A Digital Age Deserves A Digital Leader

Can boot to XP or Win7 by changing Sys Bootloader only.

Forum rules
Please start your own topic for support with problems you experience. Even if it appears to be exactly the same as someone else's problem, system configurations differ significantly. Thank you.

It may take our support staff between 24-48 hours to respond to your problem. We are a small business and strive to answer your questions as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience.

Can boot to XP or Win7 by changing Sys Bootloader only.

Postby detredwingsfan » Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:13 am

I can boot directly to Win XP Pro by installing the System Bootloader to Windows Legacy. However, there will not be a dual boot selection screen before it boots to Win XP Pro.
If I set the System Bootloader to Win7 I get the dual boot screen 1) Win XP 2) Win 7. If I try to boot to Win XP, I get the error that /ntldr is missing or corrupt.
The boot info from Win XP is;
Entry 1
-------------------------------
Name: Win XP Pro
BCD ID: {ntldr}
Boot Drive: D:
System Bootloader: \ntldr

Entry 2
---------------------------------
Name: Windows 7
BCD ID: .........
Boot Drive: F:
Windows Drive F:
System Bootloader: \windows\system32\winload.exe
Windows Directory: \windows

Now I change the System Bootloader to Windows7 and install it. Now it will display the dual boot menu and I now select Win7.
The boot info from Window7 is;
Entry 1
-------------------------------
Name: Win XP Pro
BCD ID: {ntldr}
Boot Drive: E:
System Bootloader: \ntldr

Entry 2
---------------------------------
Name: Windows 7
BCD ID: {current}
Boot Drive: C:
Windows Drive C:
System Bootloader: \windows\system32\winload.exe
Windows Directory: \windows

This computer came with Windows 7. I changed the drive setup to create 2 separate partitions. Win 7 is the original and Win XP the new logical drive.

How can I get the Dual Boot Screen and be able to Select Win XP?
PRO New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 11:50 pm

Re: Can boot to XP or Win7 by changing Sys Bootloader only.

Postby yeshuas » Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:55 am

How did you install XP Pro, i.e. what process steps did you do

copy and paste your boot.ini file here.

Post your Disk Management screen here too


locate these 3 files NTDETECT.com, ntldr and boot.ini and copy them to the root directory of the Windows 7 drive, you will have to change the folder options so you can see them, go to folder options, view tab and uncheck "Hide protected operating system files", and put a check in "Show hidden files and folders and drives"
Game Over!!!!!!!!
Image
ASUS Maximus V Gene MB
Windows 8 X64; Windows 7 X64; Windows 7 X86
Intel I5-3570K
16GB Corsair Vengeance Ram
eVGA GeForce GTX 550 TI
Corsair GS700 PS
1TB Seagate SATA 6.0Gb HD
Thermaltake Case
Software Development
User avatar
Posts: 5075
Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:29 pm
Location: Chicago, IL
Real Name: Daniel Schmidt

Re: Can boot to XP or Win7 by changing Sys Bootloader only.

Postby detredwingsfan » Sat Jun 25, 2011 2:22 am

Thanks for the info. I forgot that XP as installed has System Files viewing turned off. I reset it but could not find the files NTDETECT.com, ntldr and boot.ini on either the XP or Win7 partitions. I copied them from another XP computer, installed them in both partitions and now I can boot to either XP Pro or Win7.

I was surprised that they were not on the Win7 computer partition and were not installed when installed XP Pro on the XP partition. I thought that Dual Boot Pro would install the necessary files or detect that they were missing.

But it now works so I really appreciate the help. Thanks!
PRO New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 11:50 pm

Re: Can boot to XP or Win7 by changing Sys Bootloader only.

Postby yeshuas » Sat Jun 25, 2011 10:55 am

Glad that worked for you, the reason that you couldn't see the files is probably because you didn't look on the small partition that Windows 7 creates and where the system files are for Windows 7, it is about 100MB, unlettered and un-named, at any rate glad it is working (-:
Game Over!!!!!!!!
Image
ASUS Maximus V Gene MB
Windows 8 X64; Windows 7 X64; Windows 7 X86
Intel I5-3570K
16GB Corsair Vengeance Ram
eVGA GeForce GTX 550 TI
Corsair GS700 PS
1TB Seagate SATA 6.0Gb HD
Thermaltake Case
Software Development
User avatar
Posts: 5075
Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:29 pm
Location: Chicago, IL
Real Name: Daniel Schmidt

Return to Windows Boot Problems

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests

cron
cron