Vista RC2 did something odd. When I boot Vista, I get a strange message with "the procedure entrypoint cannot be found". and a blue screen. If I put the Vista DVD in the drive, Vista loads. I can run Vista repair but next time I boot WXP (I have 2 installations of WXP), and then load Vista, the boot up fails. Now about Vista Boot Pro 3.1, I installed it, but since Vista boot is not straight forward, I wonder what'll happen. In case I am unable to boot next time I try it, is it possible to disable Vista Boot from DOS prompt?
Another point is that I have not seen VBP at work. I added the WXP to the boot list, but I do not see any changes in Vista's boot manager. I still have BootMagic booting the partitions, just being cautious, I have not disabled it yet. Vista's boot is odd because it shows 2 options, boot Windows Vista or boot the older OS. But I have one more OS partition.

Hey Rosa and welcome to PROnetworks. Vista does not play nice with 3rd party boot managers like Boot Magic and Boot Magic is more than likely why you are not able to boot into Vista.

Also, VistaBootPRO is not a boot manager but a User Interface to make the changes that you are able to using the command line (DOS prompt based) bcdedit.exe and bootsect.exe - see HERE for more info on bcdedit

You can try and see if the Vista boot menu item will be pulled into the boot menu once you have disabled Boot Magic but I don't think it will.



++

When Vista's boot menu says "Older Versions of Windows", that is EXACTLY what it means - so if you select that, you will be taken to your boot.ini where if you had 2 or more versions of Windows multi booting, you would get that menu........ but Vista's boot menu will only have ONE listing, so it's like a sub menu

Thank you very much everyone that responded. Yes, I know that Vista Boot Pro just sets the Vista's boot manager, but it is easier to use. Being used to BM, I was lost when Vista did not list the OS boot options.

I decided last night to go ahead and it worked fine. I left BootMagic because it is not in the way. BM loads, and I have a choice of 2 WXP installation or Vista. Whatever I click on, the Vista boot menu, which was not showing until RC2 kicks in and I can select any of the OS listed there.

kd1966 wrote:

<snip> but Vista's boot menu will only have ONE listing, so it's like a sub menu

Hi,
I'm wanting to do things the other way round. Currently have Disk0-Part1 XP, Disk0-Part2 Vista. VistabootPRO is installed and working fine.


Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=C:
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {ntldr}
displayorder {ntldr}
{ebdf1380-5d25-11db-8eb7-c916a73938ec}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30

Windows Legacy OS Loader
------------------------
identifier {ntldr}
device partition=C:
path \ntldr
description Windows XP PRO
custom:47000005 301989892
6

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {ebdf1380-5d25-11db-8eb7-c916a73938ec}
device partition=V:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
osdevice partition=V:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {ebdf1381-5d25-11db-8eb7-c916a73938ec}
nx OptIn
custom:47000005 301989892
3

What I'd like to do now is to install another copy of XP on Disk-1 Part1 ---- my second hard drive which has a empty NTFS Primary Partiton 1

Having spent a significant amount of time restoring backup images of XP and Vista on Disk 0 over the last couple of days, I'd really value an idiot's guide to setting up XP and Vista bootPRO on Disk 1, that leaves me with all OS's intact and a menu to reach them.

I'm sure the answer is incredibly simple, however I'm approaching brain dead status at this stage.

Thanks in anticipation,
Mike

Welcome to PROnetworks mjb10000. If you install a fresh copy of Windows XP on a different partition to the existing Windows XP partition, you will initially lose the ability to boot into Windows Vista.

You should be able to recover the boot into Windows Vista by installing VistaBootPRO on the first XP installation and then going to the Diagnostic menu and select Run Diagnostics. This will then direct you to the Manage OS Entries tab and from there you can add a Windows Vista entry. Make sure you select the drive letter that you see for Windows Vista on the Detailed view of View Settings which in your case seems to be:

identifier {ebdf1380-5d25-11db-8eb7-c916a73938ec}
device partition=V:

Alternatively you can run the "Reinstall the Vista bootloader" from the Bootloader page. Actually it's probably best if you do this first.

If you get stuck at all (you should be fine) let us know and if it comes to it I will run the same excercise as you and see what gets me sorted out. I can't do that right now as the system I have available for that is busy with other stuff for a few more hours

[quote="Grav!ty"]Welcome to PROnetworks mjb10000. If you install a fresh copy of Windows XP on a different partition to the existing Windows XP partition, you will initially lose the ability to boot into Windows Vista...<snip>

Absolutely, as I discoverd last time round! Thanks, I will follow your advice and squeal if I come unstuck but hopefully that won't be required. I'll let you know how I go.

Thanks.

Mike

Grav!ty wrote:

<snip> Alternatively you can run the "Reinstall the Vista bootloader" from the Bootloader page. Actually it's probably best if you do this first.

Worked a treat as they say here or blerry lekker as they say down your way! Thank you kindly, I now have two options on the first menu (Vista or XP) and then a choice of the two XP installations on he second menu.

Thanks once again, your help truly appreciated.

Mike

mjb10000 wrote:

blerry lekker

It's good to hear some local lingo from a totally unexpected source

Glad it worked for you