Add that line. The worst that happens when you select it, is it does not start the OS
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Boot.ini for Multiple OS - Windows XP and Windows Vista
I had a second IDE hard drive that I was using for storage. I have Windows Vista Ultimate installed on C:Drive. I unplugged the vista hard drive, and formatted and installed Windows XP on second HD, and it is now drive D. When I boot up, my computer only boots to Windows XP. No Boot.ini exists on my Windows XP (D:) Drive. I have my cables on the drives set to cable select, I have not looked at my BIOS to see which Hard Drive it is booting to first (Prolly the reason it is booting to XP only).
However, I believe that I will need to rebuild a boot.ini for multiple operating systems.
C:\Drive, where Vista is installed has boot.ini of:
[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdi
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)par
I have used XP CD's to rebuild boot.ini in the past, using the recovery console. However, I am not sure about the Vista Operating system being an option.
My first stab in the dark would be to add another line under Operating System for vista, and put rdisk(0)
Any suggestions?
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Answers
If you had Vista installed first, then it is not using the XP bootloader. This MSKB article explains the problem:
http://support.microsoft.c
Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration
The problem is that Windows Vista no longer uses the old boot loader used by Windows XP. When you reinstall XP, Setup overwrites everything from the MBR (the Master Boot Record), the boot sector, and the boot files, and thus loses communication with the installation of Vista, so you will only be able to boot into XP.
Windows Vista uses a new Boot Configuration Database (BCD.) This contains a boot menu and information about all operating systems installed on the computer. In XP, the BIOS loads the Master Boot Record, which contains the partition table and some boot execution code that searches the partition table to find which partition is active and then passes control to its boot sector. That boot sector loads a hidden file called NTLDR, which looks at the Boot.ini file to find which operating systems are installed. But Vista, after the MBR and boot sector are loaded, then executes a boot manager called Bootmgr.exe that is hidden in the \Boot folder. Bootmgr will look at the BCD file in order to determine what operating systems are present on your computer.
The article above gives information on how to use a program called BcdEdit to restore operation of both versions of Windows that you are using. It also gives instructions on the correct way to install a dual boot system, and how to remove Windows Vista from a dual booting system.
This web page gives more information on the Vista boot loader and the BcdEdit utility:
http://www.windowsbbs.com/
Info on Vista's New Boot Loader
If BcdEdit seems a bit too complicated to use, you can try this free utility, called VistaBootPro:
http://www.vistabootpro.or
Install it in XP and run it to restore your dual boot.
Vista doesn't use a boot.ini file.
If you boot using your windows vista cd - and choose the repair option - it should automatically install the bootloader - so you can access Vista again. (Startup Repair is what you want)
Also - check the boot order of the hard disks in the bios setup - you need to change this - so Vista boots first. << this must be done first!
http://apcmag.com/5485/dua
Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration
http://support.microsoft.c
EasyBCD is also a good third-party tool to dual-boot between XP and Vista.
http://neosmart.net/dl.php
As stated, Vista does not use boot.ini. It uses BCD files. You will need to use bcdedit.
http://technet2.microsoft.
Also, if these are clean installs of each, you could Install your XP with both drives in. Then install Vista on the second drive with the XP drive and installation still plugged in. I see a lot of people have issues when they try to go the other way. I haven't really had any problems installing Vista on machines that already have XP.
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by: GreenclockPosted on 2008-01-10 at 11:42:02ID: 20630280
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)par