Author Topic: Using Chameleon & Vistabootloader to boot Windows XP (boot.ini error) *SOLVED*  (Read 3060 times)

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identifytarget

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I have two hard drives.

disk0: GPT HFS+ Chameleon rc3 Mac OS X 10.5.8
disk1: MBR NTFS Vista bootloader Windows XP x64

I'm trying to dual boot using the Chameleon to load the Vista bootloader which then loads XP.

How to: Install the Vista Bootloader on Windows XP
http://neosmart.net/blog/2007/how-to-install-the-vista-bootloader-on-a-windows-xp-machine/

Both disks boot fine when first in the BIOS order. When I boot disk0 then select NTFS I get a boot.ini error. I've tried placing NTLDR, ntdetect.com and boot.ini on disk0. In addition I've tried both rdisk(0) and rdisk(1) in my boot.ini

I can't figure out why the Vista bootloader fails when I use Chameleon to load it.

I don't know if the problem is bcd problem, boot.ini, or chameleon. Any help is appreciated.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2009, 08:46:16 AM by identifytarget »

identifytarget

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Re: Using Chameleon & Vistabootloader to boot Windows XP (boot.ini error)
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2009, 08:46:01 AM »
SOLVED

I basically discovered Windows XP is a big whiney bitch and no matter what I did it was looking for a valid install on /disk0. I couldn't get it to point to /disk1.

My only option was to make Windows XP the primary boot device and use the Vista bootloader to load Mac OS X. I used EasyBCD 2.0beta64 and added a Mac OS X entry. Because my mac drive is GPT, I clicked EFI (default), not MBR. I tried both with and without Custom Drive Number. It didn't seem to make a difference.

Save changes and reboot. Now you're presented with the stock darwin loader. It gives you two seconds to press a key then asks for 80 or 81. Since my mac HD is now /disk1 I have to type 81 and hit enter. This is unsatisfactory.

FINAL SOLUTION.
Download Chameleon 2.0rc3 and copy "boot" to your XP drive. Place it in C:\NST. Rename nst_mac.efi to nst_mac.bak Rename boot to nst_mac.efi.


Now when you boot the vista boot loader can load windows XP or go right into Chameleon 2.0. Really great feature!