Problem Dual Boot

Discussion in 'Acronis Disk Director Suite' started by rabadumpf, Jun 25, 2007.

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  1. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    My problem, I can´t dualboot:

    1) I install xp on partition 1 (=C). Then I make a image (acronis true image) from xp on another Disc. Then i format C.
    2) Then I install vista on partition 1 (=C).
    3) I restore xp on partition 2 (=E).
    4) I restore vista on partition 1 (=C).
    4) I install acronis Disc director in vista.
    5) Now I can choose which os I will start.
    6) vista starts normally, xp starts but hangs.

    What can I do that xp starts normally too. What make i wrong?
    Thanks for answers.
    Rabadumpf
     
  2. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Assuming nothing else is wrong, you need to edit the XP boot.ini file to point to the second partition. Also you need to make sure that the Vista partition is hidden when booting XP (you will probably want to hide the XP partition from Vista too). XP is expecting to be on the first "visible" partition. If Vista is not hidden then Vista is the first visible partition, which will cause problems since XP is expecting to be the C: drive.

    So,
    #1 - Edit XP's boot.ini
    #2 - In XP's OSS menu properties, hide the Vista partition
    #3 - In Vista's OSS menu properties, hide the XP partition

    Code:
    [boot loader]
    timeout=30
    default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition([b][COLOR="Red"]2[/COLOR][/b])\WINDOWS
    [operating systems]
    multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition([b][COLOR="Red"]2[/COLOR][/b])\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
    Is this how you disk is partitioned?
    [Vista ??GB primary][XP ??GB primary]

    If not, and you still have problems, post back with your partition layout and a copy of your XP's boot.ini file.
     
  3. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    Thank you for your quick answer.
    1) How can i edit boot ini from xp? I can start only vista at this time, but not xp.
    2) How can i hidden the xp partition, with OS Selector?
    Thanks.

    Rabadumpf
     
  4. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Boot from the DD cd (or run Disk Director from the Tools menu when booted to the OSS menu), right-click on the XP partition and select Explore. Browse through the directory tree and find boot.ini (it's in the root folder). Right-click on it and select Edit. The file will open and you can make the changes.

    To hide the Vista partition from XP, boot into OSS and right-click on the XP menu entry. Select the Properties option. In the Partitions section find the Vista partition and check the "hide" checkbox. Then click OK to save the changes. If you want to hide the XP partition from Vista, then check the hide checkbox for the XP partition in Vista's Partitions properties.

    In the picture below, the Vista partition is hidden for my XP - Work OS.

    oss_hidepartition.JPG

    Normally, you'll want it setup this way:
    When Vista is booted, the Vista partition is marked active and the XP partition is marked hidden.
    When XP is booted, the XP partition is marked active and the Vista partition is marked hidden.
     
  5. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    Thanks for you.

    One Problem:
    Here is my original boot ini

    [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="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer

    when i change the boot ini how you tell me in post 2, xp dont start.

    Edit:
    In "DD-Properities XP" i see vista is (#1-2),
    in "DD Properities vista" xp is (#1-1),
    what means that and how must i change the boot ini? Is boot.ini in post 2 so ok?



    Thanks
    Rabadumpf
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2007
  6. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Can you post a screen shot of DD showing your partition layout?

    Or at least type in how the partitions are configured?
    [partition #1 - Vista][partition #2 - XP] for example

    You said your XP had a drive letter of E:
    Does it have that when booted into XP? It should show the XP drive as C:

    Is XP installed on the second partition or is it the third partition?
    [vista][data][XP]

    Also, in order for XP to boot, make sure the XP partition is not marked as hidden.
     
  7. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    Can you post a screen shot of DD showing your partition layout?

    I don´t know how i insert a picture in forum: but:
    In "DD-Properities XP" i see vista is (#1-2),
    in "DD Properities vista" xp is (#1-1),



    Or at least type in how the partitions are configured?
    [partition #1 - Vista][partition #2 - XP] for example



    You said your XP had a drive letter of E:
    Does it have that when booted into XP? It should show the XP drive as C:


    When i oben DD-properties xp, then i see, xp is c,



    Is XP installed on the second partition or is it the third partition?
    [vista][data][XP]


    xp is installed on second partion, vista on first, data on other disc

    Also, in order for XP to boot, make sure the XP partition is not marked as hidden.

    Yes xp partition ist not marked hidden

    thanks
     
  8. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Can you verify that for the XP menu entry, OSS has the XP partition marked as active and not hidden?
    oss_activepartition.JPG

    Also that for the XP menu entry, OSS has the Vista partition marked as hidden (as in the picture in post #4)?

    If XP is on the second partition then the boot.ini needs to be like the sample in post #2. Have you opened this file again to verify it was actually changed?

    Are you doing the DD procedures by booting from the DD cd (or starting DD from OSS) or are you doing it by running DD from Vista?
     
  9. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    Here is my kongiguration:
    What make i wrong, xp don´t start:




    And here is my boot ini in xp:
    [boot loader]
    timeout=30
    default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
    [operating systems]
    multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn


    Thanks for answer
    Rabadumpf
     

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  10. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    It looks like you have the Vista and XP partitions hidden from each other correctly.

    However, your XP boot.ini file was originally correct. You need to change it back to partition(1) (in both places). This is because even though XP is installed in the second partition, it is the first partition in the partition table (which is where Windows looks).

    After you fix the boot.ini file and try to boot into XP, where exactly does it stop responding?
    Do you get an error message?

    In OSS, in the properties for the XP menu entry, in the Boot Configuration section, is the "Write the boot sector" checkbox checked?
    oss_bootconfig.jpg

    In the Files section what does it show for your XP files?
    oss_xpfiles.jpg

    In the Disks section, is the XP drive listed first in the list of drives?
    oss_driveorder3.jpg
     
  11. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    OK, i have change boot ini in xp in:

    [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="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn


    then xp starts, but i hangs at the moment "Welcomescreen". Then i only only see a windowblue screen (not a user), no error message, nothing happen, then i must kill my pc to restart.

    xp drive ist the first in the list in picture 3 below.

    Here my other konfiguration:

    Thanks for help
     

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  12. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Since OSS is booting into XP, I think you have OSS setup correctly.

    Can you get XP to start in Safe Mode (press F8 to get the menu right after XP starts booting)?
    Maybe you could run chkdsk /f on it and see if there are any errors.

    If you can't get into Safe Mode using F8, you can edit the boot.ini file and force it by adding "/safeboot:minimal" to the Windows boot line:
    Code:
    multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn /safeboot:minimal
    After you're done, edit the file again and remove the "/safeboot" option so it boots normally.
     
  13. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    I can´t go in save modus. When the save modus starts, then the Windows xp screen is coming und then only blinking, only blinking.

    I try it with F6 and with the boot ini: both the same resultat.


    Is my partition damaged??
     
  14. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    It's possible, I suppose, that there may be bad sectors on the patition.

    You could restore the XP partition from your TI image and try again. Perhaps resize it a little smaller (just a few MB's).

    Check your OSS settings again after the restore and make sure they're still correct.
     
  15. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    I don´t now why xp starts in partition 2, but could not load the user spezific properities.

    It´s interesting, when i install vista in partiton 2 and xp in partition 1, then xp starts normally.
    Vista starts also in Partition 2, but vista also not find the user spezific things.

    Is it possible, that the problem is, that i can´t restore an os in partiton 2, when i make the original image from partition 1?

    thanks
     
  16. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    If the OS is XP then the boot.ini file needs to be edited when you move it to a different partition. Also, ALL partitions located on the drive BEFORE the XP partition MUST be HIDDEN. XP is expecting to be the FIRST visible partition.

    If the OS is Vista, you'll need to boot from the Vista DVD and do a repair if you move it to another partition (or even just move or resize, in some cases).

    ----

    What exactly do you mean by not finding "user specific properties" and "user specific things"?
     
  17. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    when os ist starting, then (in German word) "Benutzereinstellungen" will load. I don´t now the exact english word for that.

    So i descript it with my words "user specific properties" and "user specific things" (=benutzerdefinierte Einstellungen).

    And this not laod on partiton 2, not on xp and not on vista, ok? Do you know, what i means?
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2007
  18. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    In Post #10 :

    However, your XP boot.ini file was originally correct. You need to change it back to partition(1) (in both places). This is because even though XP is installed in the second partition, it is the first partition in the partition table (which is where Windows looks).



    How can i change the partition table?

    Thanks for answer
     
  19. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Here is an example of what I'm talking about. If you start DD (in Advanced Mode) and right-click on the Disk and select Advanced->Edit from the menu

    partition_order_1.jpg

    you will get the Disk Editor screen. Make sure you're viewing as the partition table.

    partition_order_2.jpg

    and DD will display the partitions in the following format at the bottom of the screen.

    partition_order_3.jpg

    And this is what DD shows for the partitions on the main screen:

    partition_order_4.jpg

    So in this case, the VISTA partition is #2, the GAMES partition is #3, the WORK partition is #1 and the TempExt3 partition is #4. This means that the boot.ini for the WORK partition is partition(1) even though it is physically the third partition on the drive. The boot.ini for the GAMES partition is partition(3) even though it is physically the second partition on the drive.

    ---

    I really doubt that this is what's causing you the problem. As far as I know, the only way to change the order is to delete all the partitions and recreate them in the correct order. (Or perhaps you could move them if you had enough unallocated space.)

    Can you post screenshots of your partition layouts like what I posted above?
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2007
  20. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    Here is mine:

    test11.jpg

    test10.jpg

    i start os with vista.
    What can you say?
    Thanks a lot.
     
  21. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    The C: drive partition in the picture is your Vista partition. Correct?

    If your XP image was restored to the other partition (the 135GB one), it should boot with the partition(1) settings in the boot.ini file.

    Do you care if you have to reinstall to get the partitions switched around?

    You could use DD to clear the drive (delete all the partitions). Wipe the beginning of the drive (start the wipe of the unallocated space and then cancel after 20 seconds). Use the Disk Editor to zero out the MBR. This will give you a clean drive to start with.

    Use DD to create a primary partition for Vista (97GB). Boot from the Vista DVD and install Vista (let Vista format the partition). Once Vista is installed and running, install DD and then OSS from Vista. OSS should detect Vista. Reboot and make sure Vista is in the OSS menu and boots into Vista.

    Boot back into OSS, select the Tools->Disk Director menu option to start DD. Create a primary partition for XP in the unallocated space. Exit DD back to the OSS menu. In Vista's OS properties, hide the newly created XP partition.

    Boot from the TI cd and restore your XP image to the new XP partition.
    Boot from the DD cd and edit the boot.ini file on the XP partition so the partition(#) entries are set to partition(2).

    Boot back to OSS and hopefully it will recognize XP and add a menu entry. In the XP menu properties, hide the Vista partition and make sure the XP partition is correctly marked as active.

    If you want to reinstall XP, the procedure is different.

    ----

    If you want to try and fix your current XP installation, you could try this:

    Make sure your CD boots BEFORE OSS otherwise OSS will override any changes made by DD.
    Boot to the DD cd and set the XP partition as active and the Vista partition as hidden. Then boot from the XP cd and do a repair install. Maybe it will straighten XP out.
     
  22. rabadumpf

    rabadumpf Registered Member

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    Thanks for answer.

    How can i zero out the mbr in disk editor?

    After this and after create partitions, can i restore the image from vista in one of the partition? (and in the other partition xp, you wrote)

    Or it is better to install vista completely new?

    When i restore vista, overwrite i the mbr?

    Lot of questions :).
    Thanks for answer
     
  23. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    See the post in this thread: OS SELECTOR **DO NOT DELETE**

    Yes, you can. I've done that before. Restore Vista first and get it booting (you may need to do a boot repair). Then you can setup OSS and continue with installing or restoring XP into another partition.

    If you're having problems with OSS and want a "clean" system to start with, then this is the best way to go. (I also suggest letting Vista format the partition as part of the installation. It seems to have less problems that way.) If OSS won't work after a clean install of VISTA, you probably won't get it to work at all.

    If you restore the entire drive, yes you can restore the "MBR and Track 0" also. You may still have to do a repair. If you setup your partitions ahead of time with DD (what I would recommend, in your case), just restore the Vista partition into the partition you've created for it.
     
  24. thecreator

    thecreator Registered Member

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    Hi MudCrab,

    After reformatting and reinstalling all my operating systems on my Hard Drives, I wanted to test out the Disk Director Suite's Boot Disk Manager.

    I had to restore the images made to the Hard Drives, because the Boot Manager, messes up the Hard Drives, if you have to uninstall the program and reinstall the program.

    Where Windows XP Home Edition control the Dual-booting on one Hard Drive between Windows ME and Windows XP, the Boot Manager boots Windows XP directly and Windows ME. it removes Windows XP ability to control the boot, if the program is ever uninstalled.

    You should have the option to allow the Boot Manager to control only which Hard Drives, one wants to boot. Acronis Boot Selector, boots the partition and not the Hard Drives.

    Just some food for thought.
     
  25. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Are you talking about uninstalling OSS and then reinstalling OSS? This has worked okay for me. It usually finds the previous installation and updates its files. OSS ususally works better if the OS's are installed one at a time with OSS being installed after the first one. Installing all the OS's and then installing OSS can lead to all sorts of problems (some of which can be fixed easily and some that can't be fixed at all).

    This is probably the case, but I have never tested OSS with WinME and XP. I do know that it will not separate XP and Vista once they get mingled. Most people who multi-boot prefer isolated OS installations. In those computers, this is not a problem because they were not setup with the Windows boot loader in the first place. That being said, it would be nice if OSS would restore the Windows boot loader upon being uninstalled (if that's how the orignial system was setup).

    OSS can control which Drive boots. You have to set the Disk order in the Disks section of the OS's properties. You can install OS's on separate hard drives this way, instead of all on one drive in different partitions. This is the same as using the computer's BIOS to select the booting drive, except OSS does it automatically.

    ---

    OSS can be VERY PROBLIMATIC to setup. I recommend creating a TI image backup of the drive (or use whatever backup program you want) BEFORE installing OSS. That way you can restore back to a working state if OSS wrecks your system. I have also done many tests with OSS and it has performed perfectly.

    Just to be fair... I recommend this as a precaution before installing ANY boot manager (BootIT NG, GRUB, OSL2000, etc.). There are just too many things that can go wrong and it's nice to be able to get back to the starting point in just a few minutes.
     
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