crewxp Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 (edited) Kinda Urgent for tonight, but Hey. I had windows Xp Installed. After I installed the latest Vista from MSDN, it wouldn't boot to Windows anymore. Didn't even give a boot menu to choose. Yeah, I know this is common. But I really need to run some programs on xp again. How can I get Windows Xp booting again? I've read posts explaining how to remove Vista, but those all take away Vista after you do it. Is there any way I can still boot Windows Xp, while still keeping Vista? Maybe a boot menu again? Thx UPDATE: VISTA SHOWS MULTI-BOOT NOW. BUT WHEN I SELECT WINDOWS XP, MY COMPUTER AUTOMATICALLY REBOOTS BY ITSELF.!!! VIEW MY LATEST POST FOR MORE. WHAT COULD BE WRONG?!?! THX Edited March 7, 2006 by crewxp Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
d0ogie Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 Kinda Urgent for tonight, but Hey. I had windows Xp Installed. After I installed the latest Vista from MSDN, it wouldn't boot to Windows anymore. Didn't even give a boot menu to choose. Yeah, I know this is common. But I really need to run some programs on xp again. How can I get Windows Xp booting again? I've read posts explaining how to remove Vista, but those all take away Vista after you do it. Is there any way I can still boot Windows Xp, while still keeping Vista? Maybe a boot menu again? Thx lol, you are the king of starting new threads here. Given the types of questions you are asking, maybe you should think about just tossing Vista for now...just a suggestion, not a judgement. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587272499 Share on other sites More sharing options...
crewxp Posted March 5, 2006 Author Share Posted March 5, 2006 lol. I was like.. A new reply!! Yeah!! Hello Xp! But then I saw your post.. aww.. lol yeah. I think that's pretty much it of what I asked. Btw: Still looking for how to get xp back. Thx Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587272601 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambushbug Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 If you need to get into XP urgently, just ditch the Vista install. Boot off the XP CD, go to recovery mode, then run fixmbr and fixboot. That should get XP back (I've successfully done that now). As for Vista, You can kind of do the same. Boot off the CD then choose to repair (at the bottom of the install screen). I'm running into a bit of the same issue though. I am triple booted, C=Windows 2000 Professional, D=XP, E=Vista 5308. I can boot into Windows 2000 and Vista but not XP. It hangs before the XP loading screen. I'm still working on that one. I have, however, made a nice clean boot menu with BCDEDIT and made Legacy Windows the default as well. So far so good! Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587273315 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambushbug Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 I'm running into a bit of the same issue though. I am triple booted, C=Windows 2000 Professional, D=XP, E=Vista 5308. I can boot into Windows 2000 and Vista but not XP. It hangs before the XP loading screen. I'm still working on that one. Nevermind. I figured it out. It looks like Vista changed my XP partition number (I didn't think that was possible). My boot.ini before Vista was: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" Just to check I changed the XP one to partition(3). Now all three boot perfectly. Odd, but seems to work so great! My next task is to figure out if and how the Vista boot manager can boot "Legacy" OSes (2000 & XP) without using boot.ini (I just want to use one boot manager). I am doubting it. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587273484 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xtreme $niper Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 I think you should be able to edit the boot.ini from within Vista (browsing to your XP drive) to make the boot screen appear... If you don't know how to do that, then I really suggest you delete Vista and run the partition table tools from the XP disk like ambushbug said. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587273552 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 go to the recovery console on the XP cd, go to c:/boot/ and run fixntfs or fixfat followed by -xp to get xp back or -lh to get the boot menu back. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587273761 Share on other sites More sharing options...
