No BCD in Boot folder

S

SiR GadaBout

Member
Hi,

First, the scenario: I am trying to dual-boot Windows 7 with Windows XP Pro. Each is installed on its own internal SATA HDD, with XP being the older of the two OSes. However, when I boot my PC, it defaults to loading Windows 7, and does not present a Boot Choice menu. Easy BCD, installed on XP, cannot locate a BCD file, and when I navigate to Windows 7 (W:smile:>Windows>Boot>EFI (or PCAT) there is no BCD file to be found. I can find one under >Boot>DVD>EFI (& PCAT), and though I don't think this applies here I'll list what Easy BCD reports for them:

DVD>EFI
There is one entry in the Windows bootloader.
Path: W:\Windows\Boot\DVD\EFI\BCD

Default: Windows Setup
Timeout: 30 Seconds
EasyBCD Boot Device: W:\

Entry #1
Name: Windows Setup
BCD ID: {default}
Device: [boot]\sources\boot.wim
Bootloader Path: \windows\system32\boot\winload.efi
Click to expand...

DVD>PCAT
There is one entry in the Windows bootloader.
Path: W:\Windows\Boot\DVD\PCAT\BCD

Default: Windows Setup
Timeout: 30 Seconds
EasyBCD Boot Device: W:\

Entry #1
Name: Windows Setup
BCD ID: {default}
Device: [boot]\sources\boot.wim
Bootloader Path: \windows\system32\boot\winload.efi
Click to expand...

I don't have a 100MB "System Reserved" partition; the partition I'm looking on is definitely the one tagged "System" in Disk Management. I am now stuck and unsure how to proceed.

Second, the history: I should provide some background to how I got to this stage as it involves live repartitioning of system drives, and a workaround for installing Windows 7.
I began with XP Pro SP3 on its own drive, with a separate drive for data (ie. games). This has been functioning fine.
I then purchased the digital download version of Windows 7 x64 Professional Upgrade from Digital River. I burned this ISO to a DVD, and booted from the resultant disc on startup (not by running Setup from the DVD whilst booted into XP). Following Paul Thurrott's advice here, I proceeded to clean-install Windows 7 to the first partition on a new (used) 80GB SATA HDD (the two other partitions consist of a swap-file partition for XP, and a backup partition for XP).
Next came the partitioning: I booted into UBCD 5.0.2, launched Partition Magic and used Gparted to shrink the XP Pro SP3 partition to create space for a swap-file partition for Windows 7.

And that's where I am now. If I leave Windows 7's HDD & XP Pro's HDD active in the BIOS, Windows 7 will load automatically on startup; if I disable Windows 7's HDD, Windows XP boots automatically. Obviously the stage I would like to get to is being able to leave both HDDs active in the BIOS, and receive the Boot Choice menu on startup.

Can anyone help?

Many thanks,

S.
 
It's not a sub-folder of Windows
you need C:\boot\BCD and it's super-hidden.
You'll need folder options set like this to find it.
 
Bugger, I just _knew_ it would be something simple. I also just _knew_ you were going to copy-and-paste your "You'll need folder options set like this to find it." sentence. You must get bored stiff responding that to every dizzy Winbloze user :smile:

So, I've found it now. Many thanks! :smile:
 
I have a nice Vista/7 desktop gadget called "Clipboard Manager" with scores of much-used links so I can trot them out with very little effort.
You're right though - I could turn my whole reply to your OP into a single entry, not just the jpeg.
It has been used once or twice before in paraphrased form, but I probably won't.
I can't bear it when I send a long detailed bug-report to an OEM and receive an auto-reply form-letter email, which has been triggered by a keyword or two and has absolutely no relevance to the matter in hand. I'd like to think someone has actually read what I'd written.
 
I'm sorry to bother but I have similar problem. I installed windows XP on my D partition. On C partition I have windows 7. Now I would like to get back to windows 7 and format the D partition. But it is impossible. The files of windows 7 are all there on C but evrytime I get in windows XP. I just can't find any solution. I try to use EasyBCD but I get answer that there is no BCD file. I have read all of your forums (also how to enable hidden files) but there is no BCD file in C:\boot\BCD. The only files on C are those mentioned by SiR Gada Boud (C:\Windows\Boot\DVD\) . There is also one boot.ini file directli on C: where it is written:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Thank you for helping me and best regards
 
Man i have the same problem... can't find the boot folder.. I installed windows xp after windows 7.. and now it only loads windows xp...i set the folder view options like the ones on the picture, but there's still no "boot" folder in any partition..
 
Boot the W7 DVD
"repair your computer"
"startup repair"
do the above 3 times to put the W7 boot manager back in control
When W7 boots without the DVD, run EasyBCD 2.0 and add an XP entry to the BCD letting it auto-configure.
 
i got the problem same with poster

Terry60 said:
Boot the W7 DVD
"repair your computer"
"startup repair"
do the above 3 times to put the W7 boot manager back in control
When W7 boots without the DVD, run EasyBCD 2.0 and add an XP entry to the BCD letting it auto-configure.
Click to expand...

DESCRIPTION:
So, I'm running XP on my netbook, and I like keep it the oldschool way. Since I installed Windows 7 on my external HDD, now I got rid of it and swiped the whole drive. I received a BCD error everytime I turn on my netbook, goes something like this /Boot/BCD files missing or corrupted I guess. So I drilled hard and tried to figure from googling, I downloaded a software what's called wintoflash. I used it on my other computer, plugged in a 4GB usb, transferred a bunch of xp system files (where I unzipped the xp image (.iso)).
ISSUE:
I booted it with the thumbstick and successfully got onto Windows by selecting
an option like this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
Because this looked familiar to me, so I went to find the boot.ini and make some change something that I don't even know what its use for, there you go:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
MORE ISSUES:
Anyways, now I am able to log on Windows XP, (Yay) however, "thing" happens, I downloaded EasyBCD on my XP, opened it it said I need to find the BCD registry manually so I did, NOT know where the BCD files are. I eventually thought I have got none so I finally decided to do something that someone could actually help me out instead of following other users different type of issues.
MORE DESCRIPTION:
And now everytime I boot in onto XP, I need the thumbstick with me, can't do anything like fixboot or fixmbr but the diskpart command. I don't know if this piece of infomation is what you want but if you do need something else please tell.
MY msinfo32:
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name ASPIRE1
System Manufacturer Acer
System Model AOD250
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 28 Stepping 2 GenuineIntel ~1596 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Acer V1.29, 18/12/2010
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
User Name ASPIRE1\Martin
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 179.48 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 2.39 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
To anyone who passes by:
Please assist and guide me through this situation, any help will be gratefully appreciated. Thanks!
 
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