9 replies to this topic

[Linoman]

Now this is seriously very very weird. On my PC, I first installed Windows XP 32 bit onto my 250GB Hard Disk (on a partition I made for it) no problems.

Then I installed Windows XP 64 bit (also onto the 250GB Hard Disk but another partiton) now heres the weird thing. If I do not have my XP 64 bit edition Cd in the drive while the PC is booting up then XP 32 bit loads. If it is in the drive XP 64 bit edition loads.

I also have a seperate 80GB hard disc installed (perhaps the MBR for 64bit is installed on that?) \

Anyway anyone know how to solve this weird problem?

[Camaro]

Question for you, is the 250gb drive IDE or SATA? also yes you could have the MBR for the 64bit on the wrong partition that sounds like the most reasonable problem, one way to fix it would be to boot from the 64bit cd an go to the recovery counsil then type fixmbr and fixboot.

[Linoman]

The 250GB is Sata

[Camaro]

ok I have had the same thing happen even when the bios is set to boot from the sata first it will default to the IDE if you are not careful sometimes you just have to unplug that ide drive while putting the O/S on.

[Linoman]

Do you think that by working from the repair console I can sort this out. Or I could get a third party boot loader?

[Camaro]

yes in the repair console you should be able to fix it with the fixmbr an fixboot commands, you will need to have a few other commands handy too, but I dont remember exactly.

[Linoman]

Thanks Camaro, now all I need to do is find a list of the commands then I will do this.

[Camaro]

ask an ye shall recieve, here ya go
http://www.short-med...eview.php?r=313

[Linoman]

Thank you so much, you are a life saver

[Linoman]

Deleted my whole WinXP 32bit system, and did the recovery on my 64 bit system. Works like a charm, thanks Camaro