The C drive had to be formatted and is now running Windows ME. But the connection to the D drive was cut which is running Windows XP. I need to set up either a dual boot or a multiboot to get into the D drive. We have partition magic 8.0 but I haven't got a clue about what to do with it. The main problem is that we dont want to get rid of any of the existing data on the D drive. Is it possible to do without losing any data. Also the setup disks for both ME & XP have gone missing.
Was this machine already running as a dual boot?
If so the problem is that you formatted and reinstalled WinME.
This had re-written the MBR. So now it doesn't recoginze the WinXP installation.
both hard drives could be accessed through My Computer( if that explains it). Im not sure I think the person who did it used a recue file. I think win me was in a backup file
The only way I know it can be fixed is with the WinXP CD.
I think it can be done by adding something in the boot.ini file, but I don't know how to do that.
No it won't wipe out anything, It will repair the boot record though. The newest Operating System has to be loaded last, the older one can recognize anything newer than itself. So your re-install of WinME caused the problem.
If you merely reinstall XP on D: drive it will wipe the drive. Any files on it that you want to recover will be lost.
I am not familiar with XP but it is similar to W2K. (I have a w98se/W2K dual boot). As Longhair said, everything on D: is intact; just the MBR has been rewritten by the new ME installation.
All I know is the procedure for W2K. I have to start the installation CD and instead of install, choose repair. W2K then says it's trying to locate a good installation. If it finds it it will repair it, if not you can try the repair console to run the fixboot command.
It also says to have the 4 boot discs and the ERD (emergency repair disc) available.
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