Dual Boot - Windows "Missing Operating System"

[monsoonmoon22]

Hey there.

After just a few hours, I had SL up and running on my new SSD Drive - everything seems to be fine

But then I plugged my old hard drive back in (with Windows XP on it) and its giving me "Missing Operating System" when I choose to boot from it. I can see the drive and contents from within SL.

The drive has 3 partitions - 1 with XP installation and program files, 1 with personal data and 1 empty.

Anybody else had this issue? Its gonna be a real mare if I have to rebuild the Windows drive ;(

Do I just somehow have to point it to the right partition?

Thanks

 

[Going Bald]

Re: Dual Boot - Windows "Missing Operation System"

Hey there.

After just a few hours, I had SL up and running on my new SSD Drive - everything seems to be fine

But then I plugged my old hard drive back in (with Windows XP on it) and its giving me "Missing Operating System" when I choose to boot from it. I can see the drive and contents from within SL.

The drive has 3 partitions - 1 with XP installation and program files, 1 with personal data and 1 empty.

Anybody else had this issue? Its gonna be a real mare if I have to rebuild the Windows drive ;(

Do I just somehow have to point it to the right partition?

Thanks

1. Unless you installed the drivers, WinXP does not have support for AHCI. You must make the WinXP drive first in boot order and set the SATA port you have its HD connected to back to IDE.
2. When you get WinXP updated with the AHCI drivers it still will not boot with chameleon loaded on the OS X HD because WinXP will not boot unless it is first in HD boot order.
3. Because of 2 you must create a small partition on the WinXP drive and install chameleon to that partition and copy your /Extra folder to it.
4. This has been explained and detailed guides are in several threads on the forum - just use the search engine and search for WinXP or Win XP or Windows XP and dual boot or Multi boot.

 

[monsoonmoon22]

Re: Dual Boot - Windows "Missing Operation System"

Thanks for the speedy reply

All the searches came back with guidance on using a single drive whereas I have 2 separate drives..

Worryingly after changing the bios back to IDE I'm now getting another similar error and it still won't boot into windows. U think my win installation on that drive is screwed? I can't find the win installation cd either ;(

Final question - if I start from scratch, do I install easybeast on that small partition on the win drive or just the chameleon menu? I did actually try both of these options too but both said installation failed

Thanks

 

[Going Bald]

Re: Dual Boot - Windows "Missing Operation System"

Thanks for the speedy reply

All the searches came back with guidance on using a single drive whereas I have 2 separate drives..

Worryingly after changing the bios back to IDE I'm now getting another similar error and it still won't boot into windows. U think my win installation on that drive is screwed? I can't find the win installation cd either ;(

Final question - if I start from scratch, do I install easybeast on that small partition on the win drive or just the chameleon menu? I did actually try both of these options too but both said installation failed

Thanks

With 2 drives, you only need chameleon installed to a small partition on the WinXP disc. Then copy your /Extra file to the same partition.