Please help me. Vista/XP dual boot BIG PROBLEMS

Greetings everyone,

First of all, this looks like a great community and I am looking forward to posting in the future.

Unfortunately, I have to begin with this post...

OK, so I had (and still do have) Vista Home Premium 32bit on my brand new PC, I dual booted this with Ubuntu (which I couldn't care less about right now), I then went to multi-boot it all with XP. And XP has taken over.

So basically this is my situation, when I boot I now only get the choice of Windows XP Professional.

I know that Vista uses BCD for it's booting and XP uses boot.ini. I can see that in my C drive (the one that holds Vista) there is now a boot.ini file.
I have tried (in XP, since it's the only thing I can get into) going into cmd and typing "cd C:\Users\XXX" to get into Vista and then typing "bcdedit", to which it tells me it can't find any such command.

I also looked in Disk Management and I can see that it's set Vista as the system drive and XP as the boot drive.

Experts, unite! I need your help!

Thanks in advance,
Shaun.

The easiest way I know to fix it is run VistaBootPro. Used to be free but I think it's $8 or so now. In any case, by some means, fix the boot loader so that is uses the Vista boot loader. Here's the stickler. After you fix the boot loader, XP will be in the list, but if you select it on bootup, you will probably get "ntldr missing or corrupt" error. That's because the boot loader expects it to be in the partition where you put XP, but XP when you installed it, put it in C:

Under the i386 directory in the XP install disc should be the 2 files ntldr and ntdetect.com. Boot the XP install disc, enter Repair Console, and copy those 2 files from the install disc to the root of whatever partition has XP. Now when you select XP from the Vista boot loader, it should boot into it without error. All the Vista stuff should already be on C: so that should boot ok if you select Vista.

If you need step by step then google "xp repair console" "ntldr missing or corrupt" and that should get you there. That's how I got there.

As some other altenatives to Miles Post:

Use the Vista installation disc and select startup repair. This will give you access to Vista back - temporarily losing access to XP (That's if the PC came with the Vista disc)

Yet another alternative would be to download EasyBCD:
Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies

In XP, go to the Vista partition and copy Vista's C:\Windows\Boot folder into XP's C:\Windows

Run EasyBCD and point it to the drive that Vista is on.

EasyBCD will come in handy re-adding Ubuntu to the mix once XP/Vista are booting happily.

MilesAhead said:

The easiest way I know to fix it is run VistaBootPro. Used to be free but I think it's $8 or so now. In any case, by some means, fix the boot loader so that is uses the Vista boot loader. Here's the stickler. After you fix the boot loader, XP will be in the list, but if you select it on bootup, you will probably get "ntldr missing or corrupt" error. That's because the boot loader expects it to be in the partition where you put XP, but XP when you installed it, put it in C:

Under the i386 directory in the XP install disc should be the 2 files ntldr and ntdetect.com. Boot the XP install disc, enter Repair Console, and copy those 2 files from the install disc to the root of whatever partition has XP. Now when you select XP from the Vista boot loader, it should boot into it without error. All the Vista stuff should already be on C: so that should boot ok if you select Vista.

If you need step by step then google "xp repair console" "ntldr missing or corrupt" and that should get you there. That's how I got there.

Click to expand...

You've really confused me. :P

Right now, my plan is:
- Get back onto Vista, I don't even care about XP being on the boot list, I just want to get back into my Vista partition.
- Remove the XP partition.

To get back into Vista, do I need to by VistaBootPro?

smarteyeball said:

As some other altenatives to Miles Post:

Use the Vista installation disc and select startup repair. This will give you access to Vista back - temporarily losing access to XP (That's if the PC came with the Vista disc)

Yet another alternative would be to download EasyBCD:
Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies

In XP, go to the Vista partition and copy Vista's C:\Windows\Boot folder into XP's C:\Windows

Run EasyBCD and point it to the drive that Vista is on.

EasyBCD will come in handy re-adding Ubuntu to the mix once XP/Vista are booting happily.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply,

Unfortunately, I don't have the disk. It came preloaded on the PC.

I will try your EasyBCD theory and shoot the result back here.

smarteyeball said:

As some other altenatives to Miles Post:

Use the Vista installation disc and select startup repair. This will give you access to Vista back - temporarily losing access to XP (That's if the PC came with the Vista disc)

Yet another alternative would be to download EasyBCD:
Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies

In XP, go to the Vista partition and copy Vista's C:\Windows\Boot folder into XP's C:\Windows

Run EasyBCD and point it to the drive that Vista is on.

EasyBCD will come in handy re-adding Ubuntu to the mix once XP/Vista are booting happily.

Click to expand...

Tried your EasyBCD idea, upon trying to run EasyBCD I get the following error:

"The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application."



Next..

Just some further info for you experts:

Here is my boot.ini file.

[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="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Click to expand...

I tried to put this in there to access vista, to no avail.

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows Vista" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Click to expand...

FISHKINZ:

Just want to clarify my understanding of your situation.

You'd be happy just to get back to Vista.

No install media except recovery partition,
(could you borrow suitable Install discs? Friend/co-worker/neighbor/relative)

Is your personal data backed up-externally to your PC?

Ardneh

FISHKINZ said:

Tried your EasyBCD idea, upon trying to run EasyBCD I get the following error:

"The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application."



Next..

Click to expand...

Did you copy Vista's C:\Windows\Boot folder into XP's C:\Windows before running EasyBCd first?

(I've had the same problem before, but it was a while ago so I may be missing something)

You could also try downloading a Vista Recovery disk:
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/

Ardneh said:

FISHKINZ:

Just want to clarify my understanding of your situation.

You'd be happy just to get back to Vista.

