WIN7/XP/PE Multi-operating system standalone Boot Setup tutorial

More and more users are installing dual systems, but the startup and maintenance of multiple systems has been a headache, such as Windows XP (hereinafter referred to as WinXP) +windows 7 users (hereinafter referred to as Win7), if there is a problem with the boot file bootmgr or the BCD boot configuration, Often leads to the inability of both systems to enter. This article discusses methods and techniques for using XRLDR (a lightweight, multiple-boot management tool) to enable the WinXP, Win7, WinPE three systems to start independently.

Understanding Multiple System Startup basics

Before using Xrldr, let's take a look at the system startup knowledge so that you can better understand and configure multiple system startup. The general boot program on the hard drive is this: Post → load master boot record (MBR) → Search and activate system boot file → load boot config file → load system core file → finish boot.

For example, for installing WIN7 dual system users on a WinXP basis, it will change the master boot record and use BOOTMGR to manage multiple system startup after installing Win7. Its boot process is to load the NT60 master boot record after the self-test, then locate the boot file "C:bootmgr" and activate it, then load the "C:BOOTBCD" Startup configuration file and list multiple launches. If you select Windows 7, bootmgr will give control to "Winload.exe" under the Win7 system directory and start Win7 after the BCD boot information configuration. If you select an older version of Windows,bootmgr, give control to "NTLDR", and then start the WinXP (Common system boot file and boot record format as shown in the following table).

Common system boot files

Tip: The hard drive master boot record does not necessarily relate to the specific operating system, which is a piece of code that is loaded before the operating system starts. Different types of boot records differ in how the boot file is loaded, such as the NT60 record, which looks for "c:bootmgr" and loads it. Bootmgr can either boot the WinXP or boot the Linux system. What system can be guided specifically, is determined by the system boot configuration file, for example, after the "C:ntldr" boot configuration is written to BCD, Bootmgr can start the WinXP system.

From the above START process can be seen that the traditional dual-system guidance mainly has the following deficiencies:

1. Multiple system launches are done through the first partition, so once the first partition fails (for example, by a virus), it can cause all systems to fail to start.

2. Multiple system startup files are stored in the first partition and are dependent on boootmgr single files, which can cause multiple system startup failures once the file is mistakenly manipulated (such as the incorrect editing of the Boot profile BCD) or mistakenly deleted.

In order to solve the above problems of multiple system start-up, we can transform the multiple system start-up. First of all the system to copy the boot files to their respective partitions, and then through the XRLDR configuration to achieve the independent start of each partition system, so that multiple systems start to get rid of the first partition and a single boot file dependence, transformation before and after the process comparison.

Note: In this paper, the installation of WinXP with C disk and the installation of Win7 in the D disk are installed as an example, in order to facilitate maintenance, the author also installs the WinPE system in e-disk.

Actual combat: Multiple systems are activated individually

From the above introduction can know, the transformation of multiple system startup operation The first step to copy the system boot files to their respective partitions, because the simple replication boot file does not start the system, replication is completed after the system boot configuration. Here's how to do this for different systems.

Partⅰ. Implement WinXP Independent Start

We know that WinXP is launched through the "C:ntldr", for the first installation of the WinXP after the installation of Win7 users, we just have to change the hard disk master boot record to the NT52 format. After entering the WinXP, copy the downloaded "Bootsect.exe" to the C disk, then start the Command prompt tool and enter "C:bootsect.exe/nt52 C:" When the screen appears "Bootcode is successfully updated on All targeted volumes. " Indicates that the master boot record was successfully changed to NT52 format. Now that the system is rebooted, NTLDR is automatically loaded to start the WinXP (the Bootmgr Boot Manager interface will no longer appear).

Tip: For users who install WinXP on a Win7 basis, do not use the above command to change the master boot record, otherwise there will be two systems can not enter the consequences. Because after the change to NT52 format, the hard drive master boot record looks for the Ntldr file in the first partition root directory (NT60 format is looking for bootmgr).

Partⅱ. Implement Win7 Independent Start

After completion of the above operation, reboot the system into the WinXP, the "c:bootmgr" file, "C:boot" entire directory cut to the D-packing directory. Then run the downloaded "Bcdtool.exe" and click "Start configuration → open" to open the "D:BOOTBCD" configuration file. Select edit → remove startup items, and then delete all the original Startup items. Then select edit → New Vista startup Project, select the new item, and then double-click the "Device" item in the right pane to change it to "Partition=d:" (the letter is changed according to the specific partition of Win7 installation), "description" (Boot menu display name ) to "Windows 7".

After the above boot files are moved and configured, we can start by loading "d:bootmgr" (bootmgr load requires XRLDR configuration) as long as we can load "Win7".

Partⅲ. Implement WinPE Independent start

Because the Win7 boot often needs to be repaired with the help of WinPE, we can also manually install the WinPE system on the local hard drive to facilitate maintenance of the Win7 system. As soon as you are ready to Win7 the CD-ROM, you can complete the installation by copying all the files except the disc directory Sourcesinstall.wim file to E disk when you open the disc.

Final Setup-Multi-system unified management

After completing the configuration of the above three systems, now enter the WinXP system, run the downloaded Xrldr, and click Install/configure to enter the configuration interface. In the interface preview, select first operating system, followed by the following settings:

1. Startup mode Select "Boot from File", boot file select NTLDR (for Start WinXP, start Win7 and WinPE bootmgr).

2. The boot partition selects the first partition (that is, the partition where the WinXP is located, and the other systems are selected according to the specific partition).

3. System type Select "Ntldr/bootmgr" and check "activate at startup to start primary Partition".

4. Change the menu text to Windows XP, and then click Build (font, color, font size, and so on, depending on your preferences). The other parameters take the default setting.

5. The operation above, in turn set up Win7 and Win PE system startup configuration, and finally click "Write to Disk" to complete the master boot record changes.

OK, now just reboot the computer, we can choose our favorite system in the Boot multiple boot menu (the next time you start the last selected system, the default boot system can be set in Xrldr).

The above three systems are independently activated, such as the selection of Win7 into, and then open "Computer Management → storage → Disk Management", you can see that the Win7 partition is both a system partition and a boot partition, indicating that its start does not depend on the first partition.

Hint: What is a system partition, boot partition? According to the Microsoft Help documentation, the system partition refers to a partition that contains the hardware-specific files needed to load Windows (such as Bootmgr), and the system partition can (not be) the same as the boot partition. A boot partition refers to a partition that contains the Windows operating system and its supporting files. In a traditional winxp+win7 case, for Win7 its system partition is the first partition (because the specific files required to load windows, such as the bootmgr and boot boot directories are in the partition), the boot partition is the second partition (because the Windows operating system directory is on that partition). Here the system partition and the boot partition are combined to show that the partition contains system files and boot files, which can indicate that the system is autonomous and independently initiated.

After the above transformation, we have achieved the WinXP, Win7, WinPE three systems of independent start-up, which gives us a great convenience in daily maintenance. For example, before the transformation mistakenly deleted the Bootmgr file, restart can not start multiple systems, and now it is possible to enter the WinXP system, as long as the other computer to copy bootmgr to D disk can repair Win7 system startup problems. Similarly, if the Win7 BCD menu fails, we can also enter WinPE and use the BCDboot command for quick fixes.

Even the computer master, also often encounter multiple system boot failure, and once the failure to start, it can be maintenance of time-consuming and laborious. This paper provides a kind of good idea for the maintenance of multiple systems, and realizes the independent boot of each system by XRLDR. If you have installed more than one system, and also encountered too many system startup failures, then try the method described in this article, you can greatly reduce your maintenance work!