Cannot Boot Vista after attempting to install XP

Can you use one of the partitioning tools on the UBCD (some newer ubcd4win include the standard UBCD, otherwise download it) and make sure the vista partition is set to active?

http://ultimatebootcd.com

try easybcd :
http://neosmart.net/blog/2007/how-to-install-the-vista-bootloader-on-a-windows-xp-machine/

The Vista partition is active

I would have thought that I need to get Vista working, then run EasyBCD to get Vista AND XP working together.
I'll see if I can install EasyBCD on the UBCD

I cannot install EasyBCD on the UBCD - "Can't write: %SystemDrive%\Programs\.........."

Any other ideas?
I would format my Vista partition as my docs are on a separate partition - but I really don't want to have to reinstall my Programs, etc.  I'd like to keep programs and registry as is.

Does Vista have a repair feature like XP - where you only lose windows updates?

using windows xp service pack 2 cd ; go to repair mode;

boot from cd ;
select firsy repair;
once you get the command mode type
CHKDSK /R
Try Reboot;

PLS keep in mind dont install vista and Xp in same drive ..

Same drive - 2 partitions
how's the XP recovery console going to help?


as far as I know, I need to:
Boot into Vista
Run EasyBCD and create an entry for XP
Continue installing XP

Yes, Vista has a repair install option like XP does. Just start from the install CD and it should come up.

Where exactly - when I click Repair Your Computer - it lets me choose from:
-Startup Repair
-System restore
-Windows complete system restore
-Windows memory diagnostic tool
-Command prompt

How would I initialize a full repair of windows? - Do I have to continue with the setup process and select something later on? (I'll try this soon and let you know). Further suggestions welcome...

There is absolutely no visible option to repair Vista just like you would Windows 2000 or XP - what were MS thinking - were they so confiden that no-one would have to repair or something?      :mad:

After going back ot the main menu of the Vista Setup DVD I clicked 'Repair Your Computer' again (since I had fiddled with MBR programs in the UBCD before). Before asking which option to choose from it said that it automatically found problems and presented me with a button labelled "Repair and Restart".

I clicked this hoping for the best - I still get an error essage - but it has now changed to:
"Press any key to boot from CD or DVD. . . . . . Missing operating system"

Now what?    :o)
Ryan

According to this web page, you can repair Vista by using an option of reinstalling it over itself, as you could in XP:

http://vistasupport.mvps.org/repair_a_vista_installation_using_the_upgrade_option_of_the_vista_dvd.htm

Thanks for the link - however I am booting from the Vista DVD and cannot choose the 'upgrade' option

The startup repair should do the same as what you do in XP when you run a repair installation. The problem is that if it can't find any normal errors it'll think there is nothing wrong and won't repair anything.

The error has changed from "Error loading operating system" to "Missing operating system"

Does this mean that there is a fault with the BCD (and that the MBR is now ok)?

Perhaps there are files I can copy from one of your PC's over to mine

When attempting to install Vista over itself (on the same partition) I get the following warning:

'There's already a version of Windows on this partition. It will get renamed to C:\WINDOWS.old. The files will still be accessible on the HDD, but you won't be able to boot into that instance of Windows.'

That doesn't sound like it will keep my registry and program files intact...

I've made a closing request here (also asking that you get some points):

http:Q_22793140.html

Thanks, Ryan_R.  I wish my memory were better: I've seen that MSKB article that solved it before, but the senile old brain "hiccupped" and didn't feed that info to me...

That's alright Lee

I haven't been to EE in a while - I just noticed that the average time for getting to questions has gone up from 23 mins to 43 mins - what going on?  :o)

solution is simple ; after installing xp ; windows boot loader is correpted ; fix the boot loader using any third party tool; other information i will tell you later

Solution wasn't that simple but I have provided it above if others ever experience this same issue.
Vista's 'Startup Repair' option wasn't very helpful as it didn't repair the startup and I had to run those commands manually.

I now have Vista and XP dual-booting without problems.

The processes below enable one to recover the ability to boot into Windows Vista in the instance where Windows Vista was installed on the system drive and the boot system files [Boot (folder), bootmgr, Boot.BAK and BOOTSECT.BAK], have not been damaged or removed.


1. To install a previous version of Windows onto a computer running Windows Vista  

With Windows Vista as well as in Windows Vista Build 5456, the only command one needs to run is:

bootsect /NT60 ALL

(Copy bootsect.exe from the boot folder of your Windows Vista DVD and paste it into your Windows XP Windows\system32 folder)

This pulls all Windows operating systems into the Windows Vista boot menu.




1. Install the previous version of Windows.

2. Log on to the older operating system and restore the latest boot manager by running the following command from the run dialogue box (fixntfs.exe will be in the \boot directory of the active partition which is usually C:\ Drive).

C:\boot\fixntfs /lh

3. Create a BCD (Boot Configuration Data) entry for the older operating system by specifying the following.

bcdedit.exe is located in the \Windows\System32 directory of the Windows Vista partition. To access bcdedit.exe from within Windows XP you need to use the Command Prompt (DOS Window) and point to bcdedit.exe.

Description is the description of the new entry for the older operating system.

bcdedit /create {legacy} /d Description 

bcdedit /set {legacy} device boot

bcdedit /set {legacy} path \ntldr

bcdedit /displayorder {legacy} /addlast

4. Restart the computer in order for the changes to take effect.

After completing step 1 (installing 1st phase of XP) - I couldn't boot into any OS. (Recall error message "Missing operating system"). So I wouldn't be able to follow your steps. Also - if i were able to get into XP I would have just ran EasyBCD to fix it up (that was my original plan, as I was expecting XP setup to continue flawlessly).

PS - Welcome to EE.

if you get error like missing operating system; please check your HDD; it may be fail to laoad bootstrap (means its a perm failure) ; check in bios ;is your HDD is detecting or not; try ERD commander and try to fix .or other waise use any utility cd and try to rebuild partition table;
use; partition table doctor

Just in case you missed it  :o)
http:#19787501

make windows vista partition active

Check the following conditions ..

1.The basic input/output system (BIOS) does not detect the hard disk.
2. The hard disk is damaged.
3. Sector 0 of the physical hard disk drive has an incorrect or malformed Master Boot Record (MBR).

4. Note Some third-party programs or disk corruption can damage an MBR.
5. An incompatible partition is marked as Active.

I think it may help to trouble shoot your problem
6. A partition that contains the MBR is no longer active.

sanjumc27, this question is already answered, by the questioner Ryan_R himself!  Take a look at the comment right before your last one and click on the link...

THX Lee

No objection

ditto.