No install media except recovery partition,
(could you borrow suitable Install discs? Friend/co-worker/neighbor/relative)

Is your personal data backed up-externally to your PC?

Ardneh

Click to expand...

Hi Ardneh,

Yes, I want to get back to Vista.

No, no-one has any disks, however tomorrow I will most likely go and buy a copy of Vista HP tomorrow if I can't get this working.

Some of my data is backed up.

smarteyeball said:

Did you copy Vista's C:\Windows\Boot folder into XP's C:\Windows before running EasyBCd first?

(I've had the same problem before, but it was a while ago so I may be missing something)

You could also try downloading a Vista Recovery disk:
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/

Click to expand...

Yes i copied the boot folder and it still didn't work.

I can't download the disk because this computer that I am on won't be able to.



Thanks for your help everyone.

When I get my Vista disk tomorrow, what do I do? Do I just use the recovery option?

FISHKINZ:

If you'd like to salvage your files that aren't backed up, Ubuntu as a Live CD (not installed to HDD)
can help.

This is my one page intro on Ubuntu Live CD:

http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=80057980597069475179


Best Wishes.
Ardneh

FISHKINZ said:

When I get my Vista disk tomorrow, what do I do? Do I just use the recovery option?

Click to expand...

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/91467-startup-repair.html

smarteyeball said:

FISHKINZ said:

When I get my Vista disk tomorrow, what do I do? Do I just use the recovery option?

Click to expand...

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/91467-startup-repair.html

Click to expand...

So, when I get the disk and boot off it, if I do the startup repair I will be able to access Vista again?

Will I also be able to access Ubuntu or will I just need to add it to the startup registry?

Also, when I can access Vista, will just removing the XP partition remove XP fine, or will it corrupt anything?

Cheers.

FISHKINZ said:

So, when I get the disk and boot off it, if I do the startup repair I will be able to access Vista again?

Will I also be able to access Ubuntu or will I just need to add it to the startup registry?

Also, when I can access Vista, will just removing the XP partition remove XP fine, or will it corrupt anything?

Cheers.

Click to expand...

The start up repair should find the Vista installation and fix the MBR allowing you to boot into it.

Basically the Vista repair will re-write the MBR which will overwrite all other boot loaders leaving Vista as the sole booting OS.

If you wish to keep XP, you can use EasyBCD to add XP to the Vista boot loader by pointing it to the drive that Vista has assigned it.

If you want to completely remove XP, then deleting the XP volume/partition through disk management in Vista won't affect it as the Vista boot loader is already unaware of it's existence.

Adding Ubuntu to the MBR is essentially the same deal as adding XP to Vista's boot loader. You just point it to where the Ubuntu GRUB loader is.

Heres some more info about recovering Ubuntu after fixing Vista:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

I know it all seems convoluted and with quite a few ways to do the same thing, it is. But once it's all done, you should have no problems dual/tri-booting

smarteyeball said:

The start up repair should find the Vista installation and fix the MBR allowing you to boot into it.

Basically the Vista repair will re-write the MBR which will overwrite all other boot loaders leaving Vista as the sole booting OS.

If you wish to keep XP, you can use EasyBCD to add XP to the Vista boot loader by pointing it to the drive that Vista has assigned it.

If you want to completely remove XP, then deleting the XP volume/partition through disk management in Vista won't affect it as the Vista boot loader is already unaware of it's existence.

Adding Ubuntu to the MBR is essentially the same deal as adding XP to Vista's boot loader. You just point it to where the Ubuntu GRUB loader is.

Heres some more info about recovering Ubuntu after fixing Vista:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

I know it all seems convoluted and with quite a few ways to do the same thing, it is. But once it's all done, you should have no problems dual/tri-booting

Click to expand...

Thanks smarteyeball, just what I needed!

I'll shoot out to town tomorrow and buy a Vista CD, i'll then post back here how it went.

FISHKINZ said:

Tried your EasyBCD idea, upon trying to run EasyBCD I get the following error:

"The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application."

Click to expand...

1. Once in Windows XP, download and install the Microsoft .NET 2.0 Framework.
2. Download and install the latest version of EasyBCD.
3. Once in EasyBCD, go to the "Manage Bootloader" page, and select "Reinstall the Vista Bootloader" then "Write MBR" to get the Vista bootloader back.
4. Once that's done, head on to the "Add/Remove Entries" page and select "Windows NT/2k/XP/2003" from the drop-down list, give it a name, then press "Add Entry" to finish.
5. Reboot.

Click to expand...

If I recall correctly, not having the .NET 2.0 framework causes that error when trying to run EasyBCD. (It's slowly coming back to me )

Retry that step before you buy a Disc - it may save you the $$$

Hi FISHKINZ,

Have a look here http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/224397-dual-boot-installation-windows-vista-xp.html Follow the instructions in Method Two Step 7 onwards.

smarteyeball said:

If I recall correctly, not having the .NET 2.0 framework causes that error when trying to run EasyBCD. (It's slowly coming back to me )

Retry that step before you buy a Disc - it may save you the $$$

Click to expand...

Dwarf said:

Hi FISHKINZ,

Have a look here http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/224397-dual-boot-installation-windows-vista-xp.html Follow the instructions in Method Two Step 7 onwards.

Click to expand...

I did this, and succeeded. I have my Vista back (for some reason my Ubuntu partition is stuffed, but I can live with that, and reinstall (I needed to make a bigger partition for it anyway).

I would like to thank everyone who has helped me, I also plan to do something beneficial for this community, who is the head admin that I can contact?

Thank you.
Shaun

Good to hear you got it working (mostly) Shaun :D

The fact that you got it working and your thanks is all the thanks we need.

I'm just sorry it took me that long to remember all the steps

However the head admin is z3r010
http://www.vistax64.com/member.php?u=1