I used a nlite version of 2k3 to do a dual boot PC on a winxp preinstalled system.

i have one primary partition with winxp, works great. Try then to add to partition 2 win2k3, nlite version, without the restore option (i entered at boot.ini the appropriate path and the boot load manager shows the correct path). After the initial install (blue screen), from boot manager i select win2k3 to finish the installation but nothing happens. Just a black screen with nothing to show. The partition is the correct cause when i change to something eelse it states that /windows/* is missing

P.S. the second partition is NTFS, extended/logical partition.

P.S.2 unanteded win2k3 with no addons...and enterprise edition.

P.S.3 this is my boot loader:

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /noexecute=alwaysoff /usepmtimer

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows 2003" /fastdetect

Any clues or solutions?

Sorry for my bad English (i suck at grammar)

Edited December 22, 200619 yr by trotos

Are you saying you had to add the 2k3 line to the boot.ini yourself? If so then your 2k3 install is not seeing XP during setup. Try replacing the XP ntldr file with the 2k3 one. I know that the Win2000 ntldr won’t work with XP, so perhaps the XP one won’t work with 2k3.

You don’t need both these switches in your XP line.

noexecute=optin

noexecute=alwaysoff

Remove the one you don’t want.

Dear McTavish you got that right...2k3 doesn't recognise winXP installation. I even delete the partition from the 2k3 boot cd did everything from scratch and again the same problem.

But then again 1. where i can find the ntldr of 2k3 and if i replace the ntldr winxp with the ntldr win2k3 will i be able to boot into winXP if any problem occures?

I also did a fixmbr from my original WinXP cd (again the winxp i have installed is nlited, as for the win2k3)

by the way thnks for the advise on the boot.ini

Hoping for fast repliesj

The 2k3 ntldr will be backwards comptible with XP for sure, but I'm just going to test it so give me half an hour.

When you installed 2k3 was the XP partition still the ACTIVE partition on the hard drive. If not that will be why 2k3 did not set up the ntldr as your bootmanager. The dual boot will only be configured if the active partition is different to the one you are installing Windows to.

Personally I never use the Microsoft bootmanager, causes more problems than it's worth. Have a read of this till I get back to you. http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/principles.htm

Yes, the XP ntldr WON’T boot 2k3, is just stalls on a black screen. I replaced ntldr in XP with the 2k3 one and both 2k3 and XP boot fine.

If you are still cautious of trying it, then if you have a floppy drive in your machine you should make an XP boot floppy. This will let you boot XP even if the ntldr and boot.ini files are missing in your XP install.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305595/EN-US

Or download this little .exe that will make one for you. The boot.ini on it has two options, the first and second partitions on the boot hard drive. If you replace the ntldr on it with the 2k3 one, then this floppy should boot both your XP and 2k3.