crewxp Posted March 5, 2006 Author Share Posted March 5, 2006 umm.. Is there another way to do this? I loaded my Xp CD, and it didn't have an option for recovery console. The only recovery thing I saw was when it was booting, it said press F9 to load raid, then Press F2 to load recovery something. But then it asked for a floppy disk. After that, it just asked me to choose the partition to boot on. I can't find any other Xp Cd right now. Is there a way to manually boot xp from vista safe-mode. lol... i tried editing the registry described here to make me be able to logon with Administrator in Normal mode, but now it won't login anymore without freezing. I have to use safe-mode THX, THIS is the last day I have to get my xp working again before I have to head out to work again. I need some stuff off my xp. I can't format it. THX Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274265 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty27 Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 umm.. Is there another way to do this? I loaded my Xp CD, and it didn't have an option for recovery console. The only recovery thing I saw was when it was booting, it said press F9 to load raid, then Press F2 to load recovery something. But then it asked for a floppy disk. After that, it just asked me to choose the partition to boot on. I can't find any other Xp Cd right now. Is there a way to manually boot xp from vista safe-mode. lol... i tried editing the registry described here to make me be able to logon with Administrator in Normal mode, but now it won't login anymore without freezing. I have to use safe-mode THX, THIS is the last day I have to get my xp working again before I have to head out to work again. I need some stuff off my xp. I can't format it. THX Is your Xp Cd an "official" Microsoft one or is it a recovery Cd from a PC manufacturer, and if so which one?? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274345 Share on other sites More sharing options...
crewxp Posted March 5, 2006 Author Share Posted March 5, 2006 no, it was a slipstreamed one i created. To make it unattended so I didn't have to come back and enter settings. But I found my regular xp cd, ran recovery console. And logged onto D: (Xp installation)...i think... Then I ran fixmbr, pressed y Then fixboot, pressed y Then windows came up with NTDLR missing.. ugh.. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274354 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty27 Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 no, it was a slipstreamed one i created. To make it unattended so I didn't have to come back and enter settings. But I found my regular xp cd, ran recovery console. And logged onto D: (Xp installation)...i think... Then I ran fixmbr, pressed y Then fixboot, pressed y Then windows came up with NTDLR missing.. ugh.. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274371 Share on other sites More sharing options...
crewxp Posted March 5, 2006 Author Share Posted March 5, 2006 ? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274398 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty27 Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 Before you did the fixMbr I was going to say try using the bootcfg command instead, but that's too late. Unless someone else posts try the bootcfg command in the recovery console bootcfg /list shows what in the list. Probablt nothing bootcfg /add allows you to add a configuration. If this works it should show 1/ C:/ Windows, select 1 Enter load Identifier. Type -Windows Xp Home and the next of which I forget what it says type /fastdetect and that should be it. Again this would have worked prior to the fixmbr command but it might still. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274401 Share on other sites More sharing options...
crewxp Posted March 5, 2006 Author Share Posted March 5, 2006 okay. I ran the vista recovery thing and it's back. I still have to use safe-mode. normal windows isn't fixed yet. I'm going to try bootcfg. Reporting back after. ok. It showed 1.) D:\WINDOWS 2.) C:\Windows I selected D:\WINDOWS because that's Xp Then I ran bootcfg, and it showed the above again. I pressed 1. Then for name I typed: Windows Xp Professional Then for options I typed: /fastdetect it went back to the recovery console. Then I restarted. Vista booted again... :( Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274460 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty27 Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 The other option if that doen't work is this: Go to recovery console from cd rom now u'r in dos mode: if u'r cd rom drive is d: and u'r hard disk is c: just type this: ****************************** copy d:\i386\ntldr c:\ then enter exit You may or may not have to type cd.. a few times to get to a plain c:\ prompt That's the advice touted on other forums. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274490 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambushbug Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 As long as you didn't wipe the Vista partition after running fixmbr and fixboot, you should be able to boot off the Vista DVD and choose "System Recovery Options". In There is an option for "Startup Repair". This will set the Vista Loader back up. If not you may have to use the Command Prompt in recovery and check what BCDEDIT says is in your boot list (and yes you can get to your other partitions). You can also boot up from floppy. Copy off NTLDR and NTLOADER from your XP CD (preferable the slipstreamed one since it is the same service pack as your installation). That should boot XP for you. It may just be a case of, like what happened with my Vista installation, it changed the drive pattern and you need to change it in the Boot.ini. Also, if you get Vista loaded and you want to run BCDEDIT or edit the BOOT.INI file on your XP partition, you can run MSCONFIG, then click on the Tools tab. In click on "Disable UAP" then click on Launch, then click on OK and reboot. When it comes back up you can run BCDEDIT and edit your BOOT.INI on the XP partition. Sorry to keep writing... What does your BOOT.INI have in it? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274493 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kraftman Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 This is how I fixed it (haven't read any other posts) 1. Boot onto XP CD. 2. Press "R" to enter recovery 3. Choose the correct \Windows 4. Type admin password 5. type fixboot. say "y" (as in yes) when asked 6. type fixmbr. say "y"(as in yes) when asked Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274544 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty27 Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 It showed 1.) D:\WINDOWS 2.) C:\Windows I selected D:\WINDOWS because that's Xp I'm just trying to get my head round this, so indulge me, but before you ever installed Vista was XP Pro on your C drive and then as with me I added Vista to what in XP shows as the D drive, but in vista shows as the C drive and pushes XP to D. If this were the case when you chose D: in bootcfg it should have been the C Drive option. Sorry if tyhat was confusing but with all the differing Vista installs I've been doing I'm having trouble keeoing track of drives. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274547 Share on other sites More sharing options...
