Multiple Operating System on a computer

A

avocado

New Member
Hello everyone! ;)

I am a new member. I expect that joining the forum can improve my computer skills.

I have a question. Please help me answer it:

My computer is run by Windows XP. I want to use more Windows Server 2003 on the computer. I restored Windows Server 2003 image by Norton Ghost, but I cannot start with it because the computer always run with Windows XP without showing the menu to choose the operating system. How can I use that operating system? Must I install it at the beginning? :confused:

Thank you! :)
 
P

PC eye

banned
Precisely! Simply cloning a partition doesn't create the new entries in both the master boot record as well as the boot loader for either. With a fresh installation of 2003 that will likely detect XP and add it into it's own boot options.

Being new to dual booting in general plan on being ready to reinstall both versions to see a working dual boot setup. After seeing a clean install of the 2003 server version you will need to see XP reinstalled if you are planning to see the option to load 2003 there and not XP while booting the 2003 version.
 
diroga

diroga

New Member
can't you use the XP/2003 install disk to rebuild the bootloader? This would save you from having to reinstall the operating systems.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654
Bootcfg modifies the Boot.ini file for boot configuration and recovery
Fixboot writes a new startup sector on the system partition.
Fixmbr repairs the startup partition's master boot code.
Click to expand...

before trying this stuff backup
 
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sir

sir

New Member
Out of interest why not use a virtual machine?

But yeah a freash install of Server 2003 will update the MBR for you.
 
N

nyhk

New Member
You don't need to reinstall anything. It is a matter of editing the boot.ini to include both systems.

Wrong drive letter assignment can also be dealt with
 
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A

avocado

New Member
Did you mean BOOT.INI tab in System Configuration Utility? But I don't know the way. Could you show me how to do?
 
P

PC eye

banned
diroga said:
can't you use the XP/2003 install disk to rebuild the bootloader? This would save you from having to reinstall the operating systems.



before trying this stuff backup
Click to expand...

The Fixboot and fixmbr commands work for seeing one version's boot record rewritten. To see another version added to another you first have to see a chain loader created. The boot files from both versions have to be present on the host drive as well as the entries needed.

One version usually the newer version has to be set up as the host OS. The cloned copy of 2003 would have to be replaced there with a fresh copy seeing XP as an addon boot option. Simply adding entries into the boot.ini won't see another edition of XP load let alone 2003.
 
P

PC eye

banned
Even with Grub4Dos or SuperGrub you still need working boot files for each version as well as the corrected entries into the mbr. The latest Mandriva 2008 RC1 as well as earlier releases will autodetect any Windows as well as other OSs installed and offer them as boot options in it's own loader.

The problem right now is that XP is the only working copy of the two. If you had the repair install option in 2003 like seen in XP you could then find out if that would see XP added as option once detected. The necessary entries into the mbr would also be established since currently there are none as with any cloned copy.
 
N

nyhk

New Member
pc eye, you keep correcting everyone. One of these days I wish you would do some research on this subject.
 
P

PC eye

banned
nyhk said:
pc eye, you keep correcting everyone. One of these days I wish you would do some research on this subject.
Click to expand...

Current system configuraion,



What were you saying? It's certainly not the first system here to see two versions of Windows along with a Linux distro either. :rolleyes:
 
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