OS Selector with 2HDD and 3x Vistax64 need help

[surfherby]

Hello,
please notice I`m new and I`m German - so please excuse my bad english.

System:
Intel Dual Core
Acronis True Image
Acronis Disk Director Suite 2611

What I want:
I have two HDD (SATA)
On the first I would like to have 3 primary partitionen.- 3 Times Vista x64
On the second I would like to have 1 primary partition with XP and 1 partition for data.
Boot to each over OS Selector.

Problem:
Playing around I installed 2 Vista on one HDD with Os Selector.
Result: OS Selector saw both installation. Booting the first, Vista comes up with his own bootmanager. If I choise then the first OS -then Vista works.
If I choise the second Vista by OS Selector-again Vista bootmanager comes up. Now it makes no different, if I choise the first or second entry - no OS works.(missing bootfiles or something else)
If I change entries in OS Selector for the second partition (bootfile in the first partition) ,then I can boot the second partition using OS Selector and the second entry in the Vista bootmanager.
Problem seems to be That Vista installed for both Vista the bootfile in the first Vista partition. Also why comes Vista after booting with OS Selector with his own bootmanager up.
Has anyone experience with my problems- please explain to me !
And how can I reach the goal ( see " what I want " ) ?

[MudCrab]

What version and build of TI are you using?

Do you care if you have to start over with the installations?

[surfherby]

Hello,
thanks for reply.
-I installed each vista with my Installation DVD. I have not made a copy because I have heard from many trouble to proceed this way with images. (newest True Image)
- Sorry please explain your second question in an other way -I do not understand.

[MudCrab]

I'm assuming you are using build 8,027 of TI 11 (I think that, or a number close to it, is the latest German build). Is that correct?

Second question: If you need to restart from scratch, is it a problem? Do you mind reformatting the hard drive(s) and beginning again, if necessary? Is it okay if you need to reinstall Vista?

It sounds like you have a standard Microsoft Vista DVD. Is that correct?

[surfherby]

Thanks again,
- Looking for True Image version, it is TI 11 _8010 Home.
- It is no problem for me, if you have some ideas, playing arround with my second HDD. (On me first HDD if have a XP until I have fixed my problems with vista )

I want to take my second HDD for installing, under OS Selector, 3 times vista.
If this works, I would say this is my first HDD and then I will use my current XP( already located on this HDD) or if necessary install XP new.

It is no problem for me make experience with my second HDD but I will be glad if someone, like you, has a idea how I get things to work.

I have standart Vista x64 DVD.

If anyone does reply- thanks- I will reply tommorow morning- because I have to finish for today- my work will start at 5.00.

[MudCrab]

Before you start, I would suggest you read through this thread: OSS 2 vistas (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=192196)
It deals with using OSS with multiple Vista installations.

You can proceed several ways:

Use TI to restore a Vista image to the new partitions.
Use DD to copy a Vista partition to the new partitions.
Use DD to setup partitions and install Vista three times.


Since you use TI 11, it should take care of changing the BCD file for you. For anyone using TI 10 or earlier, you'll may want to prepare the BCD file before you image or copy by using the procedure outlined in the first post of this thread: Fix Vista so a Repair is not needed after a restore or clone (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=185731). Note that making this change may make OSS have problems detecting Vista.

Before you begin:

Make sure you have a bootable CD (not a USB flashdrive) that has DD, OSS and TI on it. If you don't have this, use Acronis Media Builder to create one.
Figure out the partition sizes you want for each Vista partition. You may want them all the same size or you may want them different sizes, depending on what you are using them for.
Note that on some systems, OSS has problems correctly detecting Vista installations.


I would try Method #1 first:

If you currently have OSS installed, uninstall it.
Disconnect the XP drive.
Connect the Vista drive.
Check the computer's BIOS and verify the Vista drive is set as the booting hard drive.
Boot to the DD CD and start DD in Manual mode.
Clear the Vista drive (remove all partitions).
Create the partition for the first Vista installation. Make it the size you want, NTFS, Primary and set Active. Label it Vista.
Insert the Vista DVD and reboot.
Install Vista to the partition.
Once Vista is installed, insert the DD CD and reboot. Start DD in Manual mode.
Create a small 100MB FAT32 Primary partition. Label it OSS. This will be the second partition on the drive.
Reboot into Vista and install DD.
Install OSS from Vista, making sure to choose the Custom installation option. Select the OSS partition as the installation partition. Proceed to install OSS.
Reboot when prompted.
OSS should boot and find your Vista installation.
Make sure you can successfully boot into Vista.


