Add Win7 To Existing Dual-Boot Vista/XP

[joepwpb]

I currently have a dual-boot Vista/XP setup, created w/EasyBCD 1.7.2, on one hard drive and have installed a second drive with Win 7 Beta and I wish to add it to the boot menu and create a triple boot. The Win 7 partition is Drive Letter 'M' in the screen shot. First, I installed the EasyBCD 2.0 Beta and it appears that all I have to do is go to Add/Remove Entries and add the new OS. Is this correct? Also, what would be the choice for the "Type" option.

Thanks

Joe P

 

[Terry60]

That's correct. The system type is Vista/Longhorn.
If you encounter a problem trying to boot W7 from the Vista BCD (invalid signature on W7 winload.exe), you can workaround it by making W7 the first HDD in the boot sequence.
Add entries for Vista and XP to the W7 BCD, and boot that way round and the signature problem doesn't exist.

 

[joepwpb]

That's correct. The system type is Vista/Longhorn.
If you encounter a problem trying to boot W7 from the Vista BCD (invalid signature on W7 winload.exe), you can workaround it by making W7 the first HDD in the boot sequence.
Add entries for Vista and XP to the W7 BCD, and boot that way round and the signature problem doesn't exist.

Thanks Terry for the confirmation and advice.

Yes, I did encounter that error when booting into W7. Now, I need clarification on how to change the boot sequence. It appears that it could be done in EasyBCD but then again it may have to be done in the BIOS since I am dealing with two hard drives. Also, there is the question of adding Vista and XP to the W7 BCD.

Please advise.

Thanks again,

Joe P

C:\Windows\system32>bcdedit
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=C:
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
displayorder {current}
{98bb9bcf-8456-11dd-b036-001060e85d3a}
{98bb9bd1-8456-11dd-b036-001060e85d3a}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 20
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {e8709fb7-fa5f-11db-be4d-e219ece5282e}
nx OptIn
pae ForceEnable
Real-mode Boot Sector
---------------------
identifier {98bb9bcf-8456-11dd-b036-001060e85d3a}
device partition=E:
path \NTLDR
description Microsoft XP PRO
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {98bb9bd1-8456-11dd-b036-001060e85d3a}
device partition=M:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Microsoft Windows 7
osdevice partition=M:
systemroot \Windows

 

[SIW2]

Hi Joe,

I figured out an easy fix that doesn't require changing bios.

In Vista , open an elevated command prompt

Type:

cd m:\windows\system32

Press Enter. Then type:

bcdboot m:\windows /s c:

Then press Enter.

You should get a message saying it completed successfully. Close command prompt. That's it. All the bcd entries will be fine as they are.

Hope it helps.

 

[joepwpb]

Hi Joe,

I figured out an easy fix that doesn't require changing bios.

In Vista , open an elevated command prompt

Type:

cd m:\windows\system32

Press Enter. Then type:

bcdboot m:\windows /s c:

Then press Enter.

You should get a message saying it completed successfully. Close command prompt. That's it. All the bcd entries will be fine as they are.

Hope it helps.

Thanks, that sounds easy enough. Does it still require a change in the BIOS?

Alternatively, I would like to clarify the procedure that Terry referred to. I believe it is to first change the Hard Disk Boot Priority in the BIOS to reflect the drive with W7 installed. Then boot into W7, install EasyBCD 2.0, and add Vista and XP to the W7 BCD.

Terry has yet to reply to my last post regarding this procedure so I will await a confirmation from either you or him.

Thanks again,

Joe P

 

[Terry60]

"Alternatively, I would like to clarify the procedure that Terry referred to. I believe it is to first change the Hard Disk Boot Priority in the BIOS to reflect the drive with W7 installed. Then boot into W7, install EasyBCD 2.0, and add Vista and XP to the W7 BCD."

Exactly.
Sorry I didn't stay around. Time zone differences. Got to sleep sometime..

 

[joepwpb]

"Alternatively, I would like to clarify the procedure that Terry referred to. I believe it is to first change the Hard Disk Boot Priority in the BIOS to reflect the drive with W7 installed. Then boot into W7, install EasyBCD 2.0, and add Vista and XP to the W7 BCD."

Exactly.
Sorry I didn't stay around. Time zone differences. Got to sleep sometime..

I understand the Time Zone thing as I have a sister in Cheltenham, so I wasn't expecting you yet...

Thanks again for the clarification. Would you please comment on the other procedure recommended by the other poster in this thread, SIW2.

