Windows 7 Refuses to boot without disc in tray.

[TintCleastwood]

I've never had this problem before, and as they've done away with boot.ini I'm not sure how to approach it.

In BIOS the order was CD>Hard Disk>etc as I installed it. Then after the first reboot I changed it to Hard Disk>CD>etc, and removed the install disc. Saved settings, reboot, post, and then an error, basically a NTLDR missing but I forgot to write down the exact wording. I insert the install CD again, change boot order, and it works fine.

I went ahead and installed XP into another partition on the same drive in an effort to get a boot.ini to play with. And while that gives me a OS selection (I changed the names to something unique to be sure it wasn't win7's boot loader) I still need to have the disk in the tray to get to that screen. The same error if it is out or boot order reversed.

Windows 7 is on partition 1, XP is on partition 2. I've done some looking about and come across bcdedit, but I have no idea how to work it. I'll reboot here in a few minutes and edit in the actual error.

EDIT: I notice now that the boot manager several times refers to partition=X:, I do have a drive labeled X: but I have been using it for photoshop swap files etc. I'm going to try and figure out how to edit that I suppose.

EDIT 2: Nevermind, I give up. Currently reformatting and installing XP first, then 7.

Thanks

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you encountered issues with the boot order and boot manager configuration when attempting to dual boot Windows XP and Windows 7. Here's a breakdown of the key points from your experience:

1. Boot.ini Replacement: In modern versions of Windows (like Windows 7 and later), the traditional Boot.ini file used in Windows XP has been replaced by a newer boot configuration system that involves the BCD (Boot Configuration Data).

2. NTLDR Missing Error: The error you encountered, "NTLDR missing," typically indicates a problem with the boot loader configuration.

3. Boot Order Adjustments: Changing the boot order in BIOS can affect which drive the system boots from initially, leading to issues if not set correctly.

4. Boot Manager Configuration: The boot manager (BCD) references specific partition drive letters for booting, which can cause problems if not configured properly.

5. Dual Boot Troubleshooting: When setting up a dual boot configuration, it's essential to ensure that each operating system has its own partition and that the boot manager (BCD) is correctly configured to handle the dual boot process.

6. BCDEdit Utility: BCDEdit is a command-line tool for managing the BCD store. It can be used to view and configure BCD entries.

7. Reformatting and Reinstalling: If encountering persistent issues with the dual boot setup, a clean reinstallation of both Windows XP and Windows 7 can sometimes be a simpler solution.

If you encounter similar circumstances in the future and wish to troubleshoot the dual boot configuration, you can consider the following steps:

• Ensure each operating system is installed on a separate partition.
• Use BCDEdit to view and modify BCD entries, ensuring they point to the correct partitions.
• Verify the boot order in BIOS to ensure the correct drive is set to boot first.
• Test the configuration by booting into each operating system independently to ensure they function as expected.

If you need assistance with a particular aspect of dual boot configuration or encounter specific errors during setup, feel free to ask for more detailed guidance!