XP/Vista/Server 2k3 boot issue

TriedandTested · 3 Sep 2006 at 17:23

Very briefly; was happily dual booting XP and Vista and thought i'd install Sever 2k3 on a third partition. On booting i'm now only presented with XP and Server 2k3..no Vista.

Any ideas why or how to resolve this?

FishThrower · 3 Sep 2006 at 17:26

boot.ini !

TriedandTested · 3 Sep 2006 at 17:30

FishThrower said:
boot.ini !

more details!

TriedandTested · 3 Sep 2006 at 17:36

Current boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003, Standard" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /FASTDETECT /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN

Partition1 c: is my original XP installation
Partition2: v: was my Vista installation
Partition3: w: was the 2k3 Server installation.

Help please.

TriedandTested · 3 Sep 2006 at 17:47

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /FASTDETECT /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Vista" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003, Standard" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect

Would that fix it?

FishThrower · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:01

hang on i try and look at it in a second

( sorry i kept it short before, was called downstairs )

EDIT:

on my boot.ini it displays

;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.

not too sure what BCedit is, might be a new feature in Vista ?

what you done sounds right

give that a go, but make sure you backup boot.ini to boot.bak before you change it tho, you cant do no harm

TriedandTested · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:10

Ok, just rebooted... Win XP is fine. Selecting Vista loads Server 2k3. Selecting Vista gives me nothing but a blank screen!

Help.

TriedandTested · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:26

Seems to be a critical error with the Vista partition according to Partition Magic...also can't access the disk management console. Hmm. They're both quite fresh installs so gonna format the partitions and restart. Any tips before i do? Order of installation etc?...

Edit. Formats done and disk mgmt now ok. Odd. Oh well.

FishThrower · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:28

if i install three OSes from scratch

I would do from the oldest, to the newest personally
so its working fine now?

TriedandTested · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:30

FishThrower said:
if i install three OSes from scratch

I would do from the oldest, to the newest personally
so its working fine now?

No, not fine; formatted the vista and 2k3 partition and will start afresh. 2k3 then Vista...Drive V to use first then drive W. Wish me luck.

Generally, would the boot.ini usually pick up these three OSs and create entries automatically?

csmager · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:50

Vista has a new bootloader than replaces NTLDR/boot.ini.

What's happened is this:

You installed XP. Fine.
You installed Vista. It installed its new bootloader, added XP. Fine.
You installed 2003. It put NTLDR back on and added itself and XP to the boot.ini.

What you needed to do was the Vista equivalent of fixboot (not sure what it is, if it even exists) to reinstall the Vista bootloader.

If you're re-doing it now, installing Vista last should be fine.