Vista and OSS should now be successfully installed. Next, create an image of the Vista drive using TI.

Boot to the TI CD and start TI.

Select to do a Backup.
Check the Disk # checkbox to backup the entire drive.
Proceed to create the backup, saving it to a USB hard drive or another location.


Next, proceed to create the other Vista installations.


Reboot to the TI CD and start TI.
Restore the previously created image of the Vista partition to Unallocated space, resizing the partition to the size you want. Select Primary as the partition type.
Repeat the process and restore the image again into the remaining Unallocated space, selecting Primary as the partition type.
Your drive should now look something like this:
[Vista NTFS, Primary, Active ??GB][OSS FAT32, Primary 100MB][Vista2 NTFS, Primary ??GB][Vista3 NTFS, Primary ??GB]
Reboot to the DD CD and start DD in Manual mode.
Since you restored the first Vista partition, all the Vista partitions will have the same label. Change the label of the second Vista partition to Vista2 and the label of the third Vista partition to Vista3.
Remove the DD CD and reboot the computer.
OSS should boot and find the two new Vista installations.

DO NOT BOOT INTO ANY VISTA INSTALLATION AT THIS TIME.

The menu entries shown in OSS should be in the order of the Vista partitions. However, it really doesn't matter as long as the Properties for each are set correctly.

Right-click on each Vista menu entry and change/verify the following settings:

Change the name of the menu entry as desired. Vista 1, Vista 2, Vista 3 or whatever you want.
In the Partitions section, check that each entry has the correct Vista partition set Active and BOTH the other Vista partitions set as Hidden.
Vista 1 should have the Vista partition set Active and the Vista2 and Vista3 partitions should be Hidden.
Vista 2 should have the Vista2 partition set Active and the Vista and Vista3 partitions should be Hidden.
Vista 3 should have the Vista3 partition set Active and the Vista and Vista2 partitions should be Hidden.

Once all the settings are correct, you should be able to boot into any of the three Vista installations.

Reconnecting the XP hard drive
Important Note: When you reconnect the XP hard drive, OSS will modify the MBR on the drive so it will no longer boot without OSS. If you later remove OSS or try to boot the drive directly, you'll need to repair the MBR back to a standard version.


Turn off the computer.
Reconnect the XP drive.
Turn on the computer and enter the BIOS.
Verify that the Vista drive is still the booting hard drive.
Reboot.
OSS should start, find the XP installation and setup a menu entry for it.
Right-click the XP menu entry and select Properties.
Under Disks, make sure to check the checkbox to manually set the Disk Order. Set the XP disk as Disk 1 and the Vista Disk as Disk 2.
Under Partitions, make sure the XP partition is set Active and all three of the Vista partitions are set Hidden.
For EACH of the Vista menu entries, right-click on them, select Properties and, under the Partitions section, make sure the XP partition is set Hidden.


You should now be able to boot into any of the three Vista installations or your XP installation.

[surfherby]

Great stuff !:thumb:
Thank you very much for this excellent procedure. I think, I will have some time at the weekend, to test your procedure. I will come back next week and will let you know what happened.::)

[surfherby]

Hello,
I did it, in the way, you described, Step by Step.- But it did not work.
OS Selector works. I see all Vista partitionen. Each Vista partition is activ as Drive C and the other are hidden.
When OS Selector comes up and I select the first Vista - it works!
When OS Selector comes up and I select the second or the third Vista, Vista boots, but after a time it reboots by hisself.
Up now I didn`t try to install Vista Three times, I did it in your way with images taken by TI 11 home.
Some idea ?

[MudCrab]

Can you attach the BOOTWIZ.OSS file to a post? It will be in the BOOTWIZ folder on the OSS partition. Copy it and rename the copy to BOOTWIZ.TXT and attach it. I'll look at it and see if I notice anything wrong.

