Vista dual boot

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Is XP failing to boot, or is it not even going to the boot option menu?

If you installed Vista on a new hard drive with XP on the other you should
get the boot option menu.

Lemme know, and if you are not even seeing the boot option menu we get to
use bcdedit which isn't really all that fun.

Bill F.
 
VistaBootPro or EasyBCD provide a nice GUI for those like me who are not
comfortable with command line editing.
 
What happened is when I installed Vista it went to drive C: and pushed XP to
drive D:. I can get the info from D; but I can't boot to it. Where do I find
VistaBootPro?
 
I had the same problem, and after reinstalling the boot manager with bootpro,
I have the option to boot to XP, but it fails, says it is missing /ntldr. I
repaired the startup with the Vista dvd, but still get the same message. The
Bootpro forums all state this is because of a rogue legacy entry, but there
is no rogue. Any suggestions?
 
If you followed the correct procedure it should not have done that. Did you
select 'Custom' install and specifically select drive D for your Vista
install?

I have installed the beta Vista versions on several occasions on drive D
(currently on logical H) with XP on drive C completely undisturbed apart
from a new hidden directory called 'Boot', which provides the BCD
information.

Mike Bernstein
 
Go to Tools/Folder options/View on your XP drive and check'show hidden files'
and uncheck 'Hide protected operating ....' In the root drive you need ntldr,
boot.ini and ntdetect. you can copy ntldr and ntdetect from the Vista drive.
Colin
 
Actually, what I said is only correct if you start the install from within
Windows XP. If you install by booting from the DVD, which I have never done,
you will get the effect described i.e. Vista will install itself on C and
will shift everything else up a drive.

Mike Bernstein
 
I installed Vistabootpro and got XP back. It also put my XP back onto drive
C:, You are correct, I booted from the DVD. I think I have it straightened
out now. Ihaven't tried to go back to Vista yet today. We will see.
 
I have the opposite problem. My new laptop came with Vista and I needed XP
for a third-party program. I can't get back to Vista. Can someone help?

Thanks!

Jen
 
These are the steps CZ posted
were used to successfully install XP after Vista RTM:

Disk was clean (no partritions)
Boot via Vista DVD
Create C:
Install Vista into C:
Boot into Vista, create E: via Disk Mgr
(D: is the CD/DVD drive)

Boot via XP CD
Select E: as target
Install XP into E:

When XP install is finished, computer will only boot into XP
Copy ntldr file from Vista vol into root of XP vol

Boot via Vista DVD
Select Repair Your Computer
Select Vistal vol
Select Startup Repair
(no notice of finding an error)
Reboot per prompt

Boot into Vista
Install VistaBootPro v3.1 beta
Do the BCD backup
Select "Manage OS Entries"
Select "Add new op system entry"
Select "Windows Legacy"
Enter a name (to show in the Vista boot mgr menu)
Select drive letter E:
Select Apply

Reboot
Select XP op system from the Vista boot mgr menu
 
Where can I find the "ntldr" file?

Jen

Michael Jennings said:
These are the steps CZ posted
were used to successfully install XP after Vista RTM:

Disk was clean (no partritions)
Boot via Vista DVD
Create C:
Install Vista into C:
Boot into Vista, create E: via Disk Mgr
(D: is the CD/DVD drive)

Boot via XP CD
Select E: as target
Install XP into E:

When XP install is finished, computer will only boot into XP
Copy ntldr file from Vista vol into root of XP vol

Boot via Vista DVD
Select Repair Your Computer
Select Vistal vol
Select Startup Repair
(no notice of finding an error)
Reboot per prompt

Boot into Vista
Install VistaBootPro v3.1 beta
Do the BCD backup
Select "Manage OS Entries"
Select "Add new op system entry"
Select "Windows Legacy"
Enter a name (to show in the Vista boot mgr menu)
Select drive letter E:
Select Apply

Reboot
Select XP op system from the Vista boot mgr menu
Click to expand...
 
Normally, in a dual boot, XP goes in first and then Vista goes in.
CZ found a way to do it the other way around, but it's complicated.

If you're booting XP, ntldr is in C:\ already. CZ's instructions assume
a fresh start, first installing Vista from DVD, then XP from CD. If you
don't have a Vista DVD, you'll have to figure things differently.
 
Actually, I'd be willing to totally get rid of XP and try again if I could
find out how to do that!
 
Who made your laptop? How did you get it?

If your laptop was purchased recently you can get support from
the manufacturer. A tech for the outfit that made your laptop can
find out what you did exactly, and advise what steps you must
take to recover Vista according to their system.
 
It is an HP that I bought on Friday. I've called them and ordered the reboot
disks. Since this is my first ever Windows system (I'm usually a Mac girl),
I'm even more frustrated, I think.....
 
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