Trying to boot to '98, XP, Win7

D

Docfxit

Distinguished Member
I am trying to setup a boot menu to boot to:
98
xp
Win7
I am getting EasyBCD 2.0.2 to create the menu. When I select 98 I get an error saying:
"Invalid System Disk"
When I select XP it works fine.
When I select Win7 I get a boot repair window.
28bb72a.jpg

BootGrabber /bootcfg \ArcName\multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(0)
Code: 
BootGrabber utility.
Copyright NeoSmart Technologies 2009-2010 <[URL]http://neosmart.net/[/URL]>
 
Unable to get volume information for [URL="file://%5C%5C?%5CVolume%7B03b60e33-2748-11e0-90ee-00d059ca1246%7D%5C"]\\?\Volume{03b60e33-2748-11e0-90ee-00d059ca1246}\[/URL]
 Drive 0, Partition 1: No Windows installation found.
 Located active partition on drive 0: \ArcName\multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)
 Drive 0, Partition 2: Valid Windows 2k/XP/2k3 (Added).
 Drive 1, Partition 1: Windows Vista+ (Ignored).
 Drive 1, Partition 2: No Windows installation found.
Code: 
BootGrabber utility.
Copyright NeoSmart Technologies 2009-2010 <[URL]http://neosmart.net/[/URL]>
 
Unable to get volume information for [URL="file://%5C%5C?%5CVolume%7B03b60e33-2748-11e0-90ee-00d059ca1246%7D%5C"]\\?\Volume{03b60e33-2748-11e0-90ee-00d059ca1246}\[/URL]
D0,2,2,0,56419345408,0
P1,F:\,11,10481877504,7868063744,Yes,multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1),No,FAT32
P2,C:\,7,45929963520,5088886784,Yes,multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2),Yes,NTFS
D1,2,2,1,500107862016,1
P1,I:\,7,424525054464,373430558720,Yes,multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1),Yes,NTFS
P0,,15,75579678720,0,Yes,,No,
P2,H:\,7,75579646464,27083628544,No,multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2),No,NTFS

I have EasyBCD installed in XP. I only see the boot menu when the XP partition is active.

Thank you for a great program.
Docfxit
 
Last edited:
Since I haven't received any suggestions in the past two days I figured either everyone was too busy or didn't know what to suggest to resolve my issue. So I found there were some issues resolved with '98 in the beta version. I decided to try it.
PLEASE NOTE: I NOW HAVE THE BETA VERSION 2.1.0.133 INSTALLED.

I wasn't sure what to do so this is what I tried:
1. Under BCD Backup/Repair, I selected Reset BCD configuration, Perform Action.
That removed my three boot drives that were previously configured.
2. Under Boot Edit Menu I added:
'98 Leaving all defaults
XP Selecting default Yes
Win7
3. When I selected '98 to boot from it gave me a screen with Grub loaded. I'm not familiar with Grub at all.
I tried entering the command ls. It showed the directory entries for the xp partition on drive C:.
I expected to show me the '98 partition on drive F:.
I went to the Advanced Settings menu and selected the '98 partition. The drive auto configured was C:.
I changed it to F: to see if it would go to the correct drive.
After a reboot it gave me an error saying AutoNeoGrub0.mbr wasn't found. After a reboot into XP I saw
that AutoNeoGrub0.mbr wasn't in F:\NST ('98 partition) so I copied it there. After a reboot it still
wouldn't boot into '98. I changed the drive back to C: in the Advanced Settings menu for the '98 partiton.

4. I tried booting into Win7. I got this screen:
2w2l9w4.jpg
 
Computer Guru said:
Hi, sorry for the late reply.
Click to expand...

No need to be sorry. Everyone gets busy.

Computer Guru said:
So you're unable to boot into Windows 7 now? You can fix it by using our recovery CD and instructions at EasyBCD 2.1 Beta Builds - The NeoSmart Forums


Can you please try an earlier beta build, perhaps build 129?
Click to expand...

Is this the link you meant for the Win7 recovery CD and instructions?
http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/EBCD/Recovering+the+Vista+Bootloader+from+the+DVD

I have installed build 129.

What I tried is:
1. Under BCD Backup/Repair, I selected Reset BCD configuration, Perform Action.
That removed my three boot drives that were previously configured.
2. Under Boot Edit Menu I added:
'98 Leaving all defaults
XP Selecting default Yes
Win7
3. When I selected '98 to boot from it gave me a screen with Grub loaded. I'm not familiar with Grub at all.
I tried entering the command ls. It showed the directory entries for the xp partition on drive C:.
I expected to show me the '98 partition on drive F:.
4. When I tried to boot into Win7 it gave me the same screen as above.