[surfherby]

Hello,
no problem - thank you for help :-*
See attached file for information.
Did you see the file- sorry I did not know -I see no Attachemend- please reply if not.

[MudCrab]

When you reply (or edit your previous post), click the Go Advanced button, then click the Manage Attachments button at the bottom to upload your BOOTWIZ.TXT file.

[surfherby]

Hello,
OK -lets see again.

[MudCrab]

I don't see anything really wrong with the BOOTWIZ file. However, the 2nd and 3rd Vista entries have settings for the second hard drive and Vista 1 doesn't.

Have you tried disconnecting the second hard drive and booting into Vista2 and Vista3?

At what stage is it rebooting? "After a time" isn't very precise.

[surfherby]

Hello,
I change by hardware my HDD (connection from Motherboard to HDD) not by Bios. So when I work mit the viata partitions only this HDD is connected. For making my images I connect my USB HDD, maybe this is the entry ?

When second or third vista boots:
- short time black screen with some text 1sec
- short time again black screen with something in it 1 sec.
- bottom of the sreen this pending logo that come up by normal boot
- Then black screen and beboot (after 5-10 sec) without any message ( vista does not come to that point you can see this round vista logo.
- By the next start I get this menü how I wnat to start ( normal or other choices.

[MudCrab]

So you only have one internal hard drive?

You might try this:
Boot to your TI CD and restore the Vista image to the Vista2 partition. After the restore, disconnect the USB drive (I assume that's where the image is) and reboot to OSS. Make sure all the settings are still correct for each Vista entry (correct partition Active, other Vista partitions Hidden) and try and boot into Vista2. In other words, make sure that the ONLY hard drive connected is the one with Vista installed when you boot it for the first time.

If this works, then do the same with Vista3.

If it doesn't work, then we can try something else.

[surfherby]

Hello,
sorry - I tried - but the same - it doesn`t work.
Attached the new bootwiz file.

In OSS vista2 has now not a startflag - it shows a vista icon.

[MudCrab]

The BOOTWIZ file still doesn't seem wrong.

Can you try it without OSS and see if Vista will boot correctly from all three?


Restore your previous Entire Disk Image backup (Vista1 and OSS partition).
Either boot into Vista or to the DD CD and Uninstall OSS (select Vista1 as the default OS).
Make sure Vista boots automatically and correctly after OSS is uninstalled.
Boot to the TI CD and Restore the Vista1 image to the Vista2 partition (just create in unallocacted space).
Restore the Vista1 image to the Vista3 partition (create in the remaining unallocated space).
DO NOT BOOT INTO ANY VISTA AT THIS POINT
Unplug USB drive.
Boot to the DD CD and start DD in Manual Mode.
Hide the OSS partition.

Test EACH Vista to see if it will boot correctly. For each, do the following:

Set the Vista partition.
Set both the other Vista partitions Hidden.
Apply changes.
Remove the DD CD and reboot.
Each Vista should boot into its own partition. Check Disk Management and make sure each is booting from the correct partition and the others are not assigned drive letters, etc. You may also want to give them different Labels, desktop backgrounds, etc. to tell them apart.

Once you test this, we'll know if OSS is causing problems or if it's Vista.

[surfherby]

Hello,
IN Germany now it is time to go to bed(nearly 12.00 a clock). I try it tommorow and will come back. Thanks for your help - nice to work arround with you.

[surfherby]

Hello,
following your prozedure,it is the same as before.
-Vista1 OK , Vista2+3 reboots.

May be TI 11 home is not good for this ? Should I try to install Vista2+3 from Vista DVD? Or is it possible to edit vista in order it starts correct ?

What do you think?

[MudCrab]

I've done this setup before with TI 11 and it worked okay, but it was with 32bit Vista and the 8,053 build of TI 11. Have you checked for a newer build?

------

Try doing the installations separately and see if they boot correctly.


