Dual booting win 8.1 and XP

[Teajunkie]

Right I'm stuck and need some help.

my pc is running 8.1 on the Main sata port but the cnc software needs to be run on xp so I installed xp to an IDE drive.

now booted to xp fine and works as it should until I tried to boot into 8.1 when it threw up the error ntldr is missing blah blah blah.....

Repaired using 8.1 DVD and boots to 8.1 fine again now BUT now I can get into xp!
booting to the 2nd hdd just gives a ntldr is missing error and I can't be doing with that every time I want to boot an alternate os.

before you ask I ran xp in VMware but for some reason the Mach software doesn't work on it so after installing to hdd it all runs fine so I would rather dual boot but just can't get around the ntldr issue.

[Warno]

Sounds like you might have a jumper issue. I had a similar issue using 7 & Xp

I would try setting the IDE drive as the master.

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[Teajunkie]

Yeah I will have to try that thanks.

[digidude]

ahhhhh... do you know that windows 8 has dual boot built in?

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[DJ OD]

To do that what digidude is saying u need to install xp first. Then 8 after. Not sure as well but they may need to be on the same hdd but on different partitions.


DJ OD

[grrrd]

the way i do multiboots is to use GRUB4DOS - that way you can create a mini boot menu and add what ever you like.

I use a forum called 'reboot.pro' - all the multiboot and preboot information you could need!

[Teajunkie]

Thanks guys.

as it is right now it boots to 8.1 fine but try to boot to xp and it gives ntldr error.
so a quick boot with hiren boot disc allows it to boot xp but I need the hiren disc to boot xp each time.

to uninstall everything and start fresh Is way too much hassle, I have too much data to move about, so it's less headache for me to just stick to it as it is.

i will do it eventually just bloody lazy

[digidude]

Ahhhh, your dual booting with 2 drives. I used to do it from the bios due to these issues I got more problems trying to get a fancy boot screen so I could choose the os. I got hacked off having to reinstall every time it screwed up tbh. Then I discovered win8 had it secretly built in.

Just use the bios method. That way you have two separate clean installs that won't affect each other if one goes tits up.

[Over Carl]

I've not played around with 8 / 8.1, but if you had XP and 7, all you need to do is install bcdedit then use that to sort it out.

[Teajunkie]

I am using the bios boot order to select which drive to boot from when I want xp which seems the easiest way but still need to fix the ntldr is missing error.

I have downloaded easy BCD but it needs the xp installed to the same drive which it isnt.
happy using the bios to choose as it's only a case of pressing a key at boot which I would have to do with an os selector software anyway.

if anyone has any good ideas for fixing the ntldr missing I'm all ears I can't remember shit about I.T anymore