Technology, Support, and News Forum

[Zenbio Profile]

I am new but I have been looking at alot of messages about dual boot. Here is my problem. I have the update version of Vista Home Premium. I have two HD one has XP installed on it and one has Vista. All was well untill I tryed to remove the HD with XP on it to make room for other things. Now ofcourse when I start the computer it wont load. I get the "Intel Boot Agent GE Media test Failure, check cable"; error. I then hooked the HD back up and Vista would not boot past the start of the program. I tyed to boot from the DVD and use the Fix Vista options on there and it said after many trys that Vista could not be fixed. XP would load but not vista. So I opt. to reinstall Vista again. However I have to run the Upgrade from XP on HD C: inorder to install Vista. I dont want vista on C: so I told it to install, a clean install on HD G:. the SATA drive I want Vista to be on. Vista now works but I still cant remove the HD C: or it wont boot.

Is the boot file for Vista some how only on the XP C: drive? I have vista boot pro but It dosnt seem to help.( I am new to it).

Also since I allready installed vista once on my computer now I cant register it again online. How do I fix that. I am not about to buy it again.


PLEASE HELP

This is my info:

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=C:
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {c2e42e73-bb42-11db-aad7-a41b2fc05018}
displayorder {ntldr}
{current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30

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

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=G:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Microsoft Windows Vista
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
osdevice partition=G:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {c2e42e73-bb42-11db-aad7-a41b2fc05018}
nx OptIn
custom:47000005 301989892
3

[NT50 Profile]

First welcome to PROnet: Drop by the Introduction Area for a warm welcome.

Second, we have a long thread here is a long thread on the clean install of the upgrade.

With the upgrade you should be OK if you have to activate it again. MAybe this will help if you do not want to take this approach then let us know and we will go down a different path.

[Zenbio Profile]

Thanks I will check it out. I hope it will work. Gota Love Vista, haha

[Zenbio Profile]

Should I instal XP first on Drive G and then install Vista on that same drive? That way I can take out the C: drive? Also what is the best way to get ahold of Microsoft inorder to get vista to re-register it again?

Thanks

[NT50 Profile]

Hopefully you have your hard drive partitioned to at least two partitions. If not please do so using Windows XP install disk.

Next, install XP on the second partition of the hard drive and install VistBootPro. Then boot to Vista DVD and install on the first partition. That way later on if you wish to get rid of XP it will be no problems to do so.

Or if you are install on two separate hard drive install XP on the second and Vista on the first.

[JabbaPapa Profile]

OK, first you should NOT attempt to install XP and Vista on the same drive letter : a complex hack might let you do so, but in any case it is NOT recommended, and especially the most likely result would be that you'd have Vista, plus a few GB of dead files, and er that's it ...

Otherwise, to create a XP/Vista dual-boot environment, here are the steps you should follow for the easiest way to acheive this :

0) Make sure your data is secure and safe in a separate partition ; otherwise use the data backup feature on the Vista DVD to create the backup

1) Boot from XP CD, format C: , install XP on C:

2) In XP, use the native partitioning tools (in Disk Management, available through My Computer > right-click > Manage) to ensure a 20-40 GB free, unpartitioned space for Vista. If Ultimate, 50 GB might be recommended...

3) If you have a system including P-ATA and S-ATA hard drives, more complex installation procedures may be necessary : ask again about them

4) Otherwise reboot from the Vista DVD, then when prompted to choose an installation location create a new partition in the free space, and install it there

The proper dual-boot environment should then be created automatically

---

Regarding activation : unless you have an OEM version, it should not be a problem re-activating your license. Just call the nice lady

[NT50 Profile]

If it is retail copy then you probably will not have to worry about reactivating.....

[Zenbio Profile]

Thanks for all the help. I ended up doing this and it seems to work thou I havent had to reqester it yet soo...

boot with Vista DVD
Installed it once with out the product key
then went back and installed it a sec. time from withen Vista. That way I never had to install xp at all. and made sure it was all on the same Hard Drive.
Then when I upgraded I then enter the product key. Works good soo far.

However I have a HD200 gig Maxtor with all my back up files on it. and go fig now I cant get it to work inside the computer or with it hooked up to a external usb case.

Is there any software that I can download to help me recover my lost DATA??

Thanks for the help.

[NT50 Profile]

You should be able to go into Vista Disk Manager, if the drive is not configured then configure/assign a drive letter BUT do NOT format it. Vista will assign a drive letter and you will be able to see it then.

I am hoping this is your issue, I am taking a wild shot at this without see a image of your Disk Manager. If this is not it please plug the drive in and take a snapshot to begin with.