Thanks again,


Joe P

 

[SIW2]

Hi Joe,

LOL - oh ye of little faith.

I don't think Terry has tried the method I suggested. I have posted it on other Forums . It works perfectly.

 

[joepwpb]

Hi Joe,

LOL - oh ye of little faith.

I don't think Terry has tried the method I suggested. I have posted it on other Forums . It works perfectly.

Nah, I got lots of faith!!!

First, you forgot to answer my question about having to change the startup drive in the BIOS after using those command line statements. Is it necessary to do so?

In consideration of the fact that he is the Moderator it seemed more than fitting to ask for his comments. Also, I believe that everyone visting this forum could benefit from that additional information. In the coming days and weeks, with the onset of W7, this forum will probably be jammed with those looking for help with this same issue. So, it would be helpful to all if there were two ways to resolve this issue correctly.

Thanks again,

Joe P

 

[SIW2]

Hi joe,

1. If you are using the bcdboot commands - no need to change anything at all. Just type those two lines from within Vista. That's it. It is not necessary to change bios boot order, or anything else - those commands do the job.

Except I mistyped - need to get some glasses, it should be:

Type:

cd m:\windows\system32

Press Enter. Then type:

bcdboot m:\windows /s e:

press enter.

( In fact, you don't really need /s e: - the target defaults to the system partition anyway - I just put it in to be sure, you could just use bcdboot m:\windows as the second command)



2. If you want to use the method Terry mentioned:

Change Bios boot order, so that Disk0 is the first HD in Bios boot order.

You need to enter Bios to do that - during POST it will tell you how - you see something like Press F2 for setup ( yours might say a different F number, or some other key, e.g. del) . Press whatever it tells you .

Then find a heading called Boot order ( or similar) make sure the HD containing 7 is the first HD listed there. When done, Save and Exit - there is usually a key you press - to save and exit - it's F10 on mine - yours will tell you.

Boot into 7. L will now be the system partition .

Then use Easybcd to add an entry for whatever other o/s you have installed. In the case of adding an XP entry, let it autoconfigure.

Easybcd will place copies of the XP bootfiles ( ntldr, boot.ini, and ntdetect.com) on the System, Active partition on the same HD. In your case, that will be L.

I don't know if Easybcd will autoconfigure the boot.ini entries to point at XP on a different HD - I have not tried that particular setup. If not, you can edit boot.ini manually.

Hope it helps

 

[Terry60]

EasyBCD 2.0 will find XP (or several XPs) whether they're on the same or multiple other HDDs. The auto-configure will build a multi entry boot.ini in the right place ("system") pointing to all the XPs on their respective HDDs and partitions.

As Simon said, I've not tried his technique, so wouldn't comment on it either way.

The way I suggested avoids any future confusion. It seems logical to have the system controlling the boot as the first in the BIOS, and the whole point of EasyBCD of course (and this forum in consequence) is the avoidance of the need for manual entry of BCDedit commands and the possible consequences of typos.

 

[joepwpb]

Thanks SIW2 and Terry

Terry, "...the whole point of EasyBCD of course (and this forum in consequence) is the avoidance of the need for manual entry of BCDedit commands and the possible consequences of typos." That is why we are here ...what an excellent testimony for EasyBCD!

SIW2, thanks for the correction and clarification in Part 1 of your post. I was not aware of the typo as I have yet to try your suggestion. The very detailed second part of your post will be a great aid to those with a similar issue who find this thread. There are many who do not know how to access and navigate the BIOS or for that matter use the Command line.

Many thanks for all of the information provided to me.

Joe P


Addendum:

Hi Joe,

LOL - oh ye of little faith.

I don't think Terry has tried the method I suggested. I have posted it on other Forums . It works perfectly.

Here is the results of my attempt at using those command line statements:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>cd m:\windows\system32

C:\Windows\system32>bcdboot m:\windows /s e:

'bcdboot' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Windows\system32>

So, am I missing something? (I still have faith !)

Thanks

Joe P

 

[SIW2]

So, am I missing something? (I still have faith !)

bcdboot.exe is located on the 7 partition in m:\Windows\System32

It didn't run because you didn't change directory successfully ( that' what the cd stands for)

Maybe you pressed enter twice - the second time it will go back to the original directory.

