joyce wrote:

I tried everything mentioned in this thread. I succeed in getting XP started or Vista started. I do not succeed in getting the computer started with an menu on which I myself can choose the os which has to be started. I changed boot.ini........... This is what is was [boot loader] timeout=30 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" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect This is what I tried: [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect I copied boot.msgr and the map boot from the vista cd to the XP-root. Made a cold reboot with Vista cd. Repaired the system and starting files from Vista, restarted the pc and............. no startingmenu, just vista starting up XP was not to bee "seen" anymore I did use the VBP 3.3 and....... Vista start up. Not an option-menu So........... what to do? Quiting the whole procedure? Buying a second pc with only Vista? Shoot myself?? I really don't know what I could do to get my menu back. Yes, deleting the Vista Partition and reinstall everything, would be a final solution. But when something would be wrong on the XP-partition, I cannot use my images/acronis anymore because then the starting-option-choose-menu (new word??) does not work anymore. And reinstalling Vista every time is not an option. Takes too much time................ I run a flying school for electric rc helicopters. I do need the pc very much. I run this pc on XP. I bought Viste to get used to it. Therefore 2 partitions on 1 hd. Sometimes something is bad on my XP-partition. Restoring the images solves every problem and we can go on after 20 minutes restoring time. So for the time being we have to use XP. You see, I talked (write) a lot......hmmmm... female.......... She does not know yet how to solve this xp-vista-choice-menu-problem. Any one a solution............??? all the best, Joyce

First of all boot.ini has nothing to do with Vista so you need to put it back like it was.

Now that you can post an image, please post a screen shot of your Disk Management Screen

Left click "Start"

Right click "Computer"

Left click "Manage"

Left click "Disk Management"

then post an image of that screen

Post an image of your disk manager from Vista

here it is:




regards,

Joyce

This is your Disk Management Screen while you are in XP, is that correct?

Yea tht is XP disk management

rdisk(0), partition(1) should be correct.
Make sure ntldr, ntdetect, boot.ini, bootmgr, and the folder Boot are on the root of you C: while in XP.

all files you mentioned, are in the XP-root.
Still I cannot get a starting-up menu???

I repaired Vista with the original cd and then I restarted/reboot my pc.
No XP, just Vista.
No menu

I'm getting desperate.................

regards,

Joyce

Try creating an entry for XP using VistaBootPRO. You can do that from Vista too if you must due to not being able to access XP. First try running diagnostics from the menu item and see what the result is and if that doesn't work then manually add a Legacy entry checking the Add new OS Entry check box>select Windows Legacy>give it the OS drive letter of the System partition as per Vista Disk Management>add a name and press Apply Updates.

That will at the very least give you a XP menu item and we can take it from there.

dear pc-friends,

many,many thanks for your effords and time.
Unfortunately we did not succeed.
So I quit trying to get the starting-up-os-xp-vista-choice-menu (again a new english word??? ....oh.........those dutch women........ ).
I buy a new computer and put my Vista on that one.

Once more: many thanks every one.
You're nice guys

Have a good life....................

Best regards from Holland,

Joyce

Joyce - No response since last Friday? Yikes! That doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling about getting an answer for my question.

@Joyce. Sorry for not seeing this earlier. All you would have needed to do is mark the Vista and XP partition as Active under Disk Management and then most of the suggestions others have made would have worked. But because the Vista partition is not showing as active under XP the BCD Registry technically does not exist.

@figurado. What type of problem are you having? Is there a post already created for it?