Boot Loader

[Yellowsun]

Hi,

Info:
C = Windows XP
D = Windows ME
Note: Both have only ONE partition

A friend emailed me this yesterday and wanted help with a computer he has, he edited the boot loader file to try to dual boot his system. I though you guys could help. He has installed windows XP first drive and then brought a new hard drive which he later on installed as a D drive and put win ME on it. He wanted to have a dual booting system but after a rebot from installing window ME and there was no menu screen, it just booted in to windows ME

C drives boot loader:

[Boot Loader]
timeout=60
Default=C:\WINDOWS
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition" /fastdetect

Can you please reply ASAP thanks for any help, if you can post what the boot loader should look like, that would be great!!!!!

 

[ojai00]

I'm not sure if you have to do it in order but if so, then he should have installed ME first, and then XP on a new partition. Here's what the boot.ini file looks like on my work computer:

[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

It's really only one partition (C with XP on it but I thought you could use it as a reference. Hope this helps.

 

[MrChad]

Try going into the Windows XP Recovery Console by booting from the XP CD, then type "FIXMBR". Installing ME likely overwrote the master boot record of the primary drive, so XP's boot.ini isn't even being read.

Out of curiosity, why in the world would he want to run ME?

 

[SUOrangeman]

First of all, there is nothing running with running WinME. It may not do everything you think it should do.

Anyhoooo, every version of Windows you run on your PC *must* be able to access C: for important boot files. However, the \Windows directory (as well as Program Files, My Documents or Documents and Settings) does not have to reside on C: I run at least 4 versions of Windows, and I only have C: contain IE favorites, temp files, and swap space (page file/virtual memory).

Therefore, C: should not be NTFS if you expect to run Win9x/ME. It may be easier to install Win9x/ME before and NT-based version. But if you install WIn9x/ME after having installed NT4/2K/XP/2K3, you will need to run the recovery process for the latter to re-establish proper booting.

-SUO

 

[ParatoOptimal]

I've read that you have to install in order with the oldest 9x flavors first before NT variants and lastly XP. At least that way XP sees each OS partition and allows you to choose the boot partition on boot-up. System Commander may help.

I've read that 98 HAS-TO-BE on C:. That's VERY COOL SUOrangman if you're running without a complete 98 on your C:.

The console method to alter the MBR sounds good.

I had 98SE on C: and XP on another partition. I flashed a ghost image onto the C: partition and lost access to XP. I had copied over the files I thought I needed and edited the multiboot file. That didn't help me regain access to XP. It's still there. I'm leaning towards playing with the console or reinstalling since XP and XP Office are all that is present on the XP partition. I'll then ghost the C: partition with the XP altered boot files. I've heard that Ghost doesn't work with XP partitions. Others have told me that Ghost does work with a 98SE / XP system. Or maybe the debate was if Ghost would work with System Commander.

Can anyone offer any input on using System Commander AND Ghost on a multiboot system with 9x and XP?

Ghost may not be the best way to go for backing-up / goback purposes. It's just what I've used in the past. It seems simple, fool proof and does the job. Anyone have any alternate ideas? I wanat a multiboot sys that to test/use various software with the ability to go back to "clean" partitions prior to testing software.

Thanks

 

[Yellowsun]

Out of curiosity, why in the world would he want to run ME?

He has emailed my to say he has fixed it. He reckons that ME runs games better, but I have told him that XP in MUCH better at running games

anyway thanks for all the help