[kd1966]

Is it possible that Win7 is "forcing" to leave 1MB of unallocated space as part of the partitioning setup? I remember several years of MCSE/MCP studying where they talked about HDD's and limitations of Dynamic Disks or something of that nature. I think in order to convert to dynamic, the HDD had to have 1MB of unallocated space free on the disk. How this space is used (Or not) is a mystery to me....

[shreader]

SUCCESS

I decided to try again with the XP after Windows 7 installation, so I:

put the XP CD in the Drive & restarted the PC & XP started loading files
Did a long format of the 50GB partition that I created a few days ago that my (previous) XP install failed on.

After XP loaded the files & restarted the PC I received the dreaded "Error Loading Operating System" error message.

I pulled out the XP CD & put the Windows 7 DVD back in the drive & restarted the PC & booted to the Win7 install.
Chose System Recovery/ Startup Repair




Hit Finish & the PC restarted

I had a boot screen w/ 2- Windows 7 entries & 1- "Earlier Version of Windows" entry, so I chose the latter (EVoW) & XP asked for the CD & then continued installing XP to completion





From XP using VistaBootPRO 3.3, I changed default OS & renamed one of the Windows 7 entries in the boot menu to "System" since that was the 200 MB system folder & wont boot anyway.
Now I can boot to XP or Windows 7 using the Boot Manager as usual.... totally happy this worked.

Both XP & Windows 7 will boot now & I didn't even have to mess w/ the XP boot.ini or any VBP diagnostice, etc.. it just worked (I dig it whan that happens).


Here is what is in the 3- root folders

System


Windows 7


XP

[kd1966]

Awesome JD!!! Heckuva workaround; I think I will "fix up" some parts here to get a PC ready to try that............. I hope it will be consistent

[Grav!ty]

Great workaround JD and congrats on getting it working. For most users with Windows 7 pre-installed though, they won't have a Win 7 DVD. I wonder if it's possible to access the Win 7 Recovery Console by pressing F8 instead of inserting the Win 7 DVD and running startup repair that way?

It looks like it's going to be rained out here today so maybe I'll have a chance to play with that

[NT50]

awesome

Im somewhat getting impatient waitingon my case. That is all i like in having my test rig.

[Grav!ty]

Top of the thread updated. I've stuck with what Daniel and I have used successfully, considering I've got that to work on three totally different systems now.

It would be great if someone else can again work through the guide in it's entirety now and verify that it works for them too, and specially the part about creating a dual boot menu because I've used various ways to achieve that in my many installs and don't want to confuse folk by posting them all

Any suggestions on layout, content, grammar and spelling will be much appreciated

JD, I've split your post on how to create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc to it's own thread because I don't want to risk it getting lost here

[shreader]

JD, I've split your post on how to create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc to it's own thread because I don't want to risk it getting lost here

Good move Graham

Thanks you for thinking ahead & moving it

[Grav!ty]

I just noticed that it's not really necessary to allocate a drive letter to the Windows 7 System partition before installing Windows XP, because XP setup auto allocates one during installation. Anybody else seen this behavior?

However, it's not a bad idea to leave the guide like it is, because it makes an alternative method of creating a dual boot menu easier, from Windows 7 if need be.

What I found is that copying and pasting ntldr, boot.ini and NTDETECT.COM (the Windows XP boot system files) from the Windows 7 System partition where they are placed when XP installs, to the Windows XP installation drive, makes it possible to reinstall the Vista bootloader with VistaBootPRO from Windows XP, and then add a legacy OS entry with the drive letter of XP as seen from XP. I think I'm going to post this alternative in the guide as well

[kd1966]

If you have a problem with multi booting - please create a new thread and your issue will get some attention; by placing a response in this thread, your message is buried 4 pages deep and likely will not garner any attention, other than the interesting content.

Create a new thread for your issue in the appropriate section and we will try to help you.

[NT50]

I have been UN-successful getting the dual boot and very pissed at the moemnt about it.

I lost internet yesterday due to ice storm, could not do anything, take online test or nothing so I decided to play with the test system.

I have tinkered so much with it, I am to the point of starting over also. I have tried JDs method several times. What has also happened to me was I had Win7 32 and 64 bit. XP tried to install on a logical drive. I do not like that at all.

My next step
1. install Win7 32 bit only. I will either shrink or setup one small partition for it.
2. Install XP by using the XP setup disk to create another small partition

and go on from here
I'm about ready to chunk this box after yesterday. I have so much other stuff to be done in real life its not even funny. Weird how no internet can stop my progress so fast...........