Lost Dual Boot would like it back...

[Crow T Robot]

I had a issue with my master boot record and needed to restore it via my
setup disk. Now my dual boot option is not working. Is there a way to
restore this through windows 7?

 

[Rich]

I had a issue with my master boot record and needed to restore it via my
setup disk. Now my dual boot option is not working. Is there a way to
restore this through windows 7?

A program called EasyBCD by NeoSmart Technologies allows manipulation &
repair of Windows 7 & Vista generation MBR's.

Rich

 

[Paul]

I had a issue with my master boot record and needed to restore it via my
setup disk. Now my dual boot option is not working. Is there a way to
restore this through windows 7?

Your disc has a repair option of some sort. (I.e. There may be
a semi-automated way to do this. Perhaps someone else knows
the details.) Using the command prompt, on the other hand, is
good if you know exactly what needs fixing.

I think bootsect.exe is the equivalent of fixmbr in WinXP. What
that does, is overwrite the executable code section of the 512
byte MBR area. The /nt60 option, puts a Windows 7 style
MBR in there.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749177(WS.10).aspx

http://www.ehow.com/how_4836283_repair-mbr-windows.html

There is also a thing called bootrec. You'll notice, this
is armed with a few more options.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

The bcdedit command is also a good one to know, but likely
a lot more complicated and requires more research. That's how
you fix up the boot menu (or back it up, in cases where
you're about to change something).

If you have another computer, you could also "explore" your
Windows 7 DVD, look for bootrec and bootsect, and in the
same directory, there might be other tools of interest in there.

Paul

 

[Tony]

If "boot magic" works with windows 7 download it from a warez site. The fosi
site used to have it.

I had a issue with my master boot record and needed to restore it via my
setup disk. Now my dual boot option is not working. Is there a way to
restore this through windows 7?

--
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UBB = User based bullFROGGING

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Using my technical prowess and computer abilities to answer questions beyond
the realm of understandability

Regards Tony... Making usenet better for everyone everyday

This sig file was compiled via my journeys through usenet

 

[Crow T Robot]

Would just reinstalling XP solve the problem? Does windows 7 a boot.ini
file or something along those lines. Back in the day I remember all you had
to do was put a few lines of code into one of the boot up ini files and
thing would work ok? Or I'm thinking of something else?? I did the
bootsect fix but probably overwrote/eliminated any hope of recovering my
original MBR. I'll look up the BCDedit command...

"Paul" wrote in message

I had a issue with my master boot record and needed to restore it via my
setup disk. Now my dual boot option is not working. Is there a way to
restore this through windows 7?

Your disc has a repair option of some sort. (I.e. There may be
a semi-automated way to do this. Perhaps someone else knows
the details.) Using the command prompt, on the other hand, is
good if you know exactly what needs fixing.

I think bootsect.exe is the equivalent of fixmbr in WinXP. What
that does, is overwrite the executable code section of the 512
byte MBR area. The /nt60 option, puts a Windows 7 style
MBR in there.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749177(WS.10).aspx

http://www.ehow.com/how_4836283_repair-mbr-windows.html

There is also a thing called bootrec. You'll notice, this
is armed with a few more options.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

The bcdedit command is also a good one to know, but likely
a lot more complicated and requires more research. That's how
you fix up the boot menu (or back it up, in cases where
you're about to change something).

If you have another computer, you could also "explore" your
Windows 7 DVD, look for bootrec and bootsect, and in the
same directory, there might be other tools of interest in there.

Paul

 

[Roy Smith]

Would just reinstalling XP solve the problem? Does windows 7 a boot.ini
file or something along those lines. Back in the day I remember all you
had to do was put a few lines of code into one of the boot up ini files
and thing would work ok? Or I'm thinking of something else?? I did the
bootsect fix but probably overwrote/eliminated any hope of recovering my
original MBR. I'll look up the BCDedit command...

No... how would XP know how to boot Win 7 when it didn't even exist when
WinXP was released? Microsoft changed how Windows boots when they
released Vista, and Win 7 uses that new boot method as well. Download
EasyBCD which will allow you to add your WinXP to the boot menu. You
can get it here:

http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1


--

Roy Smith
Windows XP Home
Thunderbird 3.1.10
Saturday, June 11, 2011 4:04:11 PM

 

[Paul]

Would just reinstalling XP solve the problem? Does windows 7 a boot.ini
file or something along those lines. Back in the day I remember all you
had to do was put a few lines of code into one of the boot up ini files
and thing would work ok? Or I'm thinking of something else?? I did the
bootsect fix but probably overwrote/eliminated any hope of recovering my
original MBR. I'll look up the BCDedit command...

I don't think you've done any permanent damage.

Try booting your Windows 7 DVD, and see if there is a repair option
there. (One that automatically tries bootsect or bootrec and so on.)

This is an example of that kind of advice. I would hope, at the
very least, this gets Windows 7 working. (Windows 8 and Vista are
similar designs, and both are based on BCD rather than boot.ini.)

http://forums.cnet.com/7723-19411_102-343514.html

"Insert your Vista DVD, restart your computer, and press any key to boot
from CD/DVD when prompted. Once the Windows Vista installer launches
proceed through the keyboard/language selection and, instead of clicking
Install Now, choose "Repair my Computer" from the bottom left corner.
Finally, choose the Startup Repair option and restart your computer once
it completes. That should automatically detect both operating systems
and reset the boot options."

For that to work, you should see a menu at some point, to select
the partition to fix. And the repair option, should only
list your Windows 7 partition at that time.

Windows 7 stores boot information in BCD, rather than boot.ini.
The tool BCDEDIT is used to make modifications, such as add
a second OS to the boot menu. A third party tool EasyBCD is also
available, and doesn't have quite the learning curve, of using
BCDEDIT.

If you install Windows XP, after Windows 7, the Windows XP installer
doesn't know what Windows 7 is. Windows XP cannot "add" Windows 7 to
its boot menu. So I don't see a positive result from that approach.

The closest to a "correct install order", would be Windows XP, followed
by Windows 7 as a dual boot. And then, the Windows 7 installer should
see the WinXP partition and add an entry for it. The MBR would contain
a Windows 7 chunk of code. The Windows 7 boot partition would be the
active one. And a Windows 7 boot loading sequence should take place,
until the boot menu can show up on the screen.

What I do here, is install one OS per disk and use two disks. Then,
I press F8 at power up, and use the BIOS popup boot menu, to select
the OS I want to use. The benefit of doing it that way, is I can
unplug either drive, and the OSes are independent of one another.
If you install two OSes on a single drive, and multi-boot, then
part of the fun is what happens if you remove one of the OSes. If
you remove the OS which is providing the boot menu, there might be
a bit more work to clean up afterwards. Of course, on your
typical laptop, you don't have the luxury of using an approach
like that. My laptop only has the one hard drive, and if I wanted
two OSes, is would be loads of "fun" setting it up.

Best guess,
Paul