Technology, Support, and News Forum

[GeoffW Profile]

I have just purchased DualBootPRO 1.0 but I cannot find how I am supposed to use it.
I have had Vista Home Premium installed for years and have just installed XP and of course XP has overwritten and hidden the Vista boot.
Reading your literature it should be easy but I cannot find any instructions.
I am reasonably computer literate but boot files mystify me.
Can anyone help with some instructions please?

[NT50 Profile]

Please see the guide below. If it does not help then post back and we can get you fixed up.

Install Windows XP in a Dual Boot with Pre-installed Windows Vista

[GeoffW Profile]

NT50....you are a blessing to an old man!!!!

Many thanks for the extensive guide but about three lines was all I needed telling me to Install the Vista Bootloader.
I did get an error message from the Run Diagnostics but it said that I could proceed, which I did......and the laptop went into a never ending spin.
I ended the task and restarted and EUREKA!!!!! I was able to choose Vista to reboot and I am a very happy "old" man.
I had installed Windows XP on a separate partition of the hard drive only to run a vital (for me) packaging evaluation software which had been written in 16-bit language and the developer had lost interest in updating it.

Thank you for both the software and the explanation guide.

Best regards
GeoffW

[GeoffW Profile]

At my last post (20 April) I was able to work on my special software program under Windows XP on its separate hard drive partition.
It has been some weeks since I wanted to work with this software, but today when I choose to boot under XP, the screen tells me I am missing a component. It asks me to insert my XP disc which I think will ask me to "repair" my installation.

As I did all the original DualBootPro Bootloader installation under XP, do I need to now install DualBootPro again under Vista (Home Premium) so that I can access the Bootloader menu, where I presume I can fix this situation?

GeoffW

[yeshuas]

What component does it say is missing?

[GeoffW Profile]

This is the screen I see after I have selected the XP boot option -

WINDOWS BOOT MANAGER

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

1. Insert your windows installation disk and restart your computer.
2. Choose your language setting and click “Next”
3. Click “repair your computer”
If you do not have this disk, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.

Status; OxcOOOOOOf
Info: The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible.


Enter=Continue ESC= Exit
______________________________________________

I have not inserted the XP disk because I am scared that I might not be able to get back to Vista where very important software used for current activites reside. My OEM Vista disc from my laptop manufacturer MSI does not provide for repair - only full reformatting of Hard Drive!
Should I be able to find the DualBoot Manager from within Vista although I had installed it under XP?
Regards,
GeoffW

[yeshuas]

Are you able to get into Vista, if so then check to see if these files are on the disk/partition marked "system, boot" in Disk Management; ntldr, NTDETECT, boot.ini, bootmgr, and the folder Boot.

[GeoffW Profile]

Are you able to get into Vista, if so then check to see if these files are on the disk/partition marked "system, boot" in Disk Management; ntldr, NTDETECT, boot.ini, bootmgr, and the folder Boot.

Vista is running fine and I have been able to explore for the files named. All is in order - they are all there.

When I go into Disk (Computer) Manager, I find that there is a green outline around the E drive where XP has been installed. This box seems to be locked on to the drive graphic and I am unable to move or remove it........refer to screen dump attached.....but the "Upload attachment" to this draft screen doesn't work for me! The image is http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/5553 ... dump01.jpg

Does this green box tell you anything?

[yeshuas]

It shows it is a Logical partition, it can contain an OS, but the system files will need to be on the drive, marked system, boot.

another problem, or rather issue I see is the first partition, looks like 1000 MB, no drive letter, EISA, so it is probably your factory restore or may have been at one time since it is empty, and you may have to assign it a drive letter, if the following doesn't work.

You can try to change your boot.ini to what I think it should be as follows, try this

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

and copy paste it to the root of the C drive along with all the other files, NTDETECT, ntldr, bootmgr and the folder Boot if they are not already there.

Then run diagnostics in Dual Boot Pro and see what you get

You may have to add an entry for XP on the OS page pointing to the E drive where Vista is showing it is

[NT50 Profile]

Thru past history I have alwasy seen troubles when trying to run an OS on a logical partition......