do the autoinstall, the boot entry is created but no files are moved.

I'm capable to move these files myself and manually edit boot.ini but would hate to mess things up.
I have two disk references in the boot.ini pointing to 0,0,0,1 I assume that the *new* boot.ini should have the reference changed to 0,0,1,1 since the XP boots from disk 2 partition 1 as seen from Win7? Also should boot.ini have file attributes 'RHS' or enough with 'HS'?

They don't get moved. They get copied.
Nothing on the XP partition is altered.
Is that where you're looking at boot.ini ?
Use EasyBCD/Tools /Edit legacy entries to locate boot.ini and post the contents here.

Sorry for being unclear. I meant *copied*. The relevant fact is that no files get copied to the right location. Boot etc are located in disk 2, part 1 and do not get copied by EASYBCD.

What boot.ini gets located by EasyBCD/Tools ?

The tools>Edit legacy entries report that it's unable to locate boot.ini

Strange since the file is in root of part 1, disk 2. I've made a backup copy. Below is content of that file:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

That boot.ini was not created by EasyBCD.

Computer Guru said:

That boot.ini was not created by EasyBCD.

Click to expand...

No. It's the one that EasyBCD doesn't find on WinXP disk.

Please run EasyBCD -> Useful Utilities -> Power Console
Type in and paste the results here.