56 replies to this topic

[Michele13]

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Install Windows 7's bootloader in a Windows XP system
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Hi guys I decided to write down a little tutorial on how to install Windows 7's bootloader (bootmgr) in a computer with only Windows XP installed.
But why are you writing such a tutorial? you may ask. Then I'll answer with another question. Are you able to make a multiboot system that loads a lot of useful OS such as Puppy Linux, LiveXP, PloP boot manager (a useful tool that allow you to boot your computer from other devices such as USB stick on old computer that can't boot from that device) and all things? Well with bootmgr YOU CAN thanks a little tool called EasyBCD. Unfortunately you can use this software only if bootmgr is installed and that requires you to install Win7 or Vista. How can you use this bootloader without having to install the whole windows 7? It's easy! Follow this steps

1. Download and install NetFramework (it should be required by EasyBCD in order to work)
2. Download my package here
3. Run the package and extract it on your boot drive (it is pointed to extract it into the %systemdrive% folder)
4. Install EasyBCD (the installer will start after the extraction is finished)

Now we have a bootmgr installed but NOT CONFIGURED (without entries in his registry) so follow my steps to configure it

1. To make sure that your system will reboot correctly the next boot download MobaLiveCD
2. Now start EasyBCD
3. Click on Add Boot Entry

Now let's look in the Operating system's entry

4. Choose the type of your operating system (NT/2k/XP/2k3)
5. Name it whatever you want (Microsoft Windows XP)
5. Make sure that Automatically detect correct drive is checked (it will detect Windows XP's bootloader automatically)
6. Click on Add Entry and look at the status bar: a message that says that your entry was added to the bootmgr configuration should appear

Now do this for make sure that your system will boot up next time

1. Click in the BCD Deployment button
2. Look in the MBR Configuration section
3. Check Install the Windows Vista/7 bootloader to the MBR
4. Click on Write MBR
5. Reboot or Start MobaLiveCD (I suggest you to start MobaLiveCD)
6. Click on Start LiveUSB
7. Select c: [your disk label] and click OK
8. Choose NO when it asks if you want to create a Virtual HD

Is your system booting up? (does it show the white bar that shows you the loading process of XP?) than it works!

Now Let's Install the Plop Boot Manager (optional but usefoul and if you don't like it you can always remove it)

1. Open EasyBCD
2. Click on Add Boot Entry
3. Look in the Portable/External Media section
4. Choose BIOS Extender and Click on Install PLoP

As you can see you can boot from VHD files, Install Grub (Usefoul for that tutorial of the Universal VHD), run floppy images, ISOs, etc

Do you like your new bootloader?

other useful tricks can be found on EasyBCD's wiki (here)

P.S I think that I've posted this tutorial in the wrong place. if you think the same please change the location of the tutorial but DON'T delete it thanks. I've spent an hour to write it.

If you have any questions feel free to answer to this tutorial

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HOW TO RESTORE YOUR WINDOWS XP BOOTLOADER
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If you booted your Hardisk Using MobaLiveCD and it's not working and you want to restore WinXP bootloader follow this steps:

1.Run EasyBCD
2.Click on BCD Deployment
3.Look in the MBR Configuration options section
4.Check Install the Windows XP Bootloader to MBR
5.Click to Write MBR

Look if your WinXP is working fine now

[IgImAx]

Hi m8

Thanks for your creatively tutorial.

[Michele13]

You're welcome

[TheHive]

Thanks for tutorial.

[yangjh]

Thank you very much，Thank you for yourtutorial！！

[iONik]

Great Tutorial, but missing one CRITICAL step(s). How to go back to the original loader. Of course, I say this because I followed the steps and then used MobaLiveCD to test it out and got myself an error...

The Windows Boot Manager comes uo and I get the following:
Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:
1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. Choose your language settings, and then click "Next."
3. click "Repair your computer"

If you do not have this disc, contact your administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.
File BootBCD
Status: 0xc0000098
Info: The windows configuration data file does not contain a valid os entry.


