BCDedit? help me find my xp install from withing Vista

[Guest]

I have a new Vista install on a RAID 5 drive C: while I also have a
previously installed version of XP on another hdd alongside a "dead,
deactivated" vista.

I would like to add my XP boot record to my RAID 5 bootup. Do I need to
transfer boot.ini and .. . from the XP partition?

I believe this problem is more complicated, bc I already have a bootmgr file
created on the single hdd, since I previously installed Vista on it...

So what am i looking for to merge my 2 boot records and always boot up
within my RAID 5 drive??

Thanks for your help

 

[mikeyhsd]

take a look at the options for VistaBootPro.
you can add other os to the boot menu from it.
runs on vista and xp.



(e-mail address removed)



I have a new Vista install on a RAID 5 drive C: while I also have a
previously installed version of XP on another hdd alongside a "dead,
deactivated" vista.

I would like to add my XP boot record to my RAID 5 bootup. Do I need to
transfer boot.ini and .. . from the XP partition?

I believe this problem is more complicated, bc I already have a bootmgr file
created on the single hdd, since I previously installed Vista on it...

So what am i looking for to merge my 2 boot records and always boot up
within my RAID 5 drive??

Thanks for your help

 

[John Barnett MVP]

BCDedit is a pain in the backside, it requires command line parameter to do
everything. It certainly isn't user friendly. Download the free copy of
VistaBootPro (www.vistabootpro.org) then take a look at this link on my
website:
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/install_windows_xp_on_machine_running_vista.htm
The part which is more relevant to you is step 16 onwards (VistaBootPro)

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[Guest]

I've tried vistabootpro. I set "add OS" and selected the location of XP E:
to point vistabootpro where to look, but I feel like I'm missing a file or
something

 

[mikeyhsd]

did it give an error.
do you have a multi boot option when booting.
did you check for further info on the web site john posted for you.



(e-mail address removed)



I've tried vistabootpro. I set "add OS" and selected the location of XP E:
to point vistabootpro where to look, but I feel like I'm missing a file or
something

 

[Guest]

John, your insructions are good, however I have vistabootpro 3.30 and I don't
see the option to Re-install under the system bootloader tab (@ step 19).

My choices on vistabootpro: I can either uninstall vista bootloader or
uninstall legacy boot loader, but I am fearful to guess which one to remove.
It also lets me choose "all drives" "system partition" or "specific drive"

 

[mikeyhsd]

did you use
<Manage OS entries
and the ADD OS button.



(e-mail address removed)



John, your insructions are good, however I have vistabootpro 3.30 and I don't
see the option to Re-install under the system bootloader tab (@ step 19).

My choices on vistabootpro: I can either uninstall vista bootloader or
uninstall legacy boot loader, but I am fearful to guess which one to remove.
It also lets me choose "all drives" "system partition" or "specific drive"

 

[John Barnett MVP]

I Have VistaBootPro 3.10.0 open in front of me now and the options available
(to me) from the bootloader tab are as follows:

Bootloader Maintenance

Reinstall the vista bootloader
Uninstall the Vista bootloader (used to restore Legacy OS)

As Mikeyhsd has suggested you could, as an alternative open the Manage OS
Entries tab, then click on the box next to the 'add new operating system
entry'. An expanded dialogue box will appear where you can enter the name of
the operating system. Just beneath the dialogue box for naming the operating
system you will see another box where you can choose the drive letter of the
drive your operating system is on. After you have filled in these details
you click the Apply button for them to take effect.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[Don]

John, your insructions are good, however I have vistabootpro 3.30 and I don't
see the option to Re-install under the system bootloader tab (@ step 19).

My choices on vistabootpro: I can either uninstall vista bootloader or
uninstall legacy boot loader, but I am fearful to guess which one to remove.
It also lets me choose "all drives" "system partition" or "specific drive"

If you want to multi-boot between Vista and XP then you need to install
the Vista boot loader (which overwrites the XP bootloader -- that's what
you want). Pick the 'all drives' option -- this should find your XP
installation and add it to your Vista boot menu as 'earlier version
of windows'.

Because you are using RAID, I would advise you to do the 'backup your
boot files' option first, just in case. I don't know what effect the
RAID might have on vistabootpro, but RAID is so common now that it's
hard to believe it won't work properly. (Famous Last Words ;-)

 

[Don]

I Have VistaBootPro 3.10.0 open in front of me now and the options
available (to me) from the bootloader tab are as follows...

I was surprised to find that the menu options really are a bit
different in 3.30, so just to avoid confusion I'd use the same
version that most newbies will be using -- i.e. the latest from
the vistabootpro.org website.