Renaming other OS

C

crazy933

Active Member
I downloads EasyBCD in preparation for my Windows 7 install, in the mean time I figured I would use it to rename the choices for my current dual boot in which I had Vista 64 and then installed XP PRO (32bit). The instructions i followed when i did the dual boot (a few months ago before I found EasyBCD) sucessfully allowed me to set up the dual boot. My problem, when i start the computer I get the choice "Windows Vista" and "An older Windows Installation" all I wanted to do was to change "An Older..." to read "WIndows XP Pro" I tried to use EasyBCD and when I chose to remane the second OS I saved it and then i chose to rewrite the MBR. after restarting the computer when I chose to boot into XP (which sucessfully showed up as a choice) the computer said I had some sort of bas configuration. Then I booted up Vista and opened up EasyBCD and don't know what i did but then restarted and then the computer would not start, It kept telling me to choose a location to boot from, my bios was set for my boot drive. I looked into following the directions for rebuilding my boot.ini by using the XP repair. it did not work, i then tried to reinstall XP, after selecting the XP partition on my hard drive the installation said there was already an installation and that everything would be over written, i figured well ok go for it. Installation started and then i get a message that installation could not continue. I then has to clone my OS drives from by Backup. I can now start and the system works but, all I wanted to do was change my OS choice from "an older" to Windows XP. Was I not supposed to rewrite the MBR. I wasn't sure what to do when following the directions because the computer was already set for a dual boot. next time should i just rename the os chioce and save that?

Thanks, sorry for the long post but i wanted to include as many details as possible.
 
You don't need to re-write the MBR. Grab EasyBCD beta latest build -> Add/Remove entries. You can delete the old XP entry. Add a new XP entry giving it the name you want it to have. Let EasyBCD autoconfigure the boot for you when prompted.
 
i figured that rewritting the MBR is what screwed me all up. I'll try just doing the xp entry when I get home tommorow. thanks alot.
 
a new problem has risen, i was able to rename the "older windows" to windows xp. now when i get to the screen that lets me select which OS i want, i select xp, I enter my password and the screen immediatly says "logging off". any ideas? i waited a few minutes on this screen and there is very little HDD activity. i just reset the system and tried it a few more times with no sucess. prior to me doing this I did try to use iReboot but that brought me back to the OS selection screen
 
At this point there's nothing wrong with the boot proccess. Did you have this problem before you made attempts to recover the system on your own? It sounds like you've got some malware, the classic I'll turn off your computer everytime you cut it on thing I suspect. Try safe mode with F8 immediately following selecting XP at boot up. Can you log in now?
 
I tried safe mode, and when i try to log on it says the same thing, loading personal settings.... and then says logging off, but then at least the log on screen shows up and the computer is not just hanging. I am doing a scan on that partition and then i'll do a full system scan for virus and all the bas stuff.
 
could this be a problem with ntldr? or user profiles?

Addendum:

to try another fix, what i did was cloned my c: drive from my backup clone. When i try to get to XP i get an error about hardware configuration. I log onto VIsta and change the name of the second OS (XP) and let EasyBCD do it thing. i restarted and have the same problem of loggin on then get logged of.
 
Last edited:
It could be the profile, or a startup program like I was saying thats causing it. It could be software related. Anything you install recently when it was working? Rename your user folder (append .old to its name) from our recovery disc or a Vista DVD if you've got one and than try logging in again. This should create a new profile for your account. If it works you'll need to transfer over your important files into your new user folder before you delete the old one.
 
i logged onto vista, then went to my n: partition, the one with XP, and went to my folder in and renamed it with .old and when i tried to log on i had the same problem.
 
Back
Top