Set up dual boot but...no screen to show what OS i want to boot

I finished setting up dual boot for vista and windows 7, however I see no screen to let me choose what OS i want to boot. I have both OS's, because I checked with BIOS and I changed sequence and each booted. how do i get the screen to show what OS i want to boot?

 

I have never used it , but you could try easybcd.
http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

they recommend it at linux.org to change the boot order etc.

 

Weird it shows up on mine. Go to msconfig, under the boot tab see if you have two OS's shown. You can try easyBCD as said above to fix the bootloader.

Also check you if you have timeout time set (in secs) in the boot tab in msconfig.

 

There should be a easy way to do it without 3rd party software. I just totally don't remember how to achieve it.


EDIT: only 1 OS is shown under boot tab. whatever OS i am on.

Yeah, 30 second timeout.


Is it because of my boot sequence? what should my boot sequence be. mine is on default.

 

You can try this http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392
Did you use any third party tool to create partition? It might have messed up the MBR.

 

you shouldnt be messing around in the bios.

do as the other poster said

download easybcd
install
click restore vista bootloader

go down to add remove tab (might not be exact name im in osx at the moment)

add windows 7 boot entry.... direct it to the win7 partition once done

up top select/set up boot order

apply and close program

uninstall easybcd

done.

easybcd is the most valuable took any multi-os system can have. and you dont even need to keep it installed or run it again once its done its job the first time.

 

Ok I downloaded EasyBCD but see no option to restore bootloader.

I got windows 7 to show up under the boot tab in msconfig, and the screen to select what os i want when i boot it up, but when i click windows 7 it doesnt work. says i should stick back installation disk and repair it because it cant verify the signature.

 

I also use Easy BCD to modify the Vista Bootloader. It works for me. But in my case I'm choosing between WinXP and Win7.

Just curious, when you say you can modify the BIOS and get each to boot (I take it by each you mean Vista and Win7), what sequence did you change in BIOS. Aren't both OS's on the same hard drive?

 

nope. i have 2 hd's and vista is on my c drive and win7 is on my x drive. is this why i have a problem?

 

reinstall vista bootloader
write mbr



add remove entries--->windows tab---> direct it to the partition or HD

manage existing entries put vista first win7 second




default os windows
timeout whatever


down below

associate each os with correct drive.

you owe me rep for this!

 

directeuphorium, I already did that. Read post #7. Don't worry. I will rep you for the help ;p

 

if you allready did it, and it didn't work... 1 of two things

you messed up your computer in the bios or the msconfig hacking you did


or your win7 install is corrupted.


i run ubuntu win v win 7 and another i can't name here without getting a "warning" on my computer all set up just like that with easybcd

good luck

 

Only thing I did in the BIOS was change boot sequence.
And I did no msconfig hacking, in relation to OS's.
I was on Win7 last night fine. Just installed it, could it become corrupt so fast?
It told me to stick back in installation cd and repair, should I try that? It won't affect or touch my Vista drive right?

 

hey directeuphorium,

In your setup, do you also use two hard drives like McGrady does?

I'm probably going to rep you too directeuphorium, if I can use your screenshots when I get a chance to try this on my multi-boot single drive laptop. On that laptop, currently the Grub menu comes up first and I have a choice between Ubuntu or Windows. If I choose Windows, then I get the Vista bootloader menu where I can choose between XP or Win7. So I have to go thru two menus, which I don't mind but if I can do it all in the Vista Bootloader menu, I'd like to try that.

Now I know how to restore my grub menu too if I ever need to do that in the future. After installing the latest Win7 (RC), it took my grub menu out of commission and even using my previous fix didn't work (SuperGrub CD). But fortunately an Ubuntu Live CD (and some quick googling) allowed me to restore the grub menu.

 

More accurate error I received:

A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknown source.

File: \Windows\system32\winload.exe
Status: 0xc0000428
Info: Windows cannot verify the digital signature of this file

 

yes i have two internal hard drives and 6 partitions

you can use easybcd to set up all of this on a single drive.. and the vista bootloader will replace grub and show your linux os' as well.

just follow the directions and screens shots..

if you mess up, just restart and restore the bootloader and start over.

obviously various settings may differ depending on your setup, but that's to be expected.

 

google search "winload.exe" shows a ton of people who had same error when dualbooting vista and XP 2-3 years ago

worth checking out... sadly i don't have time to weed through it... but i'm sure they came up with a solution.

 

Alright I fixed it, inserted cd, repaired pc, something was wrong with the boot for my c drive(vista). thanks for the help

 

Glad to hear it, i hope you find win 7 to be as stable as i do.

 

Ok, I finally got my Vista Boot Loader menu to include a working Ubuntu entry. I think this is the way it's supposed to work. When I choose Ubuntu from the Vista Boot loader menu (which comes up upon booting), it pulls up the Grub menu. Per other links I googled, I then made that Grub menu default to Ubuntu with 0 seconds timeout. So the Grub menu does flash up on the screen but only for that split second before Ubuntu starts up.

I ran into a couple of speed bumps getting to this point so I hope this is the way it should work.

Thanks again directeuphorium for helping me get started on that.