XP Boot missing after Vista install

Scottland · 19 Jan 2007 at 20:15

I had a WinXP install on a partition, and after installing Vista to another partition - the option to boot to XP is not there.

Can I add it back with something like Vist Boot Pro? I've added it as another option, and set it as Windows Legacy - but it can't boot. I don't think it can find the ntdlr folder/files.

Ideas?

swanseajack · 19 Jan 2007 at 20:40

I had the same thing, used vista boot pro, but noticed that vista messes up your drive letters like D: is my xp boot in xp but its seen as C: in Vista. Just meed to add it in vista boot pro as another drive letter.

Scottland · 20 Jan 2007 at 10:53

Well I have XP on the middle partition, D: (seen as such in XP and Vista), and Vista is C:

I have to tell Vista Boot pro to use D:\ as otherwise it'll just boot from the Vista partition.

I think the boot record for the XP installation has been erased, but if I restore it using the XP disc, it'll wipte the Vista one, no?

EirePlane · 20 Jan 2007 at 12:54

I think I am getting the same problem. I'm using vista RC2 and whenever it loads up, It gives em the option to boot into either vista or XP, but whenever I go to boot XP I end up with an error. I got XP back with fixboot in the recovery console but now I cant get into vista

DrMekon · 20 Jan 2007 at 13:43

I use BootIT Next Gen, and have 2x XP installs and 1x Vista, all ont heir own primary partitions, and all hidden from each other.. works flawlessly...

Ive found it best to keep them isolated, then you dont have any probs with the boot sequence, or boot files...

dirtydog · 20 Jan 2007 at 13:46

Do we know why MS decided to change the Vista bootloader?

I see you also cannot install Vista onto a non-primary partition which is a pain in the arse as well.

When I had Vista on my PC (RC2), even though it wasn't on the first partition, Vista still called it C:\ ... which to my mind is illogical.

Scottland · 20 Jan 2007 at 16:19

I managed to sort it in the end, I needed to set the boot option in Vista Boot Pro to C:\, as that's where the bootloader is, despite it being installed on the D: partition

Jakus · 21 Jan 2007 at 01:28

dirtydog said:
Do we know why MS decided to change the Vista bootloader?

I see you also cannot install Vista onto a non-primary partition which is a pain in the arse as well.

When I had Vista on my PC (RC2), even though it wasn't on the first partition, Vista still called it C:\ ... which to my mind is illogical.

The Operating system partition is always C:, maybe vista could go anywhere with it just putting some start up files on the first primary bootable partition,But Like You I seem to recall if on instal it sees another opperating system it behaves very diferently to XP and does not give that option

The Safest Multiboot is a small 100mb primary partition with Your chosen Bootmanager installed which then switches a couple of primary partitions active or not with your operating systems on
this keeps all files and bootloaders completely seperate