C:\Windows\system32>cd m:\windows\system32

C:\Windows\system32>bcdboot m:\windows /s e:

that second line should read:

C:\Windows\system32>cd m:\windows\system32

M:\Windows\system32>bcdboot m:\windows /s e:

If you want to stay in the directory you are cd ing to , add the /d switch - like this:

C:\Windows\system32>cd /d m:\windows\system32

M:\Windows\system32>bcdboot m:\windows /s e:

It will stay in the chosen directory, until you cd back to C:\Windows\System32>

 

[joepwpb]

I cannot tell you what the problem is but I am 100% sure I entered those commands correctly. When I enter cd m:\windows\system32 it does not show that it changed to the 'm' directory as you can see from the lines i copied and pasted from the command window. I did try the /d switch and it did go to the directory.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Windows\system32>cd m:\windows\system32
C:\Windows\system32>cd..
C:\Windows>cd..
C:\>
C:\>cd m:\
C:\>cd /d m:\windows\system32
m:\Windows\System32>bcdboot m:\windows /s e:
Boot files successfully created.
m:\Windows\System32>


Joe P

 

[SIW2]

Oh well, you got the result. TBH , I always use the /d switch.

Now can you boot into 7 without problem?

 

[joepwpb]

Oh well, you got the result. TBH , I always use the /d switch.

Now can you boot into 7 without problem?

Yes...

FWIW: I checked the BIOS and the disk boot priority did not change. One strange thing was that My Computer only sees one drive and Disk Management shows both drives and all partitions but does not have any driver letters assigned.

Also, much to my surprise, 7 Beta was able to successfully detect and load every driver except for one, "coprocessor". Since I pulled that hard drive from a completely different computer I was expecting numerous conflicts in Device Manager and hours of finding and loading everything from chipset to mouse drivers.

Now, my next feat will be installing the W7 Upgrade this week. At this point all indications are that the Upgrade version has to be installed from within Windows resulting in the loss of the OS that it installs on to. There is a slim hope that there will be a workaround like there was for Vista which allowed a clean install using the Upgrade version. If not I plan on creating an image of the Vista partition prior to the Upgrade install and when W7 is finished, I hope to reload that image on to the drive with the W7 Beta. If all works well I will have a triple boot of W7 final, Vista and XP. Comment?

Thanks,

Joe P

 

[SIW2]

You have actually created all the 7 boot critical files on the System partition - so you are using those now - that's why you are not getting the digital signature problem. ( it picks up the existing bcd entries - and puts it's own entry in for the 7 partition).

When you say My Computer - do you mean in XP? It is no bad thing the Vista and 7 partitions are hidden from XP . That will stop it deleting their shadow copies.

That's interesting - did bcdboot.exe automatically hide the Vista and 7 partitions from XP?

You will be fine to image Vista , then restore to the same partition - the system partition E: will remain untouched.

Don't imagine you will need to though.

We will have to wait and see how MS has handled the upgrade clean install without qualifying version preinstalled question. There has to be a way.

 

[joepwpb]

You have actually created all the 7 boot critical files on the System partition - so you are using those now - that's why you are not getting the digital signature problem. ( it picks up the existing bcd entries - and puts it's own entry in for the 7 partition).

When you say My Computer - do you mean in XP? It is no bad thing the Vista and 7 partitions are hidden from XP . That will stop it deleting their shadow copies.

That's interesting - did bcdboot.exe automatically hide the Vista and 7 partitions from XP?

First, would you please elaborate on your statement regarding "not getting the digital signature problem"?

Second, when I referred to "My Computer" and Device Manager I was referring to as I saw them in W7. There were no changes to either in XP or Vista. I posted screenshots from both, along with that strange coprocessor conflict, as taken in W7.

Thanks

Joe P

 

[Coolname007]

Lol, it would have been quicker to just type:

M:

That changes to the root directory on the M: partition. Then you just have to cd to the system32 directory. Its easier.

 

[SIW2]

Hi Joe,

Usually if you add 7 to Vista bcd using the Vista boot critical files - you get an error booting into 7. The digital signature of 7 winload.exe is not recognised by Vista bootmanagement - presumably because it is newer.

The fix is to do it the other way round - add Vista to 7 bcd - Vista winload.exe is recognized as OK by 7 bootmanagement.

To do that - you can either go thru the steps mentioned by Terry's method - or simply replace the Vista boot critical files with the 7 ones. The bcdboot command you used does the latter.

I don't see how what you are seeing now with drive letters and the one missing driver can result from the bcdboot command.

No one else has come across it.