Partitions using xp pro

Are you trying to create a dual-boot system? Generally, either method will work as long as it's done correctly.

What version and build of DD are you using?

Thank you for your reply.
Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0 (build 2,288).

I have loaded 3 partitions at the moment using xp, but wondered if coping was quicker?
Can I find the correct method in the help files?
Can you tell me if a dual-boot system is the same as a 2 partition system please?

Having multiple partitions doesn't always mean it's a dual-boot or multi-boot system. If you have two operating systems on the computer and can select which one to boot into, you have a dual-boot system. If you have more (3+), you have a multi-boot system.

It sounds like you're multi-booting three XP systems. Are you using OSS or are you using the Microsoft Boot Manager (XP's, in this case)?

Copying can be quicker. However, if you're getting the desired results from installing there's nothing wrong with doing it that way. Most people don't do installs all the time so any time lost doesn't really mean much. Copying usually also requires some "boot fixing" to get the system working.

Hi
Yes I have 3 partitions all with windows xp pro on at the moment.
Another problem which you may be able to help with, I can see all partions in disk director but when I go to O/S selector I can only seem to boot into one partition and therefore can not access the other two. What have I done incorrectly?

Double posting - sorry.

Keith,

This might be interesting:

http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/partsigs.htm

Does the OSS OS Detection not find the other Windows?

Is it the first XP installed that OSS is finding?

You may not have done anything incorrectly.

Did you install XP multiple times or did you copy the XP partition?

Can you post a copy of the BOOTWIZ.OSS file (see: How to Find and Create a Copy of the BOOTWIZ.OSS File)?

A screenshot of what DD shows may also help.

OSS does not see one of the three partitions, the one it does not see is the first one I installed I believe. I installed 3 copies of xp pro using the windows disc.
It does see all three partitions in Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.

I will try and post BOOTWIZ.OSS

Are screenshots easy to post here?

Just a note, I created a shortcut in OS selector by mistake and then deleted it, could I have deleted the wrong one and caused this problem. I think this because as far as I am aware I could boot into all partitions before this.

Screenshots are easy to attach to a post. The BOOTWIZ.OSS file needs to be in text file format (as per the instructions).

Deleting a shortuct in OSS can cause problems. Do you know what shortcut you created? There are several types.

Hi
See attachment please, hope this is the correct one, (I saved it on memory stick and then attached it to this post).

Sorry I don't really know what shortcut I deleted, only know that I created it from OS selector in the edit menu on the lefthand side.

Hope this helps, thank you for your time and effort.

Can you check that you got the correct BOOTWIZ.OSS file? The attached file is empty.

Sorry, corrected now.

What build of DD 10 are you using? Hopefully, it is 2160 or later. The last build was 2288.

Can you tell me exactly what happens when you select each of the OS menu entries OSS does see?

The file is showing only two and is not listing any booting files on the third partition. The partitions being detected as having Windows on them are the 50GB and the 335GB. Do ntldr and boot.ini exist on the 80GB partition?

To prevent the system becoming unbootable, ensure boot.ini in the Windows root has the correct partition number if the default OS has moved to a different partition (and rdisk number as well if to a different disk in a multi-disk system) and you are not using OS Selector at all or successfully. Make boot.ini non read-only first, if it's currently read-only.

The beginning (left on the diagram) part of the disk tends to be the fastest part, so have your favourite OS near there for optimum speed. (That doesn't apply to SSD).

Backup your system first with True Image (or other good imaging program) if you're in any doubt. Belt and braces!

Hi
Using version2288.
If I select the OS I can see they will boot up ok. There is nothing loaded on (hidden) partition and I can ignore it if that does not cause me any problems down the line. I have been able to make another partition which I can load windows onto, unless this will cause me more problems?

As you can see I am not a computer person and only use them for my workshop (vehicle software), if it gets to involved in changing files around as long as it does not cause me any more problems, I can live with it.

Have attached pictures but can not see ntldr or boot.ini on non working partition, but I am probabaly looking in the wrong place.

Something seems not right with the attempt on E, because of the apparently missing system files.

Unless you want more than one copy of an operating system installed at once for switching between them at any time (ie. a dual or multi-boot system), stick with using Windows on the partition it was on in the first place. As long as a reasonable amount of free space remains, you can just make it smaller to make room for more partitions after it.

This is the safest option if the partition has been least messed about with, and probably also the fastest to operate as well.

A copy of Windows does not need to be on every partition, so there was no need to copy it in the first place if you just want extra partitions to separate data from the OS (a good idea).

It's possible that a different partition was set Active when the "E:" partition Windows was installed. In any case, the files don't seem to exist on it.

You could try copying them over (ntldr, ntdetect.com, and boot.ini) and fixing the boot.ini file to point to the correct partition (partition(2)). If OSS detects it after this, you could try booting into it and see if everything looks okay. Otherwise, you could set that partition Active, hide the other two Windows partitions, and reinstall XP to it.

Since two of them are working at this point, it would be a good idea to create an Entire Disk Image backup before making changes. Once all three are working, you can create a new backup of the drive.

Hello
Could I just delete this partition, there is nothing on it or will (could) this cause more problems?

You could delete the partition. Then you'll need to recreate it to use the space (assuming you want to use the space). Just make sure that if you plan to reinstall XP to make the partition first, set it Active, and hide the other XP partitions.

Have your plans changed so you no longer want three XP partitions?

I may require 3 partitions and would need xp pro on all of them, but I thought that it may be quicker and easier for me (with my lack of computer skills) to delete and reload it.
Thank you for you help with this.

The reason I run 3 partitions is because some of the vehicle data software conflicks with each other, and I assume that when you set up separate partitions they can not see anything with regards to each other, hope this is correct (not had problems yet).