Booting different partitions on same disk

Phil1789

Member
Hello everyone and thank you for accepting me on your forum. Forgive my mistakes and my english, but my mother tongue is french so I will do my best to make myself understandable!!
I have been using EasyBCD for a while now using it on my laptop with 2 windows 7 operating systems on 2 different disks. All has been working fine. I know tried to install a third Windows 7 operating system (2 on the same disk and 1 on the other disk), I modified the EasyBCD menu accordingly, but each time I boot the first installed operatin system on disk 0, it boots OK, but when I boot the second operating system on disk 0, the first one boots; when I boot the operating system on disk 1, it boots OK. I know I must be doing something wrong, but I haven(t found a solution to my problem. Can someone help me. Thank you and have a Happy New Year!!!!
 
Thank you for your fast reply,

here is the detailed content of my settings:
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
description Windows
locale fr-FR
inherit {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e}
extendedinput Yes
default {05107d1d-be2c-11e2-86d0-3c970e99c028}
resumeobject {05107d1c-be2c-11e2-86d0-3c970e99c028}
displayorder {05107d1d-be2c-11e2-86d0-3c970e99c028}
{c526a01e-72b5-11e3-a560-f4b7e2ce0377}
{c526a01d-72b5-11e3-a560-f4b7e2ce0377}
toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
timeout 10
displaybootmenu Yes
customactions 0x10000ba000001
0x54000001
custom:54000001 {c526a01b-72b5-11e3-a560-f4b7e2ce0377}
custom:5400000f {c526a01b-72b5-11e3-a560-f4b7e2ce0377}
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {05107d1d-be2c-11e2-86d0-3c970e99c028}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7 Nouveau
locale fr-FR
inherit {6efb52bf-1766-41db-a6b3-0ee5eff72bd7}
recoverysequence {c526a01b-72b5-11e3-a560-f4b7e2ce0377}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {05107d1c-be2c-11e2-86d0-3c970e99c028}
nx OptIn
pae Default
sos No
debug No
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {c526a01e-72b5-11e3-a560-f4b7e2ce0377}
device partition=D:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7 copie
locale en-US
osdevice partition=D:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {d5cb894e-730a-11e3-a9c8-806e6f6e6963}
nx OptIn
pae Default
sos No
debug No
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {c526a01d-72b5-11e3-a560-f4b7e2ce0377}
device partition=F:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7 Ancien
locale en-US
osdevice partition=F:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {10d1f182-72ee-11e3-87e8-806e6f6e6963}
nx OptIn
pae Default
sos No
debug No

Once again, thank you
 
No obvious mistakes visible.
When you boot (or try to boot) each OS, can you check in Disk Management for the location of the "system" and "boot" flags.

Disk Management flags have the following meanings
"boot" = "this is the system you're running"
"system" = "this is where I found the boot files for the currently running system"
"active" (on the first HDD in the BIOS boot sequence) = "this is where I started the search for the boot files"
"active" (on subsequent HDDs in the BIOS boot sequence) ="this is where I will look if I don't find something in the MBR on the first HDD"
 
Hi

I am having the same problem as the Original Poster booting 2 Windows 8 partitions C: and I: on same disk. I only have 1 HDD. What was the solution to this problem?

I tried to look at the boot flags using Windows 8 disk management but as you can see , it shows nothing like active etc
DM-TOSHIIBADiskMangment View199 2014-06-25 00.47.jpg

(N.B: I do not understand why Windows C partition is shown twice in the upper part of the displayed window.)

Here is a copy of my BCDedit entries


Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \WINDOWS\system32\winload.efi
description Windows 8.1
locale en-GB
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {10c3baa5-4a57-11e3-be7d-48d2247716c5}
integrityservices Enable
recoveryenabled Yes
isolatedcontext Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \WINDOWS
resumeobject {10c3baa3-4a57-11e3-be7d-48d2247716c5}
nx OptIn
bootmenupolicy Standard


Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {41e40e35-fb7a-11e3-bf42-54bef7256b4f}
device partition=I:
path \WINDOWS\system32\winload.efi
description Windows 8.1 GAMES
locale en-GB
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {10c3baa5-4a57-11e3-be7d-48d2247716c5}
integrityservices Enable
recoveryenabled Yes
isolatedcontext Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice partition=I:
systemroot \WINDOWS
resumeobject {10c3baa3-4a57-11e3-be7d-48d2247716c5}
nx OptIn
bootmenupolicy Standard
 
"active" is a flag in the partition table of the MBR.
You are using a GPT formatted disk. It has no MBR so you'll see no active or system flags.
You will however see the GPT EFI System Partition. That is the GPT equivalent of "system" "active"
How did you create the second W8 BCD entry ?
Do you have "fast startup" enabled ?
Windows 8 boot problems ? Please read this before posting
 
Thanks for replying.