Leave Vista1 as it works okay.
Use DD to set Vista2 Active and Hide Vista1 and Vista3 and the OSS partition.
Then boot from the Vista DVD and install to the Vista2 partition.
After installation is complete, make sure it boots properly.
Then boot to DD and change Vista1 Active and Hide Vista2.
See if Vista1 still boots properly.
Then boot to DD and change Vista2 Active and Hide Vista1 (swap back).
See if Vista2 still boots properly.
If it does, then proceed to install Vista3.
Boot to DD, set Vista3 Active, Hide Vista1, Vista2, OSS.
Install Vista to Vista3 partition.
Use DD to change between them, setting the one you want to boot Active and hiding all the others.

If this works okay, then you can try and install OSS as follows:

First, make a backup image so you don't have to start over.
Boot to TI and create a backup image of the Entire Disk (check the Disk # checkbox). This will save all three Vista installations and the OSS partition.
Once the backup is complete, boot to DD and set the OSS partition Active, unhide all the Vista partitions so that no partitions are hidden.
Reboot to the DD CD and install OSS, select Custom and install to the OSS partition.
See if it finds all three Vista installations.
If it does, check that the properties are correct for each (correct Vista partition Active, other Vista partitions Hidden) and see if you can successfully boot between them.

[surfherby]

I upgrade my TI 11 to build 8.053.
- Try the procedure again with this build- but it is still the same (Vista1 OK, Vista2+3 reboots).
- Download the Trial Version of TI (it is build 8.065) same ****.

-Try your last procedure:

Try doing the installations separately and see if they boot correctly.
Leave Vista1 as it works okay.
Use DD to set Vista2 Active and Hide Vista1 and Vista3 and the OSS partition.
Then boot from the Vista DVD and install to the Vista2 partition.
By the point I can choise on which partition I want to install- I can see each partition( But Step before I have hidden all the other,-so is this right?)

Up to here- installation of Vista2 is nearly complete,I can see Wellcome but then it shuts down, Vista2 boots (I think it is the last boot from the system in order to complete the whole installation), Vista2 does not come up, same **** as before- reboots all the time.:thumbd:
I stopped here.:wacko:

[MudCrab]

I assume you had only the Vista hard drive connected when you tried this.

Since you are getting the same problem, I don't think it's being caused by OSS or TI.

When you installed Vista2, have you tried letting Vista format the Vista2 partition prior to installation? This is on the screen where you select the partition (I think you click Advanced Options to make it show up). Just select the partition and then Format and then proceed with the installaton.

Another thing you could try would be to clear the drive of all partitions. Then Create the Vista1, Vista2, Vista3 and OSS partitions. Then set Vista2 partition Active and all the others Hidden. Then install Vista2 to the Vista2 partition (let Vista format it).

[surfherby]

I assume you had only the Vista hard drive connected when you tried this. --Yes
When you installed Vista2, have you tried letting Vista format the Vista2 partition prior to installation? This is on the screen where you select the partition (I think you click Advanced Options to make it show up). Just select the partition and then Format and then proceed with the installaton.. I did not but now I have done this - but still the same fault.
Another thing you could try would be to clear the drive of all partitions. I uninstalled OSS.Then Create the Vista1, Vista2, Vista3 and OSS partitions. Then set Vista2 partition Active and all the others Hidden. Then install Vista2 to the Vista2 partition (let Vista format it). I did in that way.
Result:
- Vista2 installation OK- it boots without any fault
- Then I hide Partition Vista2,Vista3 and OSS. Make Vista1 aktiv and unhide.
- Make on Vista1 the vista installation.
- Installation finished and boots very well.
- Hide Vista1 and unhide Vista2 and set to aktiv.
- Vista2 starts but now I get in the same trouble- It still reboots all the time.

any idea to this?

[MudCrab]

I just ran into a rebooting problem that sounds just like what you're getting.

The problem in my case was that Vista was still booting from the original BCD file on the original partition and not the correct partition (even though that partition was hidden).

In other words, when you try and boot Vista2 (which is Active and Unhidden), Vista2 is trying to boot the BCD file from the Hidden Vista1 partition. This causes Vista to reboot just after the scrolling green bar screen.

I have not yet figured out a good way to break the connection. It appears to be a Vista problem because it happens on clean installs and not just TI restores.

