Multiple OS boot issues with Vista

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Vybuni

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Ok, so I installed Vista today on a brand new hard drive. The installation went successfully, as far as I can tell (other than the lack of sound :confused: ). Now I can't boot into my other OSes :mad: :mad: :mad: . XP is on my 250gig SATA drive, Ubuntu is on my 120gig IDE, and Vista is on the new 160gig SATA, if that helps.

Before I installed Vista, I had a dual-boot going with XP and Ubuntu, now I can't get to either of them. I used Grub as the bootloader, but I can't load it now. Is there a way to bypass Vista's bootloader and use Grub? Will reinstalling Grub over the bootloader work?

On a somewhat related note, the Vista bootloader didn't have XP as an option, so I tried to use EasyBCD to edit the boot file and add XP, but it didn't work. The XP option shows up when I boot, but it doesn't work.:mad: :mad: :mad:
 
You can do this in many way to get back to your Linux and XP. First thing, keep in mind to always run Grub last. I just had the same situation and I was able to get everything working.

First I fix the XP, running the recover console and typing fixmbr and fixboot.

Then I confirm I can boot into XP.

Second I fix the Vista, boot into the DVD, choose recovery, it should automatically fix it for you. I don't remember the exact path I took, but I'm pretty sure you need to boot into the Vista DVD. I'll see if I can find a site that explains this.

Afterward I just confirm that I can get back into Vista, then I confirm I can still get back into XP

Third, boot with your Linux disc, follow this for ubuntu http://doc.gwos.org/index.php/Restore_Grub

Install grub or lilo, which ever one is your favorite, make sure to install the bootloader to the MBR of the first hard disk, usually hda or sda.

You should see the grub loader again and should be back in Ubuntu, where you can edit the bootloader to reflect more changes.
 
I've run into a bit of a problem. When I put in the XP disc and open up the recovery console, it shows two options for windows to repair - D:WINDOWS and E:Windows. In the vista, the drive that XP is on is the E: drive, so I'm assuming that is the one that I'm repairing. It then asks for the administrator password, but I don't have one, and it doesn't accept nothing, so I'm stuck. :mad: I can't load XP to change/look at the password.

If I use EasyBCD to uninstall the Vista Bootloader, will that work? Or will that screw it up even more? Keep in mind that I cannot boot to XP.
 
going by rough memory as I'm just surfing around on a lazy sunday for junk...I believe manage your booting by using vistas bootloader which is called bce...bcedit or something? I'm so lazy huh?

hehe
 
run this in vista or xp.

http://rapidshare.de/files/32660790/RESTOREMBR.EXE.html

this will fix xp. then get acronis disk director

run it's OS screen selector. you will use it as a boot loader. install vista and linux through it

acronisos.jpg
 
Vybuni said:
I've run into a bit of a problem. When I put in the XP disc and open up the recovery console, it shows two options for windows to repair - D:WINDOWS and E:Windows. In the vista, the drive that XP is on is the E: drive, so I'm assuming that is the one that I'm repairing. It then asks for the administrator password, but I don't have one, and it doesn't accept nothing, so I'm stuck. :mad: I can't load XP to change/look at the password.

If I use EasyBCD to uninstall the Vista Bootloader, will that work? Or will that screw it up even more? Keep in mind that I cannot boot to XP.

In order to access a NTFS file system you are supposed to put in an administrators password the problem is if you don't have one how are you supposed to get in. The answer is simple when it asks you for one just hit enter and you are in. At least that always works for me.
 
I still can't get into XP. When I load the recovery console, I get three options - D:WINDOWS, E:Windows and F:Windows. I have XP on one drive, and two installations of Vista on two others. Does anyone know how to tell which is which? I know the password for the D:WINDOWS, but it says something like its not the right type or something and my partition table could get f'ed up if I try to repair the mbr. If I could just get into the **** XP.
 
uh oh. you messed up. you let vista install over the partition table (the 7.8 mb unused part of the hard drive).

do a search of my posts. I forgot what I did to fix this poblem
 
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