Dual Boot Win 7 and XP?

[target_locked]

Hi there,

My computer have 4 partitions: P1 about 100 MB for Win 7 manager!, P2 contain Win 7, P3 free (primary), P4 free (primary).
I have Win 7 already installed on my computer. When booted into Win 7 I can see Drive C (OS), D(free) and E (free).

I have a ghost image of Win XP (originally installed at Drive C).
Now I want to ghost this GHO image to P3 and dual boot Win 7 and Win XP. When booting into Win7 (P2) it will not see P3(XP) and when booting into XP (P3) it will not see P2 (W7). I want those non boot partitions are hidden (not cleared).

What is the detail step by step for Plop?

Thanks in advance.

[target_locked]

What I tried:
Current satte (before make changes)

P1: (Win 7 boot loader) Hidden, Active
P2: Win 7
P3: Normal
P4: Normal
With above settings, Win 7 boot normally.

Now I make changes:
Restore Win XP Gho image to P3.
Use a partition manager software, set P1 hidden, P2 hidden, P3 active.
Reboot
>> Computer stop at error "Missing OS"

What is wrong?

[Elmar]

Can you make a photo with a smartphone when the missing os text is on your screen?

[target_locked]

Hi Elmar,
The msg is same as this:

[Elmar]

Are you using a boot manager or just a standard MBR?

[target_locked]

I tried with Plop but failed.
So I think I should try with normal MBR, if successful I will convert to Plop.

[Elmar]

It look like that either system on your 3rd partition has't been restored correctly, or the boot flag in the MBR is not set to partition 3.

[target_locked]

I tried 2 or 3 times already but can never get XP to boot from P3.

Here is another try that prove XP Ghost image is good:
I restore Win XP Ghost image to P2 (overwrite Win 7), after complete, I set P1 to hidden, P2(now XP) to Active. I can boot into Win XP from P2.

[Elmar]

I don't know what happens when you restore to P3. Maybe the MBR entry for P3 is wrong. Maybe the boot sector is not restored correctly. I assume, you updated the boot.ini correct for the partition, but the error message would be different when the boot.ini is wrong. I am not in front of your computer.

[target_locked]

Another failure to boot Win 7 from P3:
P1 active
P2 Win XP, hidden
P3: Win 7.

Boot stop forever at Recovery prompt.

[Elmar]

Did you setup the Windows 7 boot manager to boot Win7 from partition 3?

[target_locked]

I don't expect to do that.

Now let's come back to my original case:

My computer have 4 partitions: P1 about 100 MB for Win 7 Boot loader!, P2 already installed Win 7, P3 free (primary), P4 free (primary).
The Windows drive is C.

Now I wisk to add Win XP to P3 for a dual boot Win 7 & Win XP. When booting into Windows each Windows have System drive C and will not see other's partition, they are hidden (not cleared).

What is the detail step by step for Plop?

In case I need to copy Win 7 from P2 to P3 to have dual boot Win 7 - Win 7, how to do?

[Elmar]

I am wondering that you ask. You already did similar 3 years ago https://forum.plop.at/index.php/topic,1480.msg6007.html#msg6007

[jan4]

I don't expect to do that.

Now let's come back to my original case:

My computer have 4 partitions: P1 about 100 MB for Win 7 Boot loader!, P2 already installed Win 7, P3 free (primary), P4 free (primary).
The Windows drive is C.

Now I wisk to add Win XP to P3 for a dual boot Win 7 & Win XP. When booting into Windows each Windows have System drive C and will not see other's partition, they are hidden (not cleared).

What is the detail step by step for Plop?

In case I need to copy Win 7 from P2 to P3 to have dual boot Win 7 - Win 7, how to do?

I think your boot.ini is on XP on P3 is wrong !
No matter if you make partitions hidden Windows 2000 and after will see them (and count them).
So you must add one to be able to boot on P3 (or clear P2).
Hope this helps!   

[target_locked]

I am wondering that you ask. You already did similar 3 years ago https://forum.plop.at/index.php/topic,1480.msg6007.html#msg6007

I have no issue with dual boot XP-XP.

But with Win 7, there is an extra partinion called Bootloader that cause the issue.

[Elmar]

Then install Win7 without boot partition. You find tutorials in the web.

[target_locked]

What I tried:
Current satte (before make changes)

P1: (Win 7 boot loader) Hidden, Active
P2: Win 7
P3: Normal
P4: Normal
With above settings, Win 7 boot normally.

Now I make changes:
Restore Win XP Gho image to P3.
Use a partition manager software, set P1 hidden, P2 hidden, P3 active.
Reboot
>> Computer stop at error "Missing OS"

What is wrong?

I just found out how to restore XP to P3 and boot XP from there:
Could not explain why but here is solution:
Assume:
P1: (Win 7 boot loader) Hidden, Active
P2: Win 7
P3: Normal
P4: Normal
With above settings, Win 7 boot normally.

Now I install Plop (before restore XP), create a profile1 as follow:
Slot1: Clear
Slot2: Clear
Slot3: HDA3
Slot4: Don't touch

Boot computer using Profile1 so that Plop write necessary parttion data to MBR. This time the boot will fail because no XP restored yet.
Reboot and use Ghost to restore Gho image to P3.
Reboot computer using Profile1, Win Xp is there.

I don't like Clear partition because it may lead to mistake of unallocated area.
So I will try with Hidden partition instead of Cleared and will let you know.

[target_locked]

It looks like Win 7 Boot Loader partition always make noise. Setting it to hidden does not work so I have to set it CLEARED.
Here is profile to boot Win XP from P3 and hide Win 7 partition:
Slot1: Clear
Slot2: HDA2 hidden
Slot3: HDA3 (boot flag)
Slot4: Don't touch

And here is Profile to boot Win 7 from P2 and hide XP at P3:
Slot1: HDA1 (boot flag)
Slot2: HDA2
Slot3: HDA3 hidden
Slot4: Don't touch