I followed the instructions on the above link except for step 4.

On step three I ran
bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd
I received a message saying:
Successfully scanned windows installations
Total identified windows installations: 0
Successfully completed.

Everything before this went fine.

I tried to boot into Win7. I get the same screen as above.

Thanks,

Docfxit
 
Last edited:
I replied to this from my BlackBerry with alternative repair instructions, but it didn't go through..

I need to test the GRUB error that you're getting here tomorrow for myself. Sounds like something weird is happening.

I don't understand how the Windows 7 entry stopped working, adding entries to the bootloader doesn't affect the ones already there, or at least, it shouldn't

Can you shed light on how/why that happened?
 
All I did was follow the instructions on this web site:
Recovering the Vista Bootloader from the DVD - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

I have no idea why it isn't going back to the boot menu. I guess I will have to replace the MBR with another program to be able to boot back into XP. Do you have any favorite program that you use to:
1. Replace the MBR when you can't get into EasyBCD?
2. Look to see where the MBR is pointing to, See what is in the partition tables?
3. Partition a drive?

Please keep in mind:
'98 & XP are on drive 0
Win7 is on drive 1

XP and Win7 is active

All are primary partitions.

Thanks,

Docfxit
 
If you followed the instructions in that guide, you'll likely have cleared other entries from your boot menu. Do they show in EasyBCD? If there's only one entry, you won't see the menu.

I replace the MBR from the command-line of the Recovery CD we host. Having replaced the MBR and bootsector with the standard MS ones, a snapshot of Disk Management is enough to see what's going on. For drive partitioning, Acronis Disk Director, or GParted if you want free.
 
I think I know what caused this issue. The problem is makeactive is permanent, so it permanently changes the boot partition after trying to boot into 98 for the first time!
 
If you put all the W7 boot files into the W98 root with "change boot drive", shouldn't that fix it ?
 
I spent 2hrs yesterday morning writing in detail what was happening. When I hit the submit button it asked me for my user name and password. Then it gave me an error. I tried using the back button to save what I typed in. I couldn't get back to it.

Today I will put in a number of smaller posts to let you know where I'm at. I don't remember all I went through yesterday.

Docfxit

Addendum:

Yesterday I couldn't boot up either '98 or XP on drive 1.

I tried repairing the mbr and the partition table with:
EaseUS Partition Master Pro 5.5.1
Acronis Bootable Media ver. 11.0.2121
Windows 7 repair disk
BootIT ver. 1.82b
Partition Table Doctor Emergency Disk ver. 3.5
EaseUS Partition Recovery 5.0.1
Partition Wizard Pro ver. 5.2

I couldn't get anything to fix the boot up on either partition on drive one. The only thing I could do is boot into system recovery in Win7 on drive two.

Docfxit

Addendum:

Today I took Drive one out and put it in as a slave to another machine. I ran Partition Table Doctor 3.5, Partition rebuild and fixboot.

After putting it back into the laptop I am now able to boot into '98. I tried changing XP to be the active partition and all I get is the cursor in the upper left.

Docfxit

Addendum:

I finally got back to booting into XP after

1. Setting the XP partition active.
2. Getting only the cursor in the upper left.
3. Booting with the XP CD.
4. Going into the recovery console.
5. Running FIXBOOT.

While I'm in XP I tried bringing up EasyBCD.

I'm getting an error window saying:
There was an error enumerating the boot configuration data entries.
More data is available.
Would you like to manually load a BCD registry for EasyBCD to manage?

I selected yes.
I selected a backup from 3 days ago.
It brought up the correct menu in EasyBCD.
I went to the Edit menu and selected Save.
When I rebooted the machine I didn't get a boot menu.

Docfxit
 
Last edited:
Terry: Yes.

Doc: Sounds like a simple case of wrong boot partition. The mix up with the active boot partition in the 98 code can cause this.

First: Find out what disk your BIOS is booting from. It may not be what you expect.
Second: Use EasyBCD -> Change Boot Drive to select a partition on this drive.

That should make any entries that appear in EasyBCD also show at boot time.
 
Computer Guru said:
Terry: Yes.

Doc: Sounds like a simple case of wrong boot partition. The mix up with the active boot partition in the 98 code can cause this.

First: Find out what disk your BIOS is booting from. It may not be what you expect.
Click to expand...

It's booting from Disk 1 that has '98 and XP on it.

