[TheApprentice]

Hi everyone.. I just installed Vista x86 on 1 of 3 hard disk drives on my pc...

One had XP, the other Vista and the 3rd just for storage...

XP is my primary OS and i JUst installed Vista to enjoy what it has to offer...


Now after instaling Vista.. My XP won't boot at all!!!
Vista starts up automatically everytime I turn on my pc...

In Vista... In the boot settings.. XP is not shown...
I tried changing the boot drive to the one with XP and it still won't boot!
I inserted my XP home cd.. and was going to do a repair on the XP install...and it doesn't see XP on the drive

Is there a way I can just easily fix this problem???

I noticed that I could do a fresh XP installation on the drive... but it says I'll lose all my data and settings if I overwrite the C:/Windows Installation folder... If I do overwrite the windows install.. Would all my other data on the drive be in tact???
And will XP run smoothly?


The above being the last option.. Is there an easier way to just load my current XP install?
Please someone help....!
Thanks..

[spdabbs]

Usually, when you set up Dual Boot on a system with XP already installed, it will give you the OS choices menu. Did you disconnect your XP drive prior to installing Vista? Have you tried disconnecting your Vista drive and booting or maybe alter your boot order in BIOS to ensure the XP drive is the first boot HDD.

[TheApprentice]

I have altered the boot order.. with the XP drive first... and it won't start...

I did not disconnect the XP drive prior.

[spdabbs]

Weird! Vista dual boot should rewrite the XP MBR. Just try disconnecting the Vista (and maybe all other) drive then see if XP boots.

Also, navigating your various drives in Vista - is your XP install still definitely on one of those drives? (daft Q, but have to ask!)

[TheApprentice]

I don't really want to interfere with the pc hardware....

+ XP won't show up in Vista...

>>> Will a XP frsh install work? that is, overwrite the windows folder?

And will my data remain on the drive? that is, files as well as installed software?

[TheApprentice]

oooo... When i had set the XP drive to boot... I got the following error >>>

NTLDR is Missing
Press Ctrl Alt Del to Restart...

[spdabbs]

You could try using the recovery console - FIXMBR. Though that may well hose your access to Vista.

If you're not seeing XP on one of those drives (in (My) Computer), it sounds like you may well have inadvertantly wiped XP :\

[TheApprentice]

^ I can access the drive and the files in it through my computer in vista... But I can't get into Windows...

[spdabbs]

Phew! Just checking that one.

Must confess I'm a bit baffled as to why it's not set up a dual boot, especially with XP not seeing the XP install.

To be safe, back up your docs in Vista to another drive, then try an XP install without formatting - you'll have to reinstall any applications if a repair install won't work, but you should be able to at least get your docs and any config files back.

Ideally, I would be looking towards backing up data from XP drive, then do a clean XP install including format of the drive, format the Vista drive, clean install Vista again, then see if it sets up dual boot this time.

[TheApprentice]

The last one I know is the best bet... But thats so much work!
Also considering that its over 100GB of data I need to be moving back and forth...

I'm trying the XP install now...and hopefully I'll get back into the XP OS...
So i just chose to Delete the Windows Installation and Install the new one into the directory....

>> Setup copying files now...

[TheApprentice]

Update: There ya go... XP installed.. reinstalling my Programs/Software....

Vista inaccessible now...!!!
Its the previous thing as before now reversed

Something is really really wrong here..

Any more suggestions anyone??? as to how to get Vista to boot?

[spdabbs]

Before you install too much, NOW install Vista on another drive - in my experience, it should dual boot without issue. Not sure what went wrong that time :\