So you want to use Vista and another OS on your computer at the same time
If you're using Vista and install another Vista, the most recently installed Vista will just add itself to the top of the list and make itself the new default. If you're installing XP, note that Vista doesn't use ntdlr.exe and boot.ini (like XP); rather, Microsoft has moved on to bootmgr.exe and storing the boot parameters (e.g. list of OS options, default OS, and timeout for displaying list) in NVRAM. So how to get to it? Use the built-in command line program "bcdedit.exe" (Boot Configuration Data EDITor).
So probably best to install Vista first and then boot to your Windows XP cdrom and install that, which will break your Vista boot loader, but don't sweat, you can run a command to fix it and then another set of commands to add XP as an entry into Vista's boot loader:
Go to the Start button, and Run..., and type "cmd" and hit Enter and then run the following commands:
- c: (assuming Vista on drive C: and XP on drive D: or whatever)
- \boot\fixntfs /lh (note: if this command doesn't work, click here
- cd\windows\system32
- bcdedit /? command (to get help on any bcdedit sub-command, where "bcdedit /?" will give you the list; e.g. "bcdedit /? /export"; good if you would like to undo any oops with the "/import" tag)
- bcdedit /create {legacy} /d "Windows XP"
- bcdedit /set {legacy} device boot
- bcdedit /set {legacy} path \ntldr
- bcdedit /displayorder {legacy} /addlast (if you want to add "Windows XP" to the bottom of the boot list; i.e. optional)
- bcdedit /default {legacy} (if you want to make "Windows XP" the default entry; i.e. optional)
- bcdedit /timeout 30 (if you want set the time to wait (in seconds) to 30, before the boot manager selects the default entry; i.e. optional)
- bcdedit (to display the current data (e.g. Identifier (a.k.a. GUID), Device (a.k.a. drive or partition), Path, and Description))
Also note, you can copy bootsect.exe from the boot folder of your Vista DVD to your windows XP Windows\system32 folder (e.g. "copy e:\boot\bootsect.exe d:\windows\system32") and then run
bootsect /NT60 ALL to pull all Windows operating systems into the Windows Vista boot menu (or something more like
bootsect /NT60 d: to add whatever is on the D: drive).
From (failed STEP 2) above, what if you don't have fixntfs command (to repair the damage done by XP to Vista's ability to boot)? Just boot to the Vista DVD and in the "repair options", pick "Command Prompt" and run the following:
- bootrec.exe /fixmbr
- bootrec.exe /fixboot
- bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd (if you would like to rebuild the BCD data from scratch; i.e. optional)
note, you can also just "repair Vista" and not have to go through the above three commands
EasyBCD also has options to perform each of these steps from within Windows. After installing EasyBCD (you can also get it from download.com, you can rewrite the MBR and the bootsector simultaneously by using the "Manage Bootloader | Reinstall Vista Bootloader" option. EasyBCD can also rebuild the BCD store and the entries in it (while EasyBCD is running from within both Windows Vista and other versions of Windows) from the "Diagnostics | Reset BCD Data" setting.