Windows 2000/Xp Multiboot problem

Editing the boot.ini File
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/ddtools/hh/ddtools/bootini_4elv.asp

To edit the boot.ini file in Notepad

Start Windows Explorer. Go to Tools | Folder Options | View. Make sure that Show Hidden Files and Folders is selected, and Hide File Extension for Known File Types is cleared.
Go to the root directory of the boot volume of your computer (on single-boot machines, usually C:\). Right-click on boot.ini. Select Properties, and remove the read-only attribute of this file. Click OK.
Double-click the file icon to start Notepad with boot.ini loaded.
If you are using an MS-DOS® Command Prompt window, use the following commands instead of steps 1, 2, and 3:
c:
cd \
attrib -s -h -r boot.ini
notepad boot.ini

Edit the file. (For a description of the boot.ini syntax, see Contents of the boot.ini File.)
Save the boot.ini file and quit Notepad. (You do not have to restore the original file attributes.)
Shut down the computer and restart Windows.


and add this line

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

If that doesn't work then

Boot from the XP CD, get into the Recovery Console, and type the following commands:

BOOTCFG /Rebuild

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314058

To start the Windows Recovery Console, use any of the following methods:
Start your computer by using the Windows Setup floppy disks or the Windows CD-ROM. At the "Welcome to Setup" screen, press F10 or press R to repair, and start the Windows Recovery Console.

Hi vjay

You hae deleted the entry for the Win XP from the MBR (during correction of 2000), thats why it is not detecting or showing the name of XP.
So its best to reinstall XP in the 2 HD and everything will work good for sure..
Just a matter of 30 minutes..!!

Good Luck!
-notch_ur_head

A reinstall of XP should not be necassary in this case. Win2000 use the same boot files and such.

Hi CrazyOne,

I tried the first option that you have mentioned. Unfortunately, it didn't work. I have tried the second option(bootcfg /rebuild) and it worked. First it asked for the admin password and checked the system and displayed
1)C:\winnt --->I typed 'Y'-->1---->1 then the system displayed
2)F:\windows-->I typed 'Y'-->2--->2. Now when I restart the computer I get a menu like :
 2
 1
 windows 2000 professional

If I select 2 it goes to xp and 1 takes to windows 2000 pro.
1)First of all can you explain(bootcfg command) me why it is displaying 1,2?
2)how can I change 2 to 'xp'
3)In my computer I found only one file with the name of boot.ini under
   c:\program files\PowwerQuest\PartitionMagic 7.0
when I open this file I see the following entry:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
4)do you know in which file windows 2000 pro/windows xp store the booting information?

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/search/preview.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314058

BOOTCFG
Use this command for boot configuration and recovery. This command has the following options:
bootcfg /add
bootcfg /rebuild
bootcfg /scan
bootcfg /list
bootcfg /disableredirect
bootcfg /redirect [portbaudrate] | [useBiosSettings]
For example:
bootcfg /redirect com1 115200
bootcfg /redirect useBiosSettings
You can use the following options:
/add : Adds a Windows installation to the boot menu list.
/rebuild : Iterates through all Windows installations so you can specify which installations to add.
/scan : Scans all disks for Windows installations and displays the results so you can specify which installations to add.
/default : Sets the default boot entry.
/list : Lists the entries already in the boot menu list.
/disableredirect : Disables redirection in the boot loader.
/redirect : Enables redirection in the boot loader, with the specified configuration.

>>>4)do you know in which file windows 2000 pro/windows xp store the booting information?

boot.ini
ntdectec.com
ntldr

The PC Boot Process - Windows XP
http://www.qvctc.commnet.edu/classes/csc277/boot-xp.html

...

Operating System
   
Boot Record
 The active partition's boot record is checked for a valid boot signature and if found the boot sector code is executed as a program.
  The loading of Windows XP is controlled by the file NTDLR which is a hidden, system file that resides in the root directory of the system partition. NTDLR will load XP in four stages:
1) Initial Boot Loader Phase
2) Operating System selection
3) Hardware Detection
4) Configuration Selection
 
NTDLR
Initial Phase
 During the initial phase NTDLR switches the processor from real-mode to protected mode which places the processor in 32-bit memory mode and turns memory paging on. It then loads the appropriate mini-file system drivers to allow NTDLR to load files from a partition formatted with any of the files systems supported by XP.
  Windows XP supports partitions formatted with either the FAT-16, FAT-32, or NTFS file system.
   
