Dual boot XP WIN 2000 problem

[stilllwaiting]

Hi,
I'm trying to setup my system to dual boot Win XP and Win 2000 for testing purposes on a particular project I'm working on.

I've set up a dual boot system multiple times in the past with no problem, but for some reason, this one's giving me trouble.

I followed all the rules, I created a partition each for two separate hard drives. I formatted both with NTFS. Installed Win 2000 Pro first, configured it, then installed Win XP on the other hard drive.

Now, when I try to boot, XP comes up fine and dandy, but when I try to boot 2000, I get a long error message, the core of which seems to be:

Could not read from selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware.

When I boot using the XP cd and use the recovery console it asks me which OS I want to boot to, and lets me log into either, so the 2000 system is out there and it's working, it just won't boot.

My boot.ini file reads as follows:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

Which is how I've always had it set up before for a dual boot system, so I'm completely baffled.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what I might be doing wrong?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

[linney]

Also look at the FixMbr command in Recovery Console (ignore any warning message) and see if that helps.

266745 - Error Message When You Run fixmbr Command

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;266745&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

And running ChkDsk /r from the Recovery Console fixes a multitude of hard drive problems.


If they don't help try replacing the Boot loading files on your C: drive (2000 install) with Ntldr and NtDetect.com from the XP CD. From your Boot.ini file, that also appears to be an older version, either 2000 or XP SP1 or earlier.

Running Bootcfg from the Recovery Console will give you the correct version of a Boot.ini file.

The bootcfg /rebuild command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows NT, Windows 2000, or Windows XP installations, and then displays the results. You can add the detected Windows installations.

A Discussion About the Bootcfg Command and Its Uses

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q291/9/80.asp

 

[wolluf]

Hopefully's linney's tips will sort you, but if still a problem, just to see if its to do with the hard drive, create a boot floppy, by copying the files ntldr, ntdetect.com & boot.ini to a newly formatted floppy. Now boot from that floppy - select the 2k installation and see if it boots or not.

PS. One thing I notice that is odd (from boot.ini) - XP is on first disk, 2k on the second - but you installed them the other way round. Have you left something out about the way you set them up?

 

[stilllwaiting]

Thanks for all the suggestions Linney and wolluf. Very helpful.

Seem to have gotten it sorted out.

Not sure which fixed it, but in case anyone else is having a similar problem, I used the recovery tools to run the following.

Per Linney's suggestion:

ChkDsk /r
Fixmbr

and for good measure, I threw in
Fixboot

Then, I went into bios and ran autodetect once more, just to make sure it was reading all the drives correctly and saved.

Wooluf:
In answer to your question. I know that when you install the newer version it usually makes itself the default. I don't know if it moves it to the top of the list or not.

It's possible that I bumped it up in my many attempts to get it working before posting for help. I just don't remember, to be honest.

But all seems to be working now.

Thanks again for all the help.