XP3 install fails: ntldr in use

[Quaoar]

XP3 installation via both windows update and burned CD both fail on this
computer with the error "NTLDR in use, close all applications and click
retry" (or something like that). This is a dual boot XP/Vista system.
There is no error generated other than Canceled by user, which is true
since there is no way out of the error.

My belief is that the error likely resides with the Vista bootloader
that controls the choice at boot between Vista and XP. However, I am
unable to get beyond this using recommended BCDedit, etc., since this HP
system has only recovery disks and not separate installation disks.

Any advice is appreciated.

Q

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Try the registry edit that prevents XP from mounting the Vista drive when XP
boots. You should probably be using it anyway as it resolves the issues
caused by XP's volsnap.sys deleting certain Vista files at XP boot time.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926185

Although it is addressing another issue it may help depending on where the
Vista boot files are located.

I admit to this being somewhat speculative on my part.