One has W7x64 OS on a 100GB partition (C: partition) with the rest of the drive as a data partition.
The other HDD has a 60GB partition ready for XP with the remainder of the drive also a data partition.
I wanted to install XPx86 on the 60GB (E:) partition of the 2nd HDD as occasionally I need to run a couple of application that only work on XP.
The install goes well until the first reboot after the install disk has added the initial files, but instead of rebooting to XP to finish the install I get the invalid boot ini message. So the XP boot.ini is not installing into the W7 master boot record or the disc faulty.
To regain access to W7 I ran a W7 repair disc.
To test the XP disc, I deleted the W7 OS and master boot record as I have an W7 ISO copy I can restore from an external drive.
The XP install disk was tried again and no problems installing on E:, so it's not the disc. After re-installing my W7 ISO back-up, I couldn't gain access to XP even using Easy BCD as it's just not recognizing any XP System 32\Hal.dll
In the past I have set-up XP/W7 dual boot systems running before without a problems, with XP installed after and also before W7 and then used EasyBCD when required.
I'm trying to avoid having to do a fresh re-install of W7 as it's my main OS.
Edited by stutts, 20 October 2013 - 03:18 PM.