EasyBCD 2.0.2 not doing anything at all ?!

D

datorbiera

Member
Hello,

I just installed EasyBCD and was trying to get it to work - no joy.

Host sytem: Windows XP.
Second system to boot: Linux Mint 9 with Grub 2 (I think it is) not installed in the MBR but in the Linux Mint partition.

When I start EasyBCD I need to manually allocate the registry for it - every time I start the program.

And having added Linux Mint to the Boot Menu and having rebooted, the computer goes straight into Windows XP - I don't see a menu to choose from.

Any ideas anyone ?


Many thanks

Michael
 
EasyBCD is an app for managing the Vista/7 BCD
The BCD was invented with Vista and replaced the function of boot.ini in XP.
boot.ini could be managed with any text editor, being a simple text file.
The BCD needed something more user friendly than the command-line BCDedit provided by Microsoft, hence EasyBCD.
A dual-boot of XP/Linux has no BCD to manage, so EasyBCD can't help you.
Just install Linux and let it default to taking over the boot. It will find XP and give you a grub menu option to dual-boot it.
 
Cheers - I have done dual boots with Vista using Grub and other, less conventional boot loaders. I am not as familiar with XP booting so your reply was spot on !

The good news: it was just a test set-up - I really want to try this with a Windows 7 system. Guess I'll just skip the testing and go for it !

Michael
 
EasyBCD - no meny at boot ?

Hello,

I have started to take this leap of faith and I have installed EasyBCD on the Windows 7 system supplied by my employer.

I was expecting to see a start menu at boot, but no. Is this because I have not actually installed my Linux system yet ? Will EasyBCD not show the menu if Windows 7 is the only entry ? What can I expect ?

My other question is slightly more technical. When I install my Linux system on the remaining space on my HD, should I do so in a Primary partition or can it be logical partition ? Those are the options provided by the Linux Mint installer and the latter was recommended.

Cheers

Michael
 
EasyBCD doesn't show a menu if Windows 7 is the only entry. Linux can be installed on either a primary or logical partition, it doesn't matter in your case which you choose.
 
and installing EasyBCD does nothing to your system. (except take up some disk space).
EasyBCD isn't an active system component. It takes no part in booting or running your OS.
It's just an app you've made available, for use when you want to modify the contents of the BCD.
It doesn't have a boot menu.
The boot menu is Microsoft's (bootmgr), and in common with XP's NTLDR, it doesn't present a menu unless there's a choice to be made.
 
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