NTDLR
OS Selection
BOOT.INI
 If the file BOOT.INI is located in the root directory NTDLR will read it's contents into memory. If BOOT.INI contains entries for more than one operating system NTDLR will stop the boot sequence at this point, display a menu of choices, and wait for a specified period of time for the user to make a selection.
  If the file BOOT.INI is not found in the root directory NTDLR will continue the boot sequence and attempt to load XP from the first partition of the first disk, typically C:\.
 
F8
 Assuming that the operating system being loaded is Windows NT, 2000, or XP pressing F8 at this stage of the boot sequence to display various boot options including "Safe Mode" and "Last Known Good Configuration".
  After each successful boot sequence XP makes a copy of the current combination of driver and system settings and stores it as the Last Known Good Configuration. This collection of settings can be used to boot the system subsequently if the installation of some new device has caused a boot failure.
 
NTDLR
Hardware Detection
 If the selected operating system is XP, NTDLR will continue the boot process by locating and loading the DOS based NTDETECT.COM program to perform hardware detection.
  NTDETECT.COM collects a list of currently installed hardware components and returns this list for later inclusion in the registry under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE key.
   
NTDLR
Configuration Selection
 If this computer has more than one defined Hardware Profile the NTDLR program will stop at this point and display the Hardware Profiles/Configuration Recovery menu.
  Lacking more than one Hardware Profile NTDLR will skip this step and not display this menu.
 
Kernel Load
 After selecting a hardware configuration (if necessary) NTDLR begins loading the XP kernel (NTOSKRNL.EXE).
  During the loading of the kernel (but before it is initialized) NTDLR remains in control of the computer. The screen is cleared and a series of white rectangles progress across the bottom of the screen. NTDLR also loads the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL.DLL) at this time which will insulate the kernel from hardware. Both files are located in the <winnt>\system32 directory.
   
NTDLR
Boot
Device Drivers
 NTDLR now loads device drivers that are marked as boot devices. With the loading of these drivers NTDLR  relinquishes control of the computer.  
  Every driver has a registry subkey entry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
\SYSTEM\Services. Any driver that has a Start value of
SERVICE_BOOT_START is considered a device to start at boot up. A period is printed to the screen for each loaded file (unless the /SOS switch is used in which case file names are printed.
 
Kernel Initialization
 NTOSKRNL goes through two phases in its boot process - phase 0 and phase 1. Phase 0 initializes just enough of the microkernel and Executive subsystems so that basic services required for the completion of initialization become available.. At this point, the system display a graphical screen with a status bar indicating load status.
  XP disables interrupts during phase 0 and enables them before phase 1. The HAL is called to prepare the interrupt controller; the Memory Manager, Object Manager, Security Reference Monitor, and Process Manager are initialized.
Phase 1 begins when the HAL is called to prepare the system to accept interrupts from devices. If more than one processor is present the additional processors are initialized at this point. All Executive subsystems are reinitialized in the following order:
1) Object Manager
2) Executive
3) Microkernel
4) Security Reference Monitor
5) Memory Manager
6) Cache Manager
7) LPCS
8) I/O Manager
9) Process Manager
   
I/O Manager
 The initialization of I/O Manager begins the process of loading all the systems driver files. Picking up where NTLDR left off, it first finishes the loading of boot devices. Next it assembles a prioritized list of drivers and attempts to load each in turn.  
  The failure of a driver to load may prompt NT to reboot and try to start the system using the values stored in the Last Known Good Configuration.
 
SMSS
 The last task for phase 1 initialization of the kernel is to launch the Session Manager Subsystem (SMSS). SMSS is responsible for creating the user-mode environment that provides the visible interface to NT.
  SMSS runs in user-mode but unlike other user-mode applications SMSS is considered a trusted part of the operating system and is also a native application (it uses only core Executive functions). These two features allow SMSS to start the graphics subsystem and login processes.
 
win32k.sys
 SMSS loads the win32k.sys device driver which implements the Win32 graphics subsystem.
  Shortly after win32k.sys starts it switches the screen into graphics mode. The Services Subsystem now starts all services mark as Auto Start. Once all devices and services are started the boot is deemed successful and this configuration is saved as the Last Known Good Configuration.
 
Logon
 The XP boot process is not considered complete until a user has successfully logged onto the system. The process is begun by the WINLOGON.EXE file which is loaded as a service by the kernel and continued by the Local Security Authority (LSASS.EXE) which displays the logon dialog box.
  This dialog box appears at approximately the time that the Services Subsystem starts the network service.

Hi  CrazyOne,
Thanks a lot for the info. Sorry for the delayed reply. Keep up the good work.

:)