Dual boot 2003 server with Vista

athl1981

Member
First, thanks for a great product. It makes life much easier compare to using Microsoft's bcdedit.

I'm trying to do dual boot Vista / 2k3, with Vista is the default. Here's the configuration:
C: drive (ATA 133) - 2 partitions, 2k3 is on the first partition
D: drive (SATA II 300) - 4 partitions, Vista is on the first partition
I install 2k3 first, then install XP on D: drive, partition 1. After that, from XP, I do a clean install of Vista.

Code:
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 {cc5d543c-23c6-11dc-8668-afdcb0ece1c5}
resumeobject {cc5d543d-23c6-11dc-8668-afdcb0ece1c5}
displayorder {cc5d543c-23c6-11dc-8668-afdcb0ece1c5}
{466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c}
toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
timeout 30
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {cc5d543c-23c6-11dc-8668-afdcb0ece1c5}
device partition=D:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
locale en-US
inherit {6efb52bf-1766-41db-a6b3-0ee5eff72bd7}
osdevice partition=D:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {cc5d543d-23c6-11dc-8668-afdcb0ece1c5}
nx OptIn
Windows Legacy OS Loader
------------------------
identifier {466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c}
device partition=C:
path \ntldr
description Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise
My questions are:
- Have I made a mistake and overwritten the MBR of the C drive, partition 1 (2k3 boot record) ?
- Since the Vista bootloader is on C drive's MBR, what's the best way to make the 2k3 (which is also on C) boot?
- Is there an easy way to copy and test MBR from one drive to another? (i.e. copy the vista bootloader from C drive to D drive)

Thanks,
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi,

To answer your questions, in that order:
1. No. You do not need the Windows XP/2003 bootsector in order to boot into Windows 2003 or XP.
2. Not necessary.
3. Again, not necessary.

I need some more info though, in order to help you out.
When you select "Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise" from the boot menu, what do you get? An error message? If so, which? A blank screen? A reboot? Nothing?

What are the contents of C:\Boot.ini? Please paste those in a code box.
 
Thanks Guru. If I select the 2k3 option, it come to a blank screen and stuck there. I do have ntdetect.com, boot.ini, and ntldr on my 2k3 partition.

Here's the boot.ini on C: drive (2k3 partition)
Code:
;
;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=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003, Enterprise" /FASTDETECT
 
OK, that means you have something in the boot.ini wrong.

Numbers in the boot.ini:

Go to Add/Remove | Linux/BSD
Look at the drive/partition list there, and identify the 2003 partition
The drive(x) number in boot.ini should be the drive number that EasyBCD shows for that partition. The partition() number should be the partition number EasyBCD shows + 1.
 
OK, that means you have something in the boot.ini wrong.

Numbers in the boot.ini:

Go to Add/Remove | Linux/BSD
Look at the drive/partition list there, and identify the 2003 partition
The drive(x) number in boot.ini should be the drive number that EasyBCD shows for that partition. The partition() number should be the partition number EasyBCD shows + 1.

I have tried this, but it still give me a blank screen. Is there any other way? Thanks.
 
Read: http://neosmart.net/forums/showthread.php?t=669

Should be rdisk(), not disk() that gets changed. Sorry.

Since I have only 2 physical hard drive, the rdisk() value is either 0 or 1. Also, I install both Vista and 2K3 in the first partition of each drive. That mean the partition() value should always be 1. I have tried setting with both rdisk() value (0 & 1), and it still show a blank screen. Do you think that mean the boot record is messed up (I suspect it got overwritten by Vista's boot record)? Any idea how to get it back while leaving Vista's boot record intact?

Thanks,
 
EasyBCD bypasses the bootsector to avoid that very problem - so it's not the issue.

Do you have SCSI, RAID, or multiple harddrive controllers installed?
 
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