Will my computer boot anymore? What do I need to do?

Q: The %SYSTEMDRIVE% is generally "C" correct.... not C:Windows? I ask this question because when I executed your file it appeared to be directed to C:. But it seemed to extract to the desktop where the installer was. Thus, I moved the extracted contents to drive C:, where my XP OS is loaded.


Also: Bootloader settings log:
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}
device boot
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e}
default {1d43783e-38af-11e1-b862-00166fb41c59}
resumeobject {1f8184a2-14de-11df-9734-f08c6d8c50b0}
displayorder {1d43783e-38af-11e1-b862-00166fb41c59}
toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
timeout 10

Real-mode Boot Sector
---------------------
identifier {1d43783e-38af-11e1-b862-00166fb41c59}
device partition=C:
path NSTntldr
description Windows XP SP3 Black Ed

Thanks

Edited by iONik, 06 January 2012 - 10:36 PM.

[sambul61]

Great Tutorial, but missing one CRITICAL step(s). How to go back to the original loader.

Please explain what did you install Windows 7 Bootloader on your XP system for? What did you want to accomplish by that?

[iONik]

Please explain what did you install Windows 7 Bootloader on your XP system for? What did you want to accomplish by that?

What I did was in the instructions above...

Why? To have a better bootloader if I wanted to add Linix or another OS.

[sambul61]

Then follow this Tutorial again from another OS, and by the very same token click "Install Windows XP Bootloader to the MBR" of the XP disk, and reboot to WinXP. Makes sense?

[iONik]

I haven't rebooted since the program (MobaLiveCD) produces errors even after trying to load the XP boot loader.

The Install program installs EasyBCD.exe, bootmgr, and the folder Boot into the root Dir. If XP had a "bootmgr" located there it may have overwritten it, though I was not promptet with a choice.

Also the boot.ini references the ntldr from a dir called NST as apposed to directly from C:ntldr

Edited by iONik, 06 January 2012 - 11:44 PM.

[sambul61]

Reboot from Win7PE ISO or CD, open Console and run:

bootsect /nt52 c: /force /mbr

where c: is your XP drive letter, then fix Boot.ini if broken Disconnect all other drives from the PC. OR, insert your XP Setup CD, and boot to WinXP Recovery Console, and Repair Boot files.

Next time, you decide to follow some Tutorial, ask yourself: what do I need it for? At least in cases, when its author forget to mention this small detail.

[iONik]

Reboot from Win7PE ISO or CD, open Console and run:

bootsect /nt52 c: /force /mbr

where c: is your XP drive letter. Disconnect all other drives from the PC. OR, insert your XP Setup CD, and boot to WinXP Recovery Console, and Repair Boot files.

Next time, you decide to follow some Tutorial, ask yourself: what do I need it for? At least in cases, when its author forget to mention this small detail.

Well, I agree with the need for a Warning at the very least, and a way to return to the original config.

[sambul61]

If you're using multiboot setup, boot to your other OS, start EasyBCD, select and open your XP BCD, then click "Install Windows XP Bootloader to the MBR".

Do know, Win7 Bootmgr doesn't allow to boot any Linux or another OS, except Win7 and XP.

[iONik]

Do know, Win7 Bootmgr doesn't allow to boot any Linux or another OS, except Win7 and XP.

EasyBCD and the Win7 Bootmgr does seem to allow for booting of live CD (Linux, Win7, XP, Mac, NeoGrub...) in a virtual environment regardless of the storage media (HDD, CD, USB...)

Can anyone become a "Tutorial Writer" Perhaps those who post new tutorials in the newleters should screen the tutorials.

Would love to hear from Michele13. Perhaps he has a simple solution.

Edited by iONik, 07 January 2012 - 12:17 AM.

[sambul61]

That's all your fantasy, but in practice its all done by Grub4DOS, included with and installed on demand by EasyBCD renamed as NeoGrub. Win7 Bootmgr has nothing to do with it, and you can boot from a physical CD-ROM on any PC without it either.