Computer Guru said:
Second: Use EasyBCD -> Change Boot Drive to select a partition on this drive.
That should make any entries that appear in EasyBCD also show at boot time.
Click to expand...

When I select Change Boot Drive I get a message saying:
This Option is only available on Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008.

I have EasyBCD loaded in XP Pro.

Thanks,

Docfxit
 
I’m unclear as to whether you have data you need to save or if you can start all over.

If you can start all over this is what I would do. Swap the drives and make the bigger one drive zero. Install Windows 7 to the front of drive zero. Install Easy BCD in Windows 7.

Make a fat 32 primary partition at the front of drive one. Load Windows 98 into that partition. Then make the rest of the drive and extended partition. Then make a logical partition in the extended partition for Windows XP. Install Windows XP into that logical partition. Once back in Windows 7 you can add an entry to boot into Windows XP.

Hopefully this setup will eliminate any issues regarding whether or not Windows XP is residing in an active partition or not.

Note that Windows NT-W2k-XP do not have to be in primary partitions while Windows 9X-Windows Vista-Windows 7 do. The boot files for Windows XP will either end up in the hidden 100 MB boot partition at the front of drive zero or in the Windows 98 partition on drive one. I don’t know which. In either case Easy BCD should be able to make a boot option.
 
@PoC
all WIndows from XP onwards can install to a logical drive including Vista/7.
The restriction is only that the boot files must be in a primary for XP and Vista/7 because the MBR architecture only allows for primaries to be active, and the IPL looks for the active partition to continue the boot chain.
@Doc
boot W7, install Easy2 and run "change boot drive" to point it to W98, then set the BIOS to boot from W98 again.
 
@POC

Thanks for the reply. I have over 300 programs installed in XP. I can't move the larger drive to drive 0 because it's too large for this PC. The larger drive with Win7 on it is in a super drive.

@T60

Thanks for the suggestion. That would be great if I could get Win7 running. Currently I can get as far as the startup recovery. I have re-installed Win7 a number of times. I originally thought Win7 kept having boot up problems because of a windows update. I was putting one update on at a time to see when it would not boot again. Now I have my doubts. Maybe it has to be hidden from XP. Maybe XP is hurting Win7 so it won't boot.

Thanks,

Docfxit
 
Docfxit,

I understand now why you need to save the data on the XP partition. You may want to use the Macrium Reflect Free software below to burn a copy of what is on hard drive zero down to DVD blanks before you proceed any further. This program uses compression so it uses less blanks that it sounds like at first blush.

Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 3141
Macrium Reflect Free - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

let me ask what is a Superdrive? Is that some sort of an external USB hard drive?

Have you tried booting to a partition utility to see what partition on which drive is active? You can do this either from a live session from a Ubuntu install disc
Download | Ubuntu

or from the Ultimate boot 5.03 available here:
Ultimate boot 5.03 - The NeoSmart Forums

I would recommend that you make sure that Windows 7 partition is active.

Use the window 7recovery disk to make sure that Windows 7 can boot.

Making Vista Repair Disk question - The NeoSmart Forums

That should get you back into Windows 7 on the second hard drive.

Assuming you can get that far I would simply delete all entries, excepting of course the first two entries for Windows 7, from Easy BCD. Then add entries for windows 98 and XP.

Until you can get your multi-boot stabilized I would not do any Windows 7 updates. Also I would probably not recommend restoring Easy BCD to a prior state.
 
The only damage XP does to Vista/7, is to remove all restore points (for which this hack is available). Otherwise you shouldn't have a problem.
Disconnect 98/XP temporarily, then boot the W7 DVD and "startup repair" three times to put all of the W7 boot files on the W7 partition. When it boots unaided, reconnect the other HDD, keeping W7 as top of the BIOS boot sequence and add entries for the other systems to the new BCD on the W7 drive.
Only if that doesn't work, use "change boot drive" to copy everything onto W98, and switch the BIOS sequence back to W98 first.
 
I just tested this locally in a virtual machine, and set up a Windows 7 + Windows ME dual-boot.

It works just fine without the makeactive flag, because Windows ME cannot recognize any of the NTFS partitions that precede the FAT32 partition I allocated for it.

I'm uploading a new build that removes the makeactive flag. Anyone dual-booting the two will need to make sure that the partition for MSDOS/Win9x/ME is either the first partition on the disk, or else the first FAT32 partition on the same disk.

EasyBCD will still support/work with cases where Windows ME is on another disk, and will emulate it being the first drive without causing permanent changes to the active partition or anything.
 
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