[wombleassasin]

Hi,
I have installed Vista on my second hard drive and I want to remove it. I have XP on my first hard drive and this is the one I want to use. I thought on boot up it would give me the option of which one i would want to use but Vista boots up straight away.
CAn some one help please.
From reading posts about removing a second windows from hard drives i have seen that this info is needed, hope this is right.
;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[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 /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN

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Be sure that the partition(1) is right - the number may be different.
Run the following commands by booting into Vista.

Type in command into the Start Search box, right click the result Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator.
Type diskpart into the prompt and press Enter.
Type in select disk 0 and press Enter, then list partition and press Enter.
This will give you a list os your partitions. Find the one that XP is installed onto. This is the number that needs to go into the boot.ini file, partition(1).
Type in select partition 1, substituting the number of the XP partition for the number 1. then press Enter.
Type in active and press Enter. You'll receive a message that the partition was set to active.
Type in exit, then press Enter, then exit and Enter.

Now, XP should boot first thing. If not, we have other things to check. If XP doesn't boot first thing, insert your Windows Vista CD, boot to it, enter the recovery options, run the Command Prompt, and enter the commands above again, this time using partition 2 (or whatever your Vista partition is).

[The Admiral]

Be sure that the partition(1) is right - the number may be different.
Run the following commands by booting into Vista.

Type in command into the Start Search box, right click the result Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator.
Type diskpart into the prompt and press Enter.
Type in select disk 0 and press Enter, then list partition and press Enter.
This will give you a list os your partitions. Find the one that XP is installed onto. This is the number that needs to go into the boot.ini file, partition(1).
Type in select partition 1, substituting the number of the XP partition for the number 1. then press Enter.
Type in active and press Enter. You'll receive a message that the partition was set to active.
Type in exit, then press Enter, then exit and Enter.

Now, XP should boot first thing. If not, we have other things to check. If XP doesn't boot first thing, insert your Windows Vista CD, boot to it, enter the recovery options, run the Command Prompt, and enter the commands above again, this time using partition 2 (or whatever your Vista partition is).

[The Admiral]

I'm keeping the above post, because it is a work of art. However, do not follow the above steps!

After reading the OP again, it looks like Vista is installed on a completely different hard drive. If this is the case, all you have to do is get into the BIOS and change the boot order so it is booting from the XP hard drive first. With computer information, we can help you access the BIOS and change that boot order.

Edited by The Admiral, 15 September 2008 - 01:11 PM.

[wombleassasin]

Thanks for that, i have sorted it.one more question though, how can i access everything i have on xp in vista? ie pictures, games, music?
I have lots saved on both drives but cant transfer them to vista, when i try to open them in vista they arent there. i have found some of the info saved on the second drive in windows old folder and made new short cuts but everything on the first drive it wont let me access ie call of duty 4

Edited by wombleassasin, 16 September 2008 - 07:21 AM.