Dual Booting Problem...

[NikhilVerma]

Hi guys...
This is not an ordinary problem so I'm creating a new thread...
I even searched google but couldn't find any answer to this...

Ok...

Previously I was Dualbooting between Windows ME (C:\ ) and XP (d:\ )
then I formatted my C: and re-installed Windows ME due to some problems..

I maintained a backup of my boot.ini file so that after I format and re-install Windows ME... I could use dualboot again..
But to my surprise whenever I switch on my PC , Windows ME loads
automatically...

Can anybody tell me how do I get my dual boot option back again??
Probably through some editing in config.sys file?

I don't think that system configs are necessary here...

 

[Kl@w-24]

Try this (I found it at *www.tweakxp.com/tweak1178.aspx). It's th procedure to install 98 after xp but shud work in ur case too.

When u boot into Win ME, repair the Windows XP Boot Loader :

1) Create a Win98 Startup Disk
2) Create a Notepad file with the following entries, exactly as shown:

L 100 2 0 1
N C:\BOOTSECT.DOS
R BX
0
R CX
200
W
Q

3) Save the file to the Win98 Startup Disk as READ.SCR
4) Boot the computer with the Win98 Startup Disk and at the A: prompt type

DEBUG < READ.SCR
Steps 1 - 4 create the BOOTSECT.DOS file needed to boot Win98.You may need to use the ATTRIB C:\BOOTSECT.DOS -S -H -R command if BOOTSECT.DOS already exists and you get an error when trying to recreate it.

5) Configure your computer to boot from the CD drive. This is done in the BIOS, or your computer may offer the option at startup if it detects a bootable CD.If your computer does not support booting from CD-Rom, you should also be able to boot with a 98 Startup disk, and run WINNT.EXE from the I386 folder of your XP CD.
6) Insert your XP CD and boot from it.
7) You'll see some files being copied, then you'll be presented with a choice of installing or repairing an existing installation. Choose Repair.
8) You'll be asked which XP installation you want to log into. Enter 1. There is usually only
one installation.
9) You'll be prompted for the Administrator password. For Home, the default password is blank, so just hit Enter. For Pro, enter the same password you did during setup for the Administrator account (this is not the same as the password for an Admin level account. It must be the Administrator account password).
10) At the C:\Windows prompt, type FIXBOOT. You'll be prompted to confirm. Do so.
11) When FIXBOOT is finished, remove the XP CD and type EXIT and the machine will reboot.
Reconfigure your computer to boot from the hard drive if necessary.

You will now get the XP Boot loader with your choice of operating system

 

[theraven]

Kl@w covered it all
its just that when u reinstalled ME ... the MBR got written over .... therefore ur problem
it doesnt have anythign to do with ur boot files ...
try /fixmbr from winxp cd

 

[richard nightly]

I have 2 SATA HDD's and I have XP installed on both drives totally independant of each other. The way I did it was to install XP when each of these drives was the only HDD attached to the system as the C drive. This way XP installs itself as being the OS on a C drive on both drives - when I want to boot from the other drive (which is very seldom) all I do is go into the BIOS and change the first boot drive order.

Like I said I dont boot from the second drive often so it is no problem going into the BIOS to change the BOOT drive. The advantage I find in this setup of mine is that I can at any time BOOT from either drive if it is the only drive attached - this came in use when my C drive Maxtor SATA died a few months back. If I had dual boot and the second drive was setup as the D drive I would have had problems till I had another drive setup as the C drive. All I needed to do at time was to select the second SATA drive as the drive to boot from and I was ready to go.

Most people find this setup of mine a bit crazy but it works for me and I have done this ever since Windows 3 many years back.

 

[NikhilVerma]

I got rid of the problem myself ...

Thanks anyways.....

 

[theraven]

@nikhilverma if u would be kind enuff to tell us the solution ... it would be gr8 !