I used bcdedit /copy {current} /d "windows games" to create the 2nd windows 8 BCD entry for I:, then used bcdedit /set for the {new BCD guid} to set the values for device and osdevice to point to I:.

Yes, I was using 'fast boot' which I have just removed.

I have now done a restart, and booted into Windows Games. As you can see from the attached image, the system has changed I: to D: which is showing as the boot partition. But, as you can also see, my OneDrive (and program files etc), are being executed from the C: drive which has the other windows 8.1 system on it.


DM-TOSHIIBADiskMangment View201 2014-06-25 20.21.jpg
 
hi



View attachment 2884


DM-TOSHIIBADiskMangment View202 2014-06-26 08.20.jpg


EasyBCD was the first tool I used when I tried to dual boot Windows8 over 3 weeks ago.

However as I got a blank screen when I first went into windows Games (due to the EasyBCD winload.exe error), I abandoned EasyBCD as I thought it was not working.

I then spent a quite a lot of time hunting around for a solution (Gag, OSL2000, Grub, BCDedit, etc) hitting numerous problems every time. I eventually discovered the BCDedit solution to the EasyBCD error.


I am now beginning to think that my solution will have to involve alternately hiding my C: and I: partitions from each other when I boot into either of them, but I do not want to undertake another long trial and error investigation and test which may prove fruitless as I have already spent more than 3 weeks trying to set something up which I thought would be quite easy to do.

Have you any suggestions? Would EasyBCD and Neogrub plus a customized menu.lst solve my problem, and can you offer any ideas on the what the menu.lst would look like?

Thanks in advance for your advice.
 
Did you clone W8 to its 2nd location or install it ?
I remember with Vista several people had similar confused-identity problems with cloned copies, which from memory I think might have been cured by booting the DVD and "startup repair".
If you cloned it, what did you use ?
Why didn't you make a real clone, i.e. both systems being C when booted ?
There is always a potential problem when a system is booted as "not C" if an actual C is visible to it. Even if you can stop Windows from using C and not-C simultaneously, there are loads of 3rd party apps which will also install half and half.
 
I used Aomei Backupper to clone C: as I:

I have a Toshiba laptop with a recovery partition not the Windows 8 DVD. I did not think it was possible to use the recovery partition to install Windows 8 onto a partition other than C:.

What do you mean by a real clone? and what clone software would you recommend to solve my problem? Better still can I create a Toshiba recovery DVD and use that to install W8 onto I:

Anyway, what in your opinion is the best solution to my problem?

thanks again.
 
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I mean real as in the biological genetic definition of clone, an identical copy.
You've made a modified copy, a dizygotic twin rather than monozygotic.
I'm not familiar with your Aomei software, but most partition managers have a "copy partition" function which makes a non-identical twin, and an image backup function which makes an identical twin copy designed to replace the original after a catastrophe. That backup copy is real clone, so if you restore it to a new partition instead of on top of the old one, you'll get two W8s which are both C (when booted).
Sadly MS has removed the "create repair disc" function from W8.1 which exists in W7 and W8. That could have been used to do "startup repair" since you don't have an installation DVD.
If you have any of the many W8 preview and sample ISO downloads, they also might be capable of a BCD repair.
 
Hi Terry

You have completely lost me.

I used the clone (not copy function) in Aomei Backupper to create an image of C:, and you seem to be saying that my clone copy is the problem.

Can you

1. tell me the name of a clone software tool I can use to create an image of C: on I: which I can then use with my current or modified BCD entries to boot independently of each other without the problems I have explained above?

2. After using the clone software which you recommend to me, would I have to amend/change/or delete and recreate the BCD entries that I have detailed above? If yes, could I just add them using EasyBCD or would I have to use NEOgrub etc?

3. Or are you saying that it is my BCD that is the problem. If yes, that I should use a W8 preview ISO to repair the I: image and its associated BCD entry?

Personally, a clone software tool that I can use would be preferable if possible.


Thanks.
 
I just searched for your Aomei Backupper online.
It has the required functionality.
Use Partition Backup to create an image of C:
Then use Partition Restore to restore that newly created image, but not back to the C: partition where it will go by default.
Override the destination to put it in the space you created for the Games version.
That should give you an identical copy of W8.
 
