[SOLVED! Dual Boot WinPE and Windows 7]

Ok - I got through all of this and it failed. I fumbled through some parts that were missing:

Bcdedit /create /d Winpe /application osloader

This gave me errors and told me that I didn't have a BCD store, missing files, etc. etc. I assumed that through all of this the WinPE Drive should remain active. In fact the Windows Drive should be activated to send the command:

bootsect.exe /nt60 c:

(I used this as EVERY issue of bcdedit I used, threw back an error of one kind or another)

I was then able to issue the above command along with the list setting up the menu. It failed on the last item (/display order {GUID} /addlast)

I went ahead and rebooted. When I did, I was given an install error saying that there were issues with my boot manager and problems with the file \boot\bcd

Any Help would be appreciated.

[SOLVED! Dual Boot WinPE and Windows 7]

Hi Randall,

I am hoping you are still around. I am trying to use your method to restore a .wim image of a POS machine. The machine only has one drive and I used your method...sort of. Here's what I did.

Used diskpart to create three partitions, as you did. Put PE on the first partition along with a copy of the image I wanted to restore.

At this step "Your system will now boot to WinPE under the R: drive.", I used this command to apply:

imagex /apply R:\mybackup.wim 1 E: /check /verify

(When I booted, the R: drive was loaded into X: and the remaining drives were C, D, E with C corresponding to R, D to the System partition and E to the Windows)

I got lost here:

You can now install Windows 7 to the S: partition or reboot and boot from the install DVD and choose the larger HDD partition to install to.

Once installation is complete you can no longer boot into WinPE in the hidden partition. You will now make the updates to the BCDedit.exe as follows.

I think I am supposed to do the bcdedit commands BECAUSE my machine won't boot to WinPE again. What happened was, I finished applying the image and then rebooted and it went right back to WinPE. I then used diskpart to mark to Windows partition as active and rebooted and got an error that Windows couldn't find the system files and needed to be reinstalled.

Do you have any experience with restoring images? The image I have is supposed to be POSReady XP. It is for a very specific machine (A Radiant P1220) that ended up needing a hard disk replaced.

Today I am going to REACTIVATE the WinPE partition in hopes to correct the error with the bcdedit commands you have listed. I am confused by some of your drive lettering though.

Bcdedit /create /d Winpe /application osloader

The above command returns a GUID that you use in the next commands:

Bcdedit /set <GUID> osdevice partition=d:
Bcdedit /set <GUID> device partition=d:
Bcdedit /set <GUID> path \windows\system32\winload.exe
Bcdedit /set <GUID> systemroot \windows
Bcdedit /set <GUID> winpe yes
Bcdedit /set <GUID> detecthal yes
Bcdedit /displayorder <GUID> /addlast

Also you will need to copy your winload.exe from the install to the winpe partition.

open a cmd prompt and type copy c:\windows\system32\winload.exe d:\windows\system32

Which is D: and Which is C: ?? Am I applying the bcedit commands to the Windows partition and then copying winload.exe from the WinPE partition to the Windows partition? Do I have that right?