Issue booting Windows 8.1/Dual boot PC with Windows XP

Discussion in 'Windows XP / Older OS' started by Dorlan2001, Jun 27, 2014.

  1. Dorlan2001

    Dorlan2001 MDL Novice

    Mar 28, 2014
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    Hi there!

    I'm having an issue with my PC regarding dual-boot Windows 8.1 and Windows XP. I had as my primairly boot OS Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center (x64) and I decided to dual boot with Windows XP Professional SP3 (x86). The thing is, yesterday I successfully installed and get to work Windows XP but now I can't boot into Windows 8.1! Windows 8.1 is still on my hard drive with all it's core files, my programs, etc. I don't want to reinstall Windows 8.1 on my PC, I just want (if possible) to regain access to this OS without losing programs or the entire OS. Thanks in anticipation! :)
     
  2. s1ave77

    s1ave77 Has left at his own request

    Aug 15, 2012
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    Boot from the Win 8.1 media and perform StartUp-Repair :cool2:.
     
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  3. Dorlan2001

    Dorlan2001 MDL Novice

    Mar 28, 2014
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    #3 Dorlan2001, Jun 27, 2014
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2014
    (OP)
    Thank you very much! I completely forgot about this, how silly of me! xDDD
    Anyway, thanks... you saved my life! ^_^

    EDIT: Well, this is not actually resolved at all, now I can boot into Windows 8.1 with no problem... but now I can't boot into Windows XP, what is it? Win8.1 and WinXP can't be together, because it seems to hate each other! Lool!!! :D
    If you or anyone can help me to really dual-boot those OS at startup, please explain me how to do it! I will be very grateful... thanks again! :)
     
  4. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    Are we talking lappy or desktop ?

    If a desktop set up each OS on it's own drive.

    If a lappy maybe a third party app like EasyBCD could help out.
     
  5. Carlos Detweiller

    Carlos Detweiller Emperor of Ice-Cream

    Dec 21, 2012
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    You need to use a BCD editor like EasyBCD and add Windows XP as a bootoption to the BCD.
     
  6. Dorlan2001

    Dorlan2001 MDL Novice

    Mar 28, 2014
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    My PC is a laptop, a HP Pavilion g6! ;)
    I do appreciate all the help provided guys, now everything works as it should. Thank you! :)
     
  7. crashnburn

    crashnburn MDL Addicted

    Mar 18, 2010
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    Care to share what you did?
     
  8. sunilk

    sunilk MDL Member

    May 15, 2014
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    you can go to msconfig to set right it

    open run > msconfig > go to boot tab and set timeout to 30 seconds and you are good to go.