crewxp Posted March 5, 2006 Author Share Posted March 5, 2006 Before I installed Vista. I had Xp on my C: with 100 Gigs. And then nothing on my D: with 60 gigs. Then it changed the drive letters around And by the way, what Windows is the "correct windows". I'm supposed to choose the WindowsXp WINDOWS right? When I tried the C:\Windows (Vista) instead of D:\WINDOWS (Xp), it wouldn't accept my admin pass. (Which as blank). Thx Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274573 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambushbug Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 I'm just trying to get my head round this, so indulge me, but before you ever installed Vista was XP Pro on your C drive and then as with me I added Vista to what in XP shows as the D drive, but in vista shows as the C drive and pushes XP to D. If this were the case when you chose D: in bootcfg it should have been the C Drive option. That sounds possible. As I wrote in an earlier post, before Vista, in my boot.ini, my 2000 install was partition=1, and my XP was partition=2. After I installed Vista XP would not load. I had to change the boot.ini to partition=3. I made no changes to my partition scheme, this is what Vista did to me. It sounds like he may have the same thing. He may have to change his XP to partition=2. I tested it by making entries in my boot.ini statin XP was on partition=2, partition=3 and partition=4 although there is no fourth partition. I tried to boot on the first one, just hung, I tried the second one (partition=3), and it booted perfectly. I then went back and removed the other two entries. Now all three OSes boot properly. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274581 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty27 Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 Before I installed Vista. I had Xp on my C: with 100 Gigs. And then nothing on my D: with 60 gigs. Then it changed the drive letters around And by the way, what Windows is the "correct windows". I'm supposed to choose the WindowsXp WINDOWS right? When I tried the C:\Windows (Vista) instead of D:\WINDOWS (Xp), it wouldn't accept my admin pass. (Which as blank). Thx Yes we were looking to select the version of windows with xp on it and since c:\ is asking for a password, we can assume that, that is Vista!!! (Most likely). Now we have to get into the boot.ini file to see what in it. I believe you can boot into safe mode on Vista only, but I don't know why that's happening, if you can boot into safe mode on vista and disable the UAP you should be able to access the boot.ini on your xp volume at least to see what's in it. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274603 Share on other sites More sharing options...
crewxp Posted March 5, 2006 Author Share Posted March 5, 2006 where is boot.ini located. thx Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274693 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambushbug Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 where is boot.ini located. thx It should be on the root of your XP partition. You may have to view all files (system, hidden) to see it, if you haven't already. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274704 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty27 Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 where is boot.ini located. thx For me the boot.ini file is located at C:\boot.ini. It's normally a hidden file and read only. I normally edit it with notepad after changing it's properties by searching for the file and right clicking on hit and select properties. I'm sure there are numerous ways to get to it. If when you boot into XP Pro, the XP Pro drive is C:\ it'll be found at C:\boot.ini, if when you boot into XP Pro the XP drive is D:\ then it should be found at D:\boot.ini. There have been instances on the NG's where Vista has swapped drives and moved all sorts around. I have opened my boot.ini whilst running Vista by going to Notepad and opening D:\boot.ini and this is it. (Please note I'm not in safe mode, but you still should be able to st least read it. [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="Windows XP Home" \fastdetect Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274734 Share on other sites More sharing options...
crewxp Posted March 5, 2006 Author Share Posted March 5, 2006 This is what's in my boot.ini [boot loader] timeout=20 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows Xp Professional" /fastdetect Um... Windows Xp is in there. Aurhg!! FYI: I found it in C:\boot.ini Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/439317-how-can-i-get-xp-booting-again/#findComment-587274807 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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