Hi Terry

I have done a copy restore, and decided to use NEoGrub to try to hide the partitions from one another as I boot into them.

However when I select Neogrub, I am getting a boot error message saying \NST\Neogrub.mbr cannot be found despite it being in the windows C: folder NST.

Any suggestions? I have used bcdboot C:\Windows , but the problem still occurs.

Thanks.NST Neogrub mbr.PNG

P.S: I have getting even more funny/serious results when not using NEOgrub. So Neogrub appears to be the best option.
 
Last edited:
I would guess the problem relates to the Neogrub location on one of the (sometimes) hidden partitions. If the boot chain includes a hidden location the boot is going to fail.
Why are you trying to hide the systems from each other anyway ?
There's absolutely no problem with them seeing each other. (as long as one of them isn't XP)
If for aesthetic reasons you just want the booted system to look like it's alone, just remove the disk letter of the non-active W8 from Disk Management on the running W8. Explorer does not display partitions with no letter (and hence cannot access them).
 
When I use a cloned copy of C: restored to I: I get the problems I originally outlined above.

When I use a copied image of C: and restore it to I: the problems are even worse, as I outlined on another forum i.e http://www.sysnative.com/forums/win...charms-destktop-or-taskbar-shortcuts-etc.html

Hiding them from one another appears to be the only way to ensure there is only one C: drive active i.e the system I want booted, and to prevent the 2 systems from somehow for whatever reason ,using files on the different partitions simultaneously. In addition the Games system will be used by kids who are likely to download all sorts of things they are unaware of. Hiding C will give me some additionally security for my real system C:.

I would have thought that using Neogrub would work as per the following steps:

1. The system searches for and finds it should use Neogrub
2. It searches for and finds C:\NST\neogrub.mbr
3. It then displays the 2 options - Windows C and Windows Games. It does NOT hide any partitions at this stage as it does not know which system I want
4. If I select C: it hides I and boots into C: If I had selected I:, it hides C: and boots into I: as pseudo C:. In either case , only C: files are used.


The Neogrub error message is being displayed before it gets to step 3. I have not at anytime been able to get into C: or I: Games via Neogrub. and Neogrub has at no time displayed the 2 options for me to select either C or I:games.

Are you saying that when Neogrub is used, steps 1 to 4 is not the sequence used?
 
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It's impossible for two C partitions to be present simultaneously.
That's the point of making both C.
The letters don't exist in the real world. Neither system has a letter when the PC is powered down.
Each OS, when it starts makes a virtual map of the device/partition letters and can only use each letter once.
Since the running system is C, the idle system cannot be C and the running system assigns it the first so far unused letter.
It takes no notice (is not even aware) of the fact that the other system calls itself C when it's running.


The two maps are totally independent (they are just registry entries of the running system)
Removing the idle system's letter in Disk Management will prevent your children being able to see (or access) one system from the other.

If you hide a partition with any third party boot manager which supports that function, it will remain hidden until you unhide it again.
That includes trying to boot the OS again. If the boot manager is on the hidden partition it won't be able to access it. You'll either need to have copies of the boot information on every bootable partition, or keep the boot files on a partition which is never hidden.
 
Hi Terry

I understand what you are trying to say re hidden partitions and C: etc, but I think you are missing my problem which is that the system is always giving me a boot message re C:\NST.Neogrub.mbr.

AT no time has any of the partitions been hidden by a boot tool, or diskpart or any other means. In fact I even changed menu.lst so that NONE of the partitions were to be hidden, and I am still getting the same error, preventing me from seeing the options for C and I via Neogrub, and being able to select either of them.

I have done nothing to C:\NST\Negrub.mbr which was placed there when I installed it via EasyBCD Neogrub installation .

It appears to me that either the version of Neogrub.mbr is corrupted, or incompatible in someway with windows 8.1 or something in the BCD which EasyBCD did or is expecting.

The only other change I have done to my system is a Toshiba BIOS update, which I would have thought would not affect the BCD.
 
You'll need to set up your own grub boot menu if you want to use Neogrub.
Read this for the general idea
How-To: Hide Vista Partition from XP with NeoGrub!
Then when you've read right to the bottom and realized what a dog's breakfast you'll be creating, do yourself a favour and stick with the standard dual boot and use Disk Management to remove the disk letter of the inactive system from each running system.
With XP you had to put up with the bird's nest boot to protect your restore points, but Vista/7/8 don't have that problem so you've no need to go to such (inconvenient) lengths.
 
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