[iONik]

Well, I was working towards re-instalation of my OS from an Acronis image anyway... My system got hit with a fake antivirus malware program dispite MS Secutity Essentials and SuperAntiSpyware installed. I think I cleaned it up, but Security Essentials does not want to update even though I reinstalled it and Windows Live Update will not turn on.

Edited by iONik, 07 January 2012 - 01:15 AM.

[sambul61]

Can anyone become a "Tutorial Writer" Perhaps those who post new tutorials in the newleters should screen the tutorials.

All members are responsible for their own actions. If you read something and can't find what would you need it for, why do it in the first place?

Next time check what else an author is posted on the forum before following someone's advice. But I agree, its a good idea to screen or review the Tutorials. So why don't you write a detail review about this Tutorial?

[iONik]

All members are responsible for their own actions. If you read something and can't find what would you need it for, why do it in the first place?

Next time check what else an author is posted on the forum before following someone's advice. But I agree, its a good idea to screen or review the Tutorials. So why don't you write a detail review about this Tutorial?

When I finally got around to it, I reset the bootloader in EasyBCD to Windows XP and the computer did reboot jut fine. This leaves the "safety net" program, MobaLiveCD worthless as it fails to boot the virtual OS. ...Or the instructions are flawed!

As for a detailed review of this tutorial, I thing that the thread to this point is quite a review! I'd give it a D- and would highly reccomend anyone who is considering trying this to backup the MBR and have a failsafe way to restore it. As for Michele13 is concerned. I would strongle add to the tutorial the steps needed to revert the system back to it's pre "EasyBCD" state. Maybe it's as simple as uninstalling EasyBCD....don't know.

Edited by iONik, 07 January 2012 - 03:43 AM.

[sambul61]

I'm still wondering, what MobaLiveCD is for, and how its related to installing Win7 Bootmgr? Did you get this part straight?

[iONik]

I'm still wondering, what MobaLiveCD is for, and how its related to installing Win7 Bootmgr? Did you get this part straight?

It's not related to the install of the Win7 bootmgr.

MobaLiveCD is a freeware that will run your Linux LiveCD on Windows thanks to the excellent emulator called "Qemu".
MobaLiveCD allows you to test your LiveCD with a single click : after downloading the ISO image file of your favorite LiveCD, you just have to start it in MobaLiveCD and here you are, without the need to burn a CD-Rom or to reboot your computer.

MobaLiveCD key features:

• No need to burn the CD-Rom anymore
• You can use the right-click menu for an easy and fast start
• Program without installation that you can start from an USB stick
• A clear and easy to use interface
• Light and portable application, packaged in a single executable of 1.6MB only

[sambul61]

Thanks. What particular LiveCD or "virtual OS" did you want to test with it? What happen?

[iONik]

Well, I ran Hiren's Boot CD v14.1 from the iso file on my hard drive. I suspect that I could place that in the Boot Menu along with any other bootable iso file.

[sambul61]

The problem with EasyBCD is it generates a typical Grub4DOS menu section for any ISO you pick, which may or may not work well for many specific ISO's that require non-standard menu sections. That's why EasyBCD is a nice tool to start learning the subject and doing quick fixes, but don't be upset, if it wouldn't work for half of your staff. You can add your own Menu sections though by editing default menu. It doesn't contain sections generated by EasyBCD, as they are added via auxiliary files with strange names you see in NST and root.

And do not install Win7 Bootmgr on WinXP, unless you're sure it will help you to resolve a particular task, you can't solve otherwise. Or it just becomes another way to advertise EasyBCD to novices by playing on their lack of knowledge.

[Wonko the Sane]

Just for the record Neogrub is a "fork" (renamed) of grub4dos ad is NOT recommended (by me) as you never know which exact version of grub4dos it "mirrors".


Wonko

[Michele13]

I'm still wondering, what MobaLiveCD is for, and how its related to installing Win7 Bootmgr? Did you get this part straight?

MobaLiveCD it's an OPTIONAL software that you use to test if your drive is booting properly