Add dual boot XP to installed Vista - now can't boot

I shrank the main Vista Home Premium partition, named and formatted NTFS the
new 30gb empty space, and now my boot record is corrupted. I've tried to
use the repair option from the XP Pro install disk - no luck - can't get
past the corrupted existing boot record. Apparently if I could get a
bootable CD that contains Bootsect.exe I could create a Vista boot record
and I'd be on my way. My Compaq Presario notebook did not come with Vista
install disks. I know my partitions are good, because I've downloaded
Bootable CD images from "Bootdisk.com" that have enabled me to "dir" my
Vista and XP Pro partitions. Help, anyone? TIA, Paul

Paul H wrote:
> I shrank the main Vista Home Premium partition, named and formatted NTFS the
> new 30gb empty space, and now my boot record is corrupted. I've tried to
> use the repair option from the XP Pro install disk - no luck - can't get
> past the corrupted existing boot record. Apparently if I could get a
> bootable CD that contains Bootsect.exe I could create a Vista boot record
> and I'd be on my way. My Compaq Presario notebook did not come with Vista
> install disks. I know my partitions are good, because I've downloaded
> Bootable CD images from "Bootdisk.com" that have enabled me to "dir" my
> Vista and XP Pro partitions. Help, anyone? TIA, Paul
>


Normally, the older OS must be installed first unless you wish to
acquire and use some 3rd-party partition and boot management utility.
(In which case you have to follow the instructions provided by whatever
3rd party solution you select.) However, this KB Article (not for the
faint of heart or technically-challenged) explains how to repair the
Vista boot process after installing WinXP:

Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of
the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919529

MS-MVP John Barnett's Guide is considerably more user-friendly:
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/install...ning_vista.htm



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

Thanks, Bruce - I think you and others have referred to both articles a few
times already. The 2nd one is far to late - I'm way beyond that. The first
one assumes that I am somehow able to run Vista (I cannot, because of the
boot problem), and that I have a copy of Bootsect.exe (I cannot find it on
my older Vista or my XP Pro machines). That's why I'm hoping to get a CD
with Bootsect.exe that I can boot, that can repair my hard disk boot record.
I had to install XP Pro 2nd, because my 5 day old notebook came with Vista
Home Premium installed.

"Bruce Chambers" <3t> wrote in message
news:...
Paul H wrote:
> I shrank the main Vista Home Premium partition, named and formatted NTFS
> the
> new 30gb empty space, and now my boot record is corrupted. I've tried to
> use the repair option from the XP Pro install disk - no luck - can't get
> past the corrupted existing boot record. Apparently if I could get a
> bootable CD that contains Bootsect.exe I could create a Vista boot record
> and I'd be on my way. My Compaq Presario notebook did not come with Vista
> install disks. I know my partitions are good, because I've downloaded
> Bootable CD images from "Bootdisk.com" that have enabled me to "dir" my
> Vista and XP Pro partitions. Help, anyone? TIA, Paul
>


Normally, the older OS must be installed first unless you wish to
acquire and use some 3rd-party partition and boot management utility.
(In which case you have to follow the instructions provided by whatever
3rd party solution you select.) However, this KB Article (not for the
faint of heart or technically-challenged) explains how to repair the
Vista boot process after installing WinXP:

Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of
the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919529

MS-MVP John Barnett's Guide is considerably more user-friendly:
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/install...ning_vista.htm



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

Paul H wrote:

> Thanks, Bruce - I think you and others have referred to both articles a
> few
> times already. The 2nd one is far to late - I'm way beyond that. The
> first one assumes that I am somehow able to run Vista (I cannot, because
> of the boot problem), and that I have a copy of Bootsect.exe (I cannot
> find it on
> my older Vista or my XP Pro machines). That's why I'm hoping to get a CD
> with Bootsect.exe that I can boot, that can repair my hard disk boot
> record. I had to install XP Pro 2nd, because my 5 day old notebook came
> with Vista Home Premium installed.

You can install Vista Boot Pro on XP and fix the boot record from there. I'm
assuming of course that you can boot into XP.

http://www.vistabootpro.org/

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Nope, can't boot at all.

"Malke" <> wrote in message
news:%...
Paul H wrote:

> Thanks, Bruce - I think you and others have referred to both articles a
> few
> times already. The 2nd one is far to late - I'm way beyond that. The
> first one assumes that I am somehow able to run Vista (I cannot, because
> of the boot problem), and that I have a copy of Bootsect.exe (I cannot
> find it on
> my older Vista or my XP Pro machines). That's why I'm hoping to get a CD
> with Bootsect.exe that I can boot, that can repair my hard disk boot
> record. I had to install XP Pro 2nd, because my 5 day old notebook came
> with Vista Home Premium installed.

You can install Vista Boot Pro on XP and fix the boot record from there. I'm
assuming of course that you can boot into XP.

http://www.vistabootpro.org/

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Paul H wrote:

> Nope, can't boot at all.

> You can install Vista Boot Pro on XP and fix the boot record from there.
> I'm assuming of course that you can boot into XP.
>
> http://www.vistabootpro.org/

For people who only have a restore image - Windows Vista Recovery Disc
Download:
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/window...disc-download/

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

I've tried this before, i dont have it anymore though, couldnt get
driver for xp.

But....

If you want to dual boot xp and vista, vista installed first,

Create partition, Install XP to that, load xp and finish install

Then shut down, Boot from vista install disc (try mininova.org to get
iso maybe??)

Click language, install, at the bottom click repair, boot into vista
now.... (reboot pc)

download easybcd, setup another boot loader for the xp, easybcd makes
this very simple, You've done the first few steps, but before you try
anything i always make an iso to make my pc back to what it was
before..


Follow the remaining steps and you shud get ur dual boot sorted...


--
la33r
------------------------------------------------------------------------
la33r's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/la33r.htm
View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/1067969.htm

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"la33r" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> I've tried this before, i dont have it anymore though, couldnt get
> driver for xp.
>
> But....
>
> If you want to dual boot xp and vista, vista installed first,
>
> Create partition, Install XP to that, load xp and finish install
>
> Then shut down, Boot from vista install disc (try mininova.org to get
> iso maybe??)
>
> Click language, install, at the bottom click repair, boot into vista
> now.... (reboot pc)
>
> download easybcd, setup another boot loader for the xp, easybcd makes
> this very simple, You've done the first few steps, but before you try
> anything i always make an iso to make my pc back to what it was
> before..
>
>
> Follow the remaining steps and you shud get ur dual boot sorted...
>
>
> --
> la33r
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> la33r's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/la33r.htm
> View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/1067969.htm
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
>



This is a nice an easy way of dual booting, it's free too EasyBCD 1.7.2 from

http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1