[halomunkey]

Hi

I just installed vista onto my computer probably a few days ago and it was working fine. Before that I was trying to partition my hard drive so I can keep my windows xp files and use vista at the same time. well it erased the windows xp and didnt create the other partition so I was left to either installing a new xp or vista....I chose vista for some odd reason.....

but to my problem....

well yesterday I decided to stop being lazy and install xp in a different partition. so I booted the windows xp cd and created a new partition using it, it restarts but it doesnt continue the installation....so I tried to install it again but after it reboots it wouldnt continue. So then I tried to boot to vista and I get "error loading operating system"

I tried using ptedit to see if it was hidden but vista was active. So I decided that maybe deleting the partition would work so I deleted it and I still keep getting the same message.

any remedies?

thanks

btw I want it back because I have tons of important files on it.(so stupid shouldve just installed xp in the first place....)
thanks again!!!

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Nobody knows???

[halomunkey]

Nobody knows???

[gerryf]

not such as easy problem given the situation you created

What you did was delete the vista boot sector on the original partition. Windows Vista created a special boot sector which loaded Vista, or gave you the option of loading the previous OS. It also installed a utility to fix your exact problem to run from XP to repair the boot sector. Since you cannot enter XP, you can not run the program

The alternative is to start the PC from your Vista DVD

After the language/keyboard selection screen, choose the "System
Recovery Options" link at the bottom left corner

Navigate to "start up repair" choose it

Maybe, maybe it will work...Remember, this is all still a BETA

[halomunkey]

not such as easy problem given the situation you created

What you did was delete the vista boot sector on the original partition. Windows Vista created a special boot sector which loaded Vista, or gave you the option of loading the previous OS. It also installed a utility to fix your exact problem to run from XP to repair the boot sector. Since you cannot enter XP, you can not run the program

The alternative is to start the PC from your Vista DVD

After the language/keyboard selection screen, choose the "System
Recovery Options" link at the bottom left corner

Navigate to "start up repair" choose it

Maybe, maybe it will work...Remember, this is all still a BETA

I did? I thought I just deleted the partition I wanted to put windows xp on....because I had vista on it first.

[gerryf]

but then you ran windows xp setup and even though it did not install completely--it overwrites the boot sector as it prepares to install

So, you have an xp bootsector on your drive with windows VISTA loaded

[halomunkey]

but then you ran windows xp setup and even though it did not install completely--it overwrites the boot sector as it prepares to install

So, you have an xp bootsector on your drive with windows VISTA loaded

so what should I do.....the vista boot repair didnt work....will going onto the cmd in vista and typing "GPEDIT enum all" btw what does that do?

[gerryf]

I thought you cannot get into Vista...

We need an OS on this thing...you said you created a new partition on this in your firstpost using the WIndows XP cd....the Windows XP CD does not allow you to alter a partition size--was their unused space on the disk or did you do something else?

Remember, I am depending on you to provide complete and accurate information. Due to the nature a bulletin board help system, I am blind and you are my eyes and ears so I need to know what you did and what you are seeing

[halomunkey]

ok sorry,


When I meant get into vista I meant vista boot cd instead and go into cmd.

there was unused space on the disk and thats what I used to create the new partition for xp

Edited by halomunkey, 11 July 2006 - 11:43 AM.

[gerryf]

we're going to need an active OS on here to repair the vista boot -- so let's concentrate on that....when you tried to install XP, what happened?

Have you ever installed XP on this machine before or was it preinstalled? What kind of hardware is this?

[halomunkey]

we're going to need an active OS on here to repair the vista boot -- so let's concentrate on that....when you tried to install XP, what happened?

Have you ever installed XP on this machine before or was it preinstalled? What kind of hardware is this?

Yeah I had xp installed before but its not on now. I have a generic computer.

hardware specs

asus P5AD2-E Delux socket
intel p4 520 prescott 800mhz
OCZ 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200)
Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L300R0 300GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA133
PLEXTOR 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Beige IDE Model PX-716A/SW
CHAINTECH AV-710 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card

btw is there a way to just get some files I need from vista? I heard I could do it with an offline boot method or something.....if so how do I do it?

Edited by halomunkey, 11 July 2006 - 09:04 PM.

[gerryf]

you need to run bcedit from within XP or Vista.

At the moment, there is no recovery console for Vista -- it is in beta, after all

Is there any reason why you just don't reinstall?

[halomunkey]

you need to run bcedit from within XP or Vista.

At the moment, there is no recovery console for Vista -- it is in beta, after all

Is there any reason why you just don't reinstall?

Yes. there are files I need from vista before I do that. is there any way to get it back before I reinstall?

thanks for the help btw

[gerryf]

As stated, if you install Xp, i think we can get VISTA back

[halomunkey]

oh ok sweet, so all I need to do is kill the vista bootloader?

Edited by halomunkey, 12 July 2006 - 09:55 AM.

[gerryf]

no, I want you to try and install windows xp

as things have turned up, I just got a machine with a dual boot windows xp/vista combo

the vista worked, the xp did not. had to reinstall xp, so now the vista bootloader (this is really not the right term, I think its boot configuration database) is gone....I'm going to see if I can revive Vista later one tonight if I have time or early tomorrow, so I'll see what I come up with