Multiboot WIndows XP & Windows Me

[Waguih Boctor]

Hi,

I have a strange situation that I can't figure out at all. I have a Windows
Me system that was experiencing many problems with the IDE Controller in the
Device Manager showing an exclamation point on bith primary and secondary
IDEs, resulting on the CD-ROM not being visible in Windows Explorer. I ran a
thorough check on the C drive which reported no errors. I tried
re-installing Windows Me on the C Drive with no success (it blew up with
GPFs). In an effort to save the multiGB of data that was on the hard drive,
I added a slave D drive, which because of the IDE problem wasn't even
visible. So I installed Windows Me on the D Drive. This ran successfully and
I could see both drives and CD-ROM/CD-RW. I copied all the data to be
protected to teh D drive and removed it.

I then upgraded to Windows XP. I ran it as a new install to make sure
nothing was left over from the old Windows Me. This ran to completeion
without any problem. I then reconnected the D Drive to restore the saved
files. When rebooting, the system ignores the Windows XP installation on the
C drive and goes straight to the Windows Me on the D drive. The problem is
that the Windows Me installation is now somehow broken and does not complete
the boot. So I either have a failure on booting to the D drive with both
drives connected, or I can boot to the C drive by disconetting the D drive,
but then I cannot retrieve the files. I checked the boot.ini file and its
contents don't suggest anything different than I've seen on any other
Windows XP system. I've listed them here:

[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

There are also MSDOS.SYS and WINBOOT.INI files which contain references to
the D drive in the root of the C drive. Editing them to remove these
references does make any difference.

Is there anything else I should be checking? Any help would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Waguih Boctor]

Please ignore this post. Problem fixed.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Check the boot order in the system BIOS. Also make sure that the "d" drive
is jumpered correctly as a slave.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Guest]

-----Original Message-----
Hi,

I have a strange situation that I can't figure out at all. I have a Windows
Me system that was experiencing many problems with the IDE Controller in the
Device Manager showing an exclamation point on bith primary and secondary
IDEs, resulting on the CD-ROM not being visible in Windows Explorer. I ran a
thorough check on the C drive which reported no errors. I tried
re-installing Windows Me on the C Drive with no success (it blew up with
GPFs). In an effort to save the multiGB of data that was on the hard drive,
I added a slave D drive, which because of the IDE problem wasn't even
visible. So I installed Windows Me on the D Drive. This ran successfully and
I could see both drives and CD-ROM/CD-RW. I copied all the data to be
protected to teh D drive and removed it.

I then upgraded to Windows XP. I ran it as a new install to make sure
nothing was left over from the old Windows Me. This ran to completeion
without any problem. I then reconnected the D Drive to restore the saved
files. When rebooting, the system ignores the Windows XP installation on the
C drive and goes straight to the Windows Me on the D drive. The problem is
that the Windows Me installation is now somehow broken and does not complete
the boot. So I either have a failure on booting to the D drive with both
drives connected, or I can boot to the C drive by disconetting the D drive,
but then I cannot retrieve the files. I checked the boot.ini file and its
contents don't suggest anything different than I've seen on any other
Windows XP system. I've listed them here:

[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

There are also MSDOS.SYS and WINBOOT.INI files which contain references to
the D drive in the root of the C drive. Editing them to remove these
references does make any difference.

Is there anything else I should be checking? Any help would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks


.

I have to start by saying that your original problem with
the IDE controllers was probably a simple issue with the
device drivers or misconfigured settings in the
registry. I could explain how to troubleshoot the
original issue with Windows ME but it is probably a
waiste of time sine you've already purchased a new hard
drive and want to utilize it.

I'm a little confused by your referenced to the c and d
drives because you did not indicate clearly which was
configured as slave and which was configured as stand
alone or master and at when you did it.

I think the resolution will be found by checking the
master/slave/stand alone jumpers on both the hard drives
to make sure they are configured correctly. The other
thing that needs to be checked is the BIOS, specifically
the boot sequence. Make sure for example that if Windows
XP is installed on the drive that is configured as master
or stand alone, then the only device that preceeds Hard
Disk 0/Primary Hard Drive in the boot sequence is the
floppy disk drive and/or the CD-ROM/CD-RW. Hard Disk
0/Primary Hard Drive can be set to the first boot device.