Boot Menu allows no F8 (Safe Mode) booting into old WindowsXP

[Guest]

Hello all,
I seem to have a problem with my Boot Menu after having installed Vista
(64bit) on a seperate partition of the same physical disk where also my old,
operational WindowsXP is installed.
The problem is, that when the Boot Menu comes up, hitting the old F8-key
does not lead me to the multiple choices that were there before (i.e.: boot
in Safe Mode or command prompt).
In fact, hitting F8 does not trigger ANY reaction, and so I can no longer
boot my WinXP in Safe Mode!
I am reluctant to change my boot.ini to what it was before, even though it
might help?
For your information, hereunder the contents of my old (before Vista
installation) and my new boot.ini:
OLD version (before Vista:
----------------------------------
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
---------------------------------------
And here's how it looks now (WindowsXP Home is no longer installed, only XP
and Vista):
--------------------------------------
;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT
----------------------------------------------------------
I don't by the way, understand, why in this boot.ini only ONE operating
system is mentioned, while the Boot Menu still shows both, XP and Vista?

But the main question is:
How can I get the option back to boot WinXP in Safe Mode in the Boot Menu???

Many thanks in advance for any answers and for your help!
Regards,
Tom

 

[Jimmy Brush]

Hello,

Windows Vista uses a new boot loader that stores its boot menu differently
than Windows XP.

When your computer boots, you should have the option to select either
Windows Vista or an "Earlier version of windows".

To get to Windows XP's F8 menu, select Earlier version of windows, press
enter, and IMMEDIATELY press F8 - you will have to be quick on the draw.

You see, when you select Earlier version of windows from the Windows Vista
boot loader, the Vista bootloader loads the Windows XP bootloader. So you
have to press F8 AFTER you select Earlier version of windows to send the F8
button to the Windows XP bootloader.

Confusing, huh?

- JB

Vista FAQ
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

 

[Guest]

Thank you very much INDEED!!!
Not only does this solve my problem, it was also the quickest help I ever
got on any Microsoft/Windows question/problem!
;o))
But even though the solution works (easily), it is
a) not elegant and
b) I would NEVER have guessed it!!!
Many thanks again,
Tom

 

[ko van Zeeland]

Hello all,

I seem to have a problem with my Boot Menu after having installed
Vista
(64bit) on a seperate partition of the same physical disk where also
my old,
operational WindowsXP is installed.
The problem is, that when the Boot Menu comes up, hitting the old
F8-key
does not lead me to the multiple choices that were there before (i.e.:
boot
in Safe Mode or command prompt).
In fact, hitting F8 does not trigger ANY reaction, and so I can no
longer
boot my WinXP in Safe Mode!
I am reluctant to change my boot.ini to what it was before, even
though it
might help?
For your information, hereunder the contents of my old (before Vista
installation) and my new boot.ini:
OLD version (before Vista:
----------------------------------
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
---------------------------------------
And here's how it looks now (WindowsXP Home is no longer installed,
only XP
and Vista):
--------------------------------------
;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating
systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT
----------------------------------------------------------
I don't by the way, understand, why in this boot.ini only ONE
operating
system is mentioned, while the Boot Menu still shows both, XP and
Vista?
But the main question is:
How can I get the option back to boot WinXP in Safe Mode in the Boot
Menu???
Many thanks in advance for any answers and for your help!
Regards,
Tom

You have to select the option to boot the XP first and immediately press
F8 after selecting that option there is at the moment no other way to get
the options menu again. You have to be very quick <GG> (or hold F8 after
selecting). HTH

ko van Zeeland

 

[Mark D. VandenBerg]

It really isn't confusing when you think about the order of the steps and
apply a little logic. A boot manager, in this case the pathetic one that
comes with Vista, "manages the boot process." If you have two or five
different O/S's running, the boot manager helps you pick which one to boot.
The ability to choose how one of the O/S's boots (F8 key) comes a few steps
after "which O/S boots." So, of course, the only way it can do this is to
run first, before any part of any O/S starts to boot.

 

[MICHAEL]

What I don't understand is why the "pathetic one"
in Vista is so pathetic. And why does the boot
manager, which Vista installed, store/write anything
in XP? I've used Grub before when messing around
with some Linux flavors, I have never seen Grub mess
with XP. Maybe I just didn't notice or wasn't paying
attention. But another OS installed onto a separate
partition should keep its hands off the other OS partition.
That seems like a basic fundamental of dual booting.
Which is why I am amazed at the situation with the
SR points being deleted. In this case, I really don't
care what the reason is- another OS should *never*
touch another OS. Having to jump through hoops and
hide the partition is like some kind of bad joke that
only Microsoft could tell expecting everyone just to
laugh it off and get over it. It's arrogant and it's a
pathetic way to do business. Especially, when one
considers the amount of people who dual boot.


-Michael

 

[Mark D. VandenBerg]

Michael:

If you hide the XP system partition before installing Vista, then Vista's
installer puts nothing on the XP partition, and consequently, leaves the XP
boot files alone and intact. Sure makes life easier when the need arises to
wipe-off the Vista partition.

Like you and I both have said before, "Can't mess with something it can't
see." Of course, if you do this, you need to use another, less pathetic
boot-manager, which is a whole 'nuther thread!

 

[MICHAEL]

I agree with you, Mark. It's just when I think about the situation
with Vista writing to XP on install and XP fudging up Vista's restore
points- it shouldn't be that way.

More and more folks are dual booting. The size of hard
drives now, you can put several OSs on one drive. I
guarantee you that there will be *many* folks who choose
to install Vista on separate partition. Does Microsoft intend
to let users know that they can not depend on SR in a dual
boot environment? Will they have to find out for themselves?
Perhaps, the hard way?

SR in Vista is supposed to be so much better- lots of
users won't be able to use the new and improved SR.
Encrypting Vista or hiding it is an option, but it does
have potential drawbacks and eliminates the ease at
accessing Vista files from XP.

The poster, Jo, whom I have been talking to about
Bitlocker, should not have to encrypt Vista just to use
a critical safety/backup feature. It's ridiculous. I'm not
even sure if BitLocker will be included on most versions
of Vista. If not, then they will have to do what you did,
or just be SOL.
Which is probably why Microsoft will never suggest using
Bitlocker to protect restore points- it wouldn't be fair to others.

I've seen numerous replies to problems in these groups asking
the user had they tried using System Restore. If they are dual
booting, they're probably SOL. I bet most of the users here are
dual booting. There will be a significant user base impacted by
this whole fiasco. Shameful situation, really.

Take care, Mark.


-Michael