Forgive me if this has been covered previously. I didn't see it addressed but there are a lot of threads here...
I'm trying to use EasyBCD to set up a dual-boot, and I can't even get to the point where I can use EasyBCD. I already have Windows 7 64-bit installed on my C drive. I would like to install XP 32-bit on my E drive, which is a separate physical drive. I had already done this successfully with XP 64-bit previously, but alas it's 32-bit that I need instead.
After deleting the partition (on E) and creating a new one and formatting with the XP installer, I set it to install on that partition. After loading all the setup files it went to its first reboot, and then I got the "invalid BOOT.INI file" message, whereupon it tried to reboot, got the same message and tried to reboot... The only thing I could think of is to repair the Windows 7 OS from its install disc so it would at least boot into something.
I have seen references to the BOOT.INI problem and there's a whole page about it in the NeoSmart knowledge database, but everything I'm finding requires getting into the XP OS to repair the file, using the recovery console or other software or doing it manually. The problem is, there's no XP for me to get into to do this - it happens from the first reboot, before anything besides the initial setup info is actually installed. There's no operating system there yet.
Now that I have Windows 7 bootable again, is there something I can do from it to get the XP install to work, or will anything I do just be overwritten the next time I try to install XP? Or is there some other solution? I'm stumped and I've done a lot of googling so far. Thanks!
I'm trying to use EasyBCD to set up a dual-boot, and I can't even get to the point where I can use EasyBCD. I already have Windows 7 64-bit installed on my C drive. I would like to install XP 32-bit on my E drive, which is a separate physical drive. I had already done this successfully with XP 64-bit previously, but alas it's 32-bit that I need instead.
After deleting the partition (on E) and creating a new one and formatting with the XP installer, I set it to install on that partition. After loading all the setup files it went to its first reboot, and then I got the "invalid BOOT.INI file" message, whereupon it tried to reboot, got the same message and tried to reboot... The only thing I could think of is to repair the Windows 7 OS from its install disc so it would at least boot into something.
I have seen references to the BOOT.INI problem and there's a whole page about it in the NeoSmart knowledge database, but everything I'm finding requires getting into the XP OS to repair the file, using the recovery console or other software or doing it manually. The problem is, there's no XP for me to get into to do this - it happens from the first reboot, before anything besides the initial setup info is actually installed. There's no operating system there yet.
Now that I have Windows 7 bootable again, is there something I can do from it to get the XP install to work, or will anything I do just be overwritten the next time I try to install XP? Or is there some other solution? I'm stumped and I've done a lot of googling so far. Thanks!