Windows 7 [Problem] Windows 7 and Windows XP Dual Boot Error

Fishbowl444

New Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Well to start off, my father is no idiot when it comes to computers, but this is no error we could not fix...

My Story: (Pre-Windows 7)

It started off when my little brother had installed an Ubuntu downloader the Windows XP called Wubi. The installer basically sets up a dual boot with Windows XP and Ubuntu. Everything went smoothly but every time I would start up Ubuntu, it would give me a couple weird error like messages then try a different terminal command. (Repeated several times) Then loaded some setup and Ubuntu would further run smoothly.

Installing Windows 7

I decided to try Windows 7 out, so my dad had prepared a partition for Windows 7 and installed it using a CD installer. It worked, but then I could not run Windows XP. Therefore, I could not edit the partition or uninstall Wubi (Ubuntu). My dad and little brother tried everything they could possibly do to recover the rest of my files (most of my files are on a flash drive) but with no luck. Yes, even tried to use the Windows XP repair disk and search for the files through Ubuntu.

Erased the Hard-drive

With nowhere else to turn, my dad erased the hard-drive and started me up with windows 7. After testing thoroughly, I realized a game I absolutely love (The Sims 2 with a whole 7 expansion packs) will work only with a DirectX 9.0c compatible drive (I had DirectX 11 on Windows 7 and it worked on XP as well).

Windows 7 and Windows XP Dual Boot

The final decision was to set up a partition and install Windows XP (Service Pack 3). Once Windows XP was installed on the right partition, it reboot of course, then the computer refused to show the boot menu. It literally shows:
Code:
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This bothers me. I can not boot on XP or 7. I tried to repair the Windows XP partition, even tried to install it on top of the Windows XP partition, even tried to boot with multiple computer boot things I found in the computer's stat up, but still nothing.

What I was thinking, was that we just Wipe the hard drive and start over with Windows XP, but my dad thinks it can't be done. He thinks that the Windows XP boot manager is not compatible with the Windows 7 one...

Any help is appreciated.
 
do this: 1. do a one pass 0 on the HDD, (or a DOD sweep)
2. download GRUB bootloader If you are trying to dual boot XP and 7, you'll need it. also, GRUB is built by GNU, so you won't have any probs with Ubuntu.
3. get rid of Wubi, just get the hardy heron image from ubuntu.com and google "install ubuntu from usb". We had another guy with xp/7 dual boot probs and GRUB solved it
 
It sounds real interesting, but I went through and got rid of everything. I know am on my computer as a Windows XP user again... If I use PartitionMAGIC to make a partition on my computer, will I be able to use a dual boot with Windows 7? I do not want a repeat of what happened when I tried this vice versa...

1. I don't know what you mean...
2. I could not download anything on this computer.
3. I already did long ago on the sweep of my hard drive.
I cleaned it, then ran only Windows 7, then tried to get
a dual boot with the Windows 7 Partition Manager...
 
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....

I kinda need to know if I can install Windows 7 or not... ^^

Anyone who might not understand me now, refer to the third post...
 
okay... DO THE FORMAT.. now, not in the past. now. then install XP as you normally would... then insert the win 7 disk and reboot. just install it and let it figure out the partition... then go into whichever one will boot and install GRUB... like i said, google the issue as well and you will find easy ways of doing it...

yes you can install windows 7
 
The reason you couldn't choose between Windows XP and Windows 7 is because you installed 7 first than XP. You need to install old to new.. Since you said you want to dual boot I'm assuming you don't want Ubuntu on the computer... So my suggestion would be to do this: Do a complete erase again. Start fresh... Create 2 partitions (3 if you want to install Ubuntu as well) then install each OS in the following order.. 1st, Windows XP, 2nd Windows 7 and 3rd (If you want it as well) Ubuntu.. As long as you install in the proper order, the boot manager will configure itself... ;) If you don't want Ubuntu on it than simply don't install it. If you do than as previously posted, you can download the whole Ubuntu OS from ubuntu.com.. but it takes a bit of know how to burn the image and such... so for now I'd worry more about installing XP and 7.. ;)

So long story short, YES you can Dual boot with Windows XP and Windows 7.. simply make sure you install them in the right order. Which as I said above is 1st Windows XP than 2nd Windows 7.. :)

Hope this clears things up a bit.. Let me know how ya make out..

*Forget about the GRUB stuff some people were talking about for now, you DON'T need it to dual boot XP and 7*
 
Hi there
This will fix it for you (it won't delete the operating systems) but after this you'll be able to boot the default OS whether it was Windows 7 or XP.

1) Insert your Windows XP install Disk. ( a Vista one might do otherwise but there's a default admin password on it usually which I can't remember).

2) Boot from the CD and choose the Repair with the recovery console t might ask you for a password - use your logon windows XP password. -- If you also get a prompt "Which Windows do you want to repair" choose the Windows XP one.

3) when the system boots into command mode type FIXMBR

Now you should be able to boot whatever was the Primary Windows system.

To enable dual booting again you'll have re-install the other OS'es.

If your primary OS is still broken an install / image recovery should work.

What the command has done here is repair your Master Boot Record (MBR) on track zero of the primary hard disk. If this gets broken you are really up that well known street without a paddle. This command resets and repairs it.

Once you are up and running you can delete the Ubuntu partitions either in Windows control panel==>adminitrative tools==>storage management. The Linux partitions will be shown as type unknown or download the GPARTED Livecd, boot from that and delete the partitions.

Cheers

jimbo
 
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The reason you couldn't choose between Windows XP and Windows 7 is because you installed 7 first than XP. You need to install old to new.. Since you said you want to dual boot I'm assuming you don't want Ubuntu on the computer... So my suggestion would be to do this: Do a complete erase again. Start fresh... Create 2 partitions (3 if you want to install Ubuntu as well) then install each OS in the following order.. 1st, Windows XP, 2nd Windows 7 and 3rd (If you want it as well) Ubuntu.. As long as you install in the proper order, the boot manager will configure itself... ;) If you don't want Ubuntu on it than simply don't install it. If you do than as previously posted, you can download the whole Ubuntu OS from ubuntu.com.. but it takes a bit of know how to burn the image and such... so for now I'd worry more about installing XP and 7.. ;)

So long story short, YES you can Dual boot with Windows XP and Windows 7.. simply make sure you install them in the right order. Which as I said above is 1st Windows XP than 2nd Windows 7.. :)

Hope this clears things up a bit.. Let me know how ya make out..

*Forget about the GRUB stuff some people were talking about for now, you DON'T need it to dual boot XP and 7*

Thanks! Ya, you could really explain it a lot better XD
I just needed that knowledge.
Thanks for the concern everyone! ^_^
 
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