See the BCD is Always Open on this page (http://www.multibooters.co.uk/bootmgr.html). Also this page (http://www.multibooters.co.uk/cloning.html) on Vista Cloning.

I could suggest that you verify that Vista2's OSS entry settings are correct (Vista2 Active, all other partitions Hidden). Then try and boot into Vista2. Wait for it to reboot and once back at the OSS menu, insert the Vista DVD and reboot. Don't boot the Vista DVD from the OSS menu. Instead, press Ctrl-Alt-Del or reset the computer. When prompted, press a key to boot from the DVD and then select to Repair Vista. If it can automatically detect and fix the problem, try that first. Otherwise, try skipping the Auto-Repair and try the Boot Repair on the next screen. This may get the BCD file connected to the correct partition, assuming that is what's causing the problem.

[surfherby]

Hello,
here some results of my work arround:
Then try and boot into Vista2. Wait for it to reboot and once back at the OSS menu, insert the Vista DVD and reboot. Don't boot the Vista DVD from the OSS menu. Instead, press Ctrl-Alt-Del or reset the computer. When prompted, press a key to boot from the DVD and then select to Repair Vista. If it can automatically detect and fix the problem, try that first. Does not fix the problem.
Otherwise, try skipping the Auto-Repair and try the Boot Repair on the next screen. This may get the BCD file connected to the correct partition, assuming that is what's causing the problem.-Also does not fix the problem.

- I think you are right - this does not work with Vista X64 !
- I get a very good price for Vista X86, so I buy it.

- I try your procedure from 11th December and it works !!
- Now I have 3 Times Vista on one Drive
- on the other drive I have Vista and XP and Data. Vista is the first partition, XP the second.Clone Vista with an Image from Vista1,2,or 3 does not work. I installed Vista by DVD.
- This drive is the second drive, if I connect only this drive, hide Xp set Vista activ- vista boots.
- if I connect the Drive as the second drive, OSS takes care of Vista and XP on the second drive. But now only XP starts correct. Vista does not start(only black screen).Vista1,2,and3 on the First Drive starts correct.
- all entries in OSS are correct-I think.

May be this is a problem of OSS, because it has problem with the second Drive to hide all correct. Example: ON Vista1,2,3,XP I hide Vista(second drive), but after booting of one of these partitions you can see Vista(sec.drive) in the Explorer.
Any idea?

[MudCrab]

For any OS's installed on the second hard drive, make sure that the properties for that OS entry in OSS has the Disk Order set correctly. The second hard drive needs to be first in the Disk Order list. Keep all the other partitions hidden on the first boot of each new OS.

Any hidden partitions should show up in Vista's Disk Management, but they shouldn't be in Explorer. If all the settings are correct, then use Disk Management to unassign a drive letter so the partition doesn't show in Explorer.

[surfherby]

Thats not the problem- it doesen`t matter if I can see the hidden partition in the explorer. But why can I - if OSS works correct ?
My problem is that Vista on the sec. drive does not start. In OSS I set Drive 2 for the first boot order. All others partitions are hidden.
Try to make this to first drive and the other vista1,2,and3 to the sec drive does also not work, because OSS has to be on the first bootdrive, I think.

[MudCrab]

OSS has to be on the MBR of hard drive set to boot in the computer's BIOS (the actual OSS files, the BOOTWIZ folder, can be on any hard drive). Once OSS is loaded and the Disk Order is changed by any OS Properties settings, it doesn't matter.

After you've tried to boot into the Vista on the second hard drive (with that drive first in the Disk Order and all the other partitions hidden), have you tried booting from the Vista DVD and doing a repair?

[surfherby]

Yes I did - without success.

[MudCrab]

If you care to attach your BOOTWIZ.OSS file to a post again, I'll look at it and see if anything looks wrong.

[surfherby]

Hi Mud,
I think I will break at this point- Results with your help are great and even enough for me:
- I have 3 times vista on the first drive
- one XP and data at the second drive
- each partition can be restored (I try it) with an image.

Every think works fine.
At this point again: thank you for your great help - I learned a lot about TI and Bootmanager -maybe some time met you again here.
I wish you and all other, who will read this, a happy new year 2008!:thumb: