Some problems with OSS

I'll start by apologizing for duplicating an existing thread, but there's a pretty huge number of posts to read through and I'm not really sure what to search for, so...

My (new) laptop came pre-installed with Vista Ultimate-32, no setup DVD provided. Used DD10 to re-partition creating additional one for WinXP Pro. Installed OSS in Vista. Re-booted with WinXP and installed in second partition (drive E. Lost ability to boot Vista afterwards, but fixed that with borrowed Vista DVD. Now I get a Windows multi-boot selector but no OSS. Booted to Vista then re-installed OSS. Now both OSes appear in OSS and I can hide the XP partition from Vista but OSS will not allow me to hide Vista partition (drive C from XP. I'm afraid that Vista drive being visible poses all sorts of potential problems when working with XP (like OS and driver updates).

Lastly, even with OSS working, when I choose either XP or Vista in OSS I still get a Windows multi-boot menu before I can start either one

Any help would be appreciated.

 

The reason you can't hide the Vista partition from XP is that XP is booting from the Vista partition. That's also why you get the Windows multi-boot menu. The Vista partition should have been hidden before XP was installed.

It's kind of hard to "untangle" Windows after they get mixed like this.

If you don't mind reinstalling XP then you could try one of these procedures:

Procedure #1 -- Reinstall XP with OSS enabled
Uninstall OSS
Boot to DD and delete the XP partition
Boot from the Vista DVD and do a Repair
You should now boot directly into Vista with no menu since XP was removed
Reinstall OSS from Vista
Hopefully OSS finds Vista and puts it in the menu
Make sure OSS boots correctly into Vista
Boot to DD and recreate the XP partition
Boot back into OSS
In the Properties for the Vista menu item, make sure to Hide the XP partition
Then insert the XP cd
Right-click on the XP CD menu item and in the Properties select to Hide the Vista Partition and make the XP partition Active
Then boot the XP cd
Install XP to the XP partition (the Vista partition may still be shown, but the XP partition should be showing the C: drive letter if it's done correctly)
When XP install reboots, you may come back to the OSS menu or not. If you do, check the new XP menu entry and make sure the Vista partition is hidden and the XP partition is Active, then boot to it to continue with the installation. If the OSS menu doesn't come up, then after XP is installed, boot to the DD cd and reactivate OSS. It should find XP and add the menu entry for it. Check that the Vista partition is hidden and the XP partition is Active

Procedure #2 -- Install XP before reactivating OSS by doing the following:
Uninstall OSS
Boot to DD and delete the XP partition
Boot from the Vista DVD and do a Repair
You should now boot directly into Vista with no menu since XP was removed
Reinstall OSS from Vista
Hopefully OSS finds Vista and puts it in the menu
Make sure OSS boots correctly into Vista
Now deativate OSS (don't uninstall)
The computer should now boot directly to Vista
Boot to DD and recreate the XP partition
Set the Vista partition as hidden and the XP partition as active, apply the changes
Then insert the XP cd and reboot the computer
XP install should begin
Install XP to the XP partition (the Vista partition may still be shown, but the XP partition should be showing the C: drive letter if it's done correctly)
After XP is installed, boot to the DD cd and reactivate OSS. It should find XP and add the menu entry for it.
For the XP menu entry, check that the Vista partition is hidden and the XP partition is active.
For the Vista menu entry, check that the XP partition is hidden and the Vista partition is active.

 

Wow! Thanks VERY much for the in-depth reply. I'll be giving it a try this evening. Hopefully I'll report back that all is fine.

Again, thanks very much!