Dual-Booting

[jordanpr]

I have Vista currently running on my internal HDD, and recently installed XP on my external:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16822101030R

When I try to boot XP from it, however, it says NTLDR is missing. Does anyone have any clue what this signifies?

Also, if this problem has to do with recognizing my boot device, is it possible the reason why this is so is because my BIOS is outdated and/or sucks?

 

[NoStateofMind]

To my understanding, you cannot boot windows with an external HD. I may be wrong, but I think I read that somewhere. <shrug>

 

[soydios]

Possibly a problem with the MBR (Master Boot Record) or whatever Vista's incarnation of it is called? Perhaps it doesn't play nice with external drives?

 

[Blain]

Wow, I used a new web site called "Google" and found THIS.

 

[Roguestar]

OP: Repair install.

Originally posted by: Blain
Wow, I used a new web iste called "Google" and found THIS.

:heart:

 

[MarcVenice]

damn blain, I'm SOOO gonna try that website too !!!

 

[lamere]

Originally posted by: Blain
Wow, I used a new web iste called "Google" and found THIS.

amazing what a quikc search will get ya, and i bet it only took you a couple of second!!

and no, you cant install an OS on an external drive.

 

[Snooper]

So is that ANY external hard drive, or only ones that use interfaces like USB2? How would the computer even KNOW that you used an external hard drive if you use an eSATA interface?

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
damn blain, I'm SOOO gonna try that website too !!!

What a scoop! It should be a sticky!

 

[jordanpr]

Yes yes, so I'm slowly learning that you can google just about anything. It's just that the forums offers me dynamic responses, where google will generally offer me one-liner answers for commonplace problems.

I was wrong to ask about that one, I found some good sites for NTLDR.

So when I boot up after I install XP on my external, it seemingly "ruins" my Vista install on my internal (I have to repair it in order for it to work again). Also, the select screen for operating systems gives me two options, both of them being "Windows XP Professional", when I obviously have XP and Vista. (Neither of these work, by the way)

Should I disconnect my internal harddrive before I install XP on my external, and is it possible that it is trying to put XP on my internal even when my external is where I selected it to install?

Also, since my problem is "cannot read from boot device", could this possibly be a problem with my BIOS being able to detect SATA hard drives before windows loads, and therefore not being able to load windows?

Also, has anyone had a problem with NLite before? I am installing from an NLite disk. (had to slipstream driviers in order to see my HD's)

Thanks in advance, I really appreciate everyones comments, even the sarcastic ones. Haha.

 

[jordanpr]

Oh, and I thought that the MB & OS wouldn't care about my external being external, since I'm using an eSATA interface. Anyone know for sure?

 

[jordanpr]

*bump*

Anyone have anything with regards to my questions?

 

[Woofmeister]

An external eSATA disk should be detected as an internal disk. Your problem is that you have not enabled dual booting and the fact that XP overwrites Vista's bootloader is tripping you up.

Start by recovering your Vista boot capability. Change your boot order in BIOS to boot from DVD drive and insert your Vista DVD. After Vista loads up click on "Repair Your Computer." Choose Vista as the OS to repair (it will probably be the only choice anyway). Then choose "Startup Repair." Follow the prompts and restart. Change your boot order in BIOS back to your internal boot disk.

Voila Vista boots up normally.

Now, download and install EasyBCD 1.6.

Launch EasyBCD and go to "Add/Remove Entries".

Under ?Add an Entry? select the "Windows" tab and select "Windows XP" in "Version."

Change the Drive to whatever letter corresponds to your eSATA drive (in Vista not XP) and the name to ?Windows XP?, then click ?Add Entry? and ?Save?.

Reboot and you will have a choice between XP and Vista. Congrats, you are now an official "dual booter."

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: lamere

Originally posted by: Blain
Wow, I used a new web iste called "Google" and found THIS.

amazing what a quikc search will get ya, and i bet it only took you a couple of second!!

and no, you cant install an OS on an external drive.

I do it all the time My file server bench box is running off a generic USB 2.0 enclosure with a WD 320GB and XP Pro install. It's other drives are internal, but no OS/program data exists on them, only customer backups and drivers.

 

[Woofmeister]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: lamere

Originally posted by: Blain
Wow, I used a new web iste called "Google" and found THIS.

amazing what a quikc search will get ya, and i bet it only took you a couple of second!!

and no, you cant install an OS on an external drive.

I do it all the time My file server bench box is running off a generic USB 2.0 enclosure with a WD 320GB and XP Pro install. It's other drives are internal, but no OS/program data exists on them, only customer backups and drivers.

What he said. Even assuming XP cannot be installed on an external drive connected by USB 2.0 or firewire (and I've never heard this before), I don't see how the XP bootloader could distinguish between an eSATA connection and a regular internal SATA drive.

If I'm wrong, somebody please provide a link.