Multi OS problems.

scopestech

scopestech

banned
I have recently updated my computer so that it runs XP MCE (OEM) and Windows 7 Pro. It is a 32x System. When I install 7 it updates the boot screen to the WINDOWS 7 interface, I use EasyBCD so that I can change the "earlier operating system" to "Windows XP MCE". I also have PLoP on it, which is an advanced boot loader. Whenever I put W2K Server x32 on to the system on a different partition though, (I have 2 HDDs, Both IDE, C:\ with 2 partitions, OEM XP and for Server 2000, and the second for Windows 7, altough i can change it so there is 2 on the w7 hdd and only one on the currently OEM os.) it changes the boot screen to the Windows 2000 multi os boot screen, I try to load XP from the list, and it says windows 2000 can not load files, as if it is trying to run W2K on the XP os somehow, looking for the files on the XP partition, Windows 7 isnt even there. I boot from it in the bios and i get the master boot record error (MBR Read Error.) I haven't tried putting windows 2k on first, running the recovery disk for the OEM on a different partition and then loading the W7. It takes me around 6 hours each time to reload the 2 OSs atm and its really annoying, what am I doing wrong. Or cant you run W2K Server on Multi-OS, this error still runs the W2K though even though the others wont work. I am not using the W2K for any server bits, I just have a disk and want to use it so I can learn more about the OS itself. Please help :( do I need a seperate HDD for each OS? Any ideas would be appreciated.
 
You need to install the oldest OS first, then the second oldest second, and the newest third. In your case, install Windows 2000 first, then install XP, then install Windows 7. I've done the same thing before, you run into all sorts of problems if you start running multiple OSes on one machine and you don't install them correctly. I hate to say this but I think you need to format everything and start again - but hey it's the Easter Holidays, you've got plenty of time. :D I had an XP and Vista dual-boot years ago, installed Vista first (big mistake!), then XP second - Vista refused to boot after I had installed XP.

Have you ever tried using virtual machines before? Could save yourself a load of time and hassle.
 
thankyou ever so much. if i ever need to run multi os and want to put another os thats older than any mentioned on, i have to start again? Thankyou though :)
 
No problem my friend and I think what you need to do is decide now what OSes you want to run and install the two or three you want. XP and 7 would be good choices (I don't know why you even want Windows 2000), but I do think however if your PC is powerful enough you should look into virtual machines. What are your PC specs? If your machine is powerful enough you can run VMs OK. I'd only install the one OS (I'd go for Windows 7) and then download and install VirtualBox and install Windows 2000 and XP in that. :)
 
vistakid10 said:
No problem my friend and I think what you need to do is decide now what OSes you want to run and install the two or three you want. XP and 7 would be good choices (I don't know why you even want Windows 2000), but I do think however if your PC is powerful enough you should look into virtual machines. What are your PC specs? If your machine is powerful enough you can run VMs OK. I'd only install the one OS (I'd go for Windows 7) and then download and install VirtualBox and install Windows 2000 and XP in that. :)
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so i try to install w2k and it says each time, can not format, error with C:\ any ideas? :/
 
Did you delete all the partitions before you formatted? If so, restart Windows 2000 installation, then when you get to the list of partitions, delete them all, then create a new partition for Windows 2000 to be installed on and format that.
 
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vistakid10 said:
Not tried it but download KillDisk and format your disk that way.
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i cant since i have formatted my computer now. It will not format itself while installing though, it says error formatting C:\ i will try it on my primary HDD as I have to keep one partition clear for recovery of XP which is the OEM OS which I still want too.
 
So hang on is the whole disk formatted now? And sorry I thought you could create a bootable CD with KillDisk on it but apparently not.

Why do you want Windows 2000 on there anyway? I'd just use XP and 7?
 
Can you use it in a VM instead or install it on another PC? you could have 512MB RAM dedicated to your W2K VM and it would run fine, it would even be fine on 128MB or 256MB. I'd do the same for XP too, so only Windows 7 is your OS. Seriously, you'd save so much time by using VMs and if you need to reinstall Windows later for any reason it would be so much easier for you.
 
vistakid10 said:
Can you use it in a VM instead or install it on another PC? you could have 512
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Its just not the same.

I get this, No matter what Partition I use. It worked the other day too!
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Could I run my XP recovery disk with a full destructive recovery, put Windows 2000 then on, then run the recovery again just for the XP partition then put windows 7 on, would it work?
 
Try formatting it with the XP setup disc and see if it works with that. You are trying to install all three operating systems onto one hard disk but each on a different partition right?

scopestech said:
Its just not the same.
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How's it not the same? It's the same OS just inside of another one, still perfectly usable.
 
vistakid10 said:
Try formatting it with the XP setup disc and see if it works with that. You are trying to install all three operating systems onto one hard disk but each on a different partition right?
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Two on one, one on the other. (HDD.) Now doing a recovery, its packard bell and its having to re do a recovery partition too so it may take a while.
 
Try removing the other disk and formatting again to see if it works once you have done the recovery. It's worth a try, but do you see where I'm coming from about multi-boots being a pain? ;)
 
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vistakid10 said:
Get back to me once it's done and we'll see if it's going to work or not.
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So XP Recovery C:\ (TO ALLOW ME TO PUT W2K ON)
Windows 2000 D:\
XP Recovery again on C:\
Windows 7 on E:\
Easy BCD to put W2K and XP correctly in the list.
The recovery is 6% done, gonna watch tv for a few hours or summin, if needbe i will do the W7 aat some other point cause i know it works fine.
Thanks for the help mate :)
 
vistakid10 said:
Try removing the other disk and formatting again to see if it works once you have done the recovery. It's worth a try, but do you see where I'm coming from about multi-boots being a pain? ;)
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Yh i do. Its all a learning curve for me tho :) im only 15 so Im not that clever. Anyway, recovery complete. I am now gonna set XP up, go to diskmgmt in /WINDOWS/System32 and partition everything there then try windows 2000 on a different partition, then once that works, run the xp recoovery again followed by the 7 disk, does that sound rightt?
 
scopestech said:
does that sound rightt?
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Yep go ahead and do it and see if it works for you.

scopestech said:
im only 15 so Im not that clever.
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We all live and learn, I'm 14 and been doing this sort of stuff for years. It's only within the past year and a half or so that I've really gotten into IT though.
 
vistakid10 said:
Yep go ahead and do it and see if it works for you.


We all live and learn, I'm 14 and been doing this sort of stuff for years. It's only within the past year and a half or so that I've really gotten into IT though.
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Too right. I had to teach myself all of this from trial and error. Within windows is one thing, if you mess up you can start again, but configuring hardware or the O.S. itself is like going from playing solitare to preforming open heart surgery! W2K is now installing thank god :) I will keep u updated tho :)
 
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My greeting now as I try to boot Windows XP after installing 2000 as I explained. So I will now run the XP recovery disks again, should be quicker as i wont need to reinstall a recovery partition as it is now there.
Then they both should work yes?
Then I just put on W7, run easyBCD to set up the boot menu how I want and I'm done!
 
Windows Server 2000 is NTFS?! Unexpected. I thought it would be a exFAT or FAT32.
Quick trivia while I wait for my XP fix to work now (stage 3/4), Like how you cant run a 32x OS on a x64. Does FAT, FAT16, FAT32, exFAT and uNTFS work the same?
 
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