Windows 7 64 / Vista 32 Dual Boot issue

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum and I am having an issue with dual booting Windows 7 64 and Vista 32. Here's the story, I had Windows 7 64 bit installed and needed to install Vista 32 to use some programs/hardware. I created a 20GB partition on my HHD using Acronis Disk Director. Then I installed Vista 32 Business onto the 20GB partition. Upon completing the install of Vista I rebooted the machine back into Windows 7. The weird thing is whenever I boot into Vista then reboot and try to boot into Windows 7 it says starting windows and the little animation happens then instead of loading the Windows 7 OS it just shows a blank screen. I saved a system restore point in Windows 7 and I can boot into windows 7 via safe mode to restore it. When I restore it it boots into windows 7 fine but the same thing happens if I try to boot into Vista then reboot and try Windows 7. I ran startup repair off the windows 7 disc today but that didn't help. I'm so confused!?! Please help?

Thanks,

Laptop I'm using is an ASUS G50-VT

Reply: Maybe you can install Vista 32 bit first, then install Win7 64, for Windows Vista 32 bit is created before Win7, thanks!

Welcome to the forums Zerokool.

It might be a problem with how Acronis set up the partitions. I have to agree with Windygao on this one. If you want to dual-boot Vista and Windows 7, I recommend starting the installation from inside Windows Vista. During the install it will give you the options to install into a different part of the disk, and it will configure it's own bootmanager to include Vista as a bootup option.

It's best to avoid 3rd party partition programs as Vista and Windows 7 are intelligent enough to not overwrite other detected Windows installs if you don't install ontop of them. I can't begin to count how many people end up with odd or unusual issues with one of the two OS's after using a 3rd party partition manager.

Have you tried the repair disk you can make in win7 64bit?..make this up and run at bootup this will repair any issues and institute the dual boot.. or you can run your install disk for Vista at bootup and click on "repair" instead of "install" when that comes up this will do much the same thing repair any startup problems and institute the dual boot manager.. have used this procedure myself several time so I know it works..goo luck

Quote:

Originally Posted by windygao Reply: Maybe you can install Vista 32 bit first, then install Win7 64, for Windows Vista 32 bit is created before Win7, thanks!

Welcome to the site windygao

ronpeck, I think zerokool tried the Winows 7 Repair Tool