I have two operating systems can't access one of them

[copyright_1978]

Hi guys, this is my problem; I had XP installed first, then I installed Vista to dual boot between XP and Vista, for some strange reason Vista got rid of my XP selection and it just booted straight into Vista. Now, I can't get into my XP OS and I desperately need to access the OS for my saved emails and other files. I installed XP again so I have access to the drive as a partition but not as an OS.

Is there any way I can get that OS to boot back?

[EzyStvy]

In a dual-boot configuration, Windows XP does not start if you subsequently format or delete the partition on which Windows Vista is installed
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922809/en-us

[copyright_1978]

What I meant was that my partition is still there, I moved back to XP so now I have two partitions, XP Home1 and XP Home2. I cannot access XP Home1 because the boot option is missing.

I would love it if someone could help me work this out as you can see I am struggling to fix this.

[pam123]

Have you followed the instructions on EzyStvy's link for repairing the XP partition you want to get the email from ?

Also, do we understand you correctly, that you can see the partition and the files on it even though you can't boot to it ?
If that's the case you can get the data even if you can't boot from it.
What email program are you using ?

[copyright_1978]

Thanks for replying Pam, Ok basically what happens is that I go into the recovery console and it shows both my Windows drives:

1. E:\Windows <--- Trying to recover this one
2. O:\Windows

I then click on option 1, and then type in "fixmbr". It gives me a warning saying that it will overwrite the masterboot, I say "yes", and then it reboots and still goes into the newer "2. O:\Windows" partition.

What I really want is for there to be an option in the bootloader to select between both Windows Installed as I have lots of programs running in the first one. All my emails are in Outlook 2007.

I really wish I could fix this mess I landed myself in.

[pam123]

You need to create a Linux boot cd, Knoppix will do just fine, if you don't already have one or know someone who does : http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=knoppix

Get the ISO file and be sure you burn it as an ISO file.

This will run from your optical at boot up, so put the optical first in the boot order.

Using it you can see all your files on either partition and move the ones you want to save to a usb hard drive.

That done you can nuke and pave the drive and reinstall correctly and then restore your data from the usb hard drive ( or even to and from another computer on your network, should you have one.).

Warning : do not leave the usb hard drive connected after you shut the computer down after transferring the data to it. Turn it off , disconnect it and do not reconnect it again until after you've reinstalled XP and all the drivers, etc. .

[bozo]

You could also try a 3rd party boot manager such as "Boot It". I like doing dual booting this way...easy access to both OS, plus this program has a lot of other extras i.e. patition manager for creating\resizing\creating images.

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/boo...generation.htm

Goto the bottom of the page & click "Free Add-ons"...there is a free 30 day trial

[ITlover]

Originally Posted by copyright_1978 Hi guys, this is my problem; I had XP installed first, then I installed Vista to dual boot between XP and Vista, for some strange reason Vista got rid of my XP selection and it just booted straight into Vista. Now, I can't get into my XP OS and I desperately need to access the OS for my saved emails and other files. I installed XP again so I have access to the drive as a partition but not as an OS. Is there any way I can get that OS to boot back?

Are you able to access the partition where you installed WinXP when you boot your computer into WinVista?

You should be able to do it even if you cannot boot your computer into WinXP and can boot it into other OS?

[Briab Guy]

I did the same thing a while ago (vista beta). Only I think I made it worse by doing something else that didn't work. I know the repair did not work for me then. Something that is almost guaranteed to work is partition magic. I am pretty sure they have a version that is compatible with vista by now. It will give you a program called boot magic that lets you set up your partitions how you want them.

It looks like Norton bought PM:
http://www.symantec.com/norton/produ...d=sp&pvid=pm80
You can download it, so maybe there is a 30 day trial period.

there is a 30 day trial here for hared Disk Manager here:
http://www.paragon-software.com/hdm/

I remember what I did, I tried to make it boot into XP instead of Vista, and wacked it all out.
It seems that you mat have to let it auto into Vista with the option of "an older version of windows" to boot into before the 30 sec."s run out. So when you get it back leave vista first.

hope this helps
B

[Briab Guy]

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...04063693751462

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;314058

these may help, I had more info but can't seem to be able to find it. If I do I will get it to you.