How to set up multiple operating systems under Windows 7

Some people like to install more operating system
at the same time, according to their own different needs to choose the system to use, today Ivy Encyclopedia will teach you how to achieve independent startup WinXP, Win7, WinPE three Systems.

The basic concept of multi-system startup

Before using XRLDR, let's take a look at the system startup knowledge, so that you can better understand and configure the startup of multiple systems. The system generally starts the program on the hard disk: boot self-test → load the hard disk master boot record (MBR) & rarr; search and activate the system boot file & rarr; load the boot configuration file & rarr; load the system core file & rarr; complete the boot.

For example, if you install Win7 dual system users on WinXP, after installing Win7, it will change the master boot record and use Bootmgr to manage multiple system boot. Its boot process is: load the NT60 master boot record after self-test, then find the boot file <;C:\\Bootmgr” and activate, then load “C:\\boot\\bcd” start the configuration file and list the multiple boot. If you select “Windows
7”, Bootmgr is configured according to the BCD startup information, and the control is given to “Winload.exe” under the Win7 system directory, and then start Win7. If you select the old version of Windows
, Bootmgr will give control to “NTLDR”, then start WinXP (common system boot files and boot record format are shown in the following table).

Common System Boot Files

Tip: The hard drive master boot record is not necessarily related to the specific operating system. It is a piece of code that is loaded before the operating system starts. The difference between different types of boot records is the difference in loading boot files, such as NT60 records, which will look for “C:\\Bootmgr” and load it. Bootmgr can boot either WinXP or Linux. The specific system that can be booted is determined by the system startup configuration file. For example, after the startup configuration is written to BCD, Bootmgr can start WinXP system.

From the above startup process, it can be seen that the traditional dual system boot has the following disadvantages:

1. Multiple system startup is completed through the first partition, so once the first partition fails to work properly (such as suffering from virus damage), it will lead to all systems can not start.

2. Multiple system startup files are saved in the first partition and depend on the Bootoggr single file. Once the file is mishandled (such as BCD error editing of the startup configuration file) or accidentally deleted, it will lead to multiple systems. Startup failed.

In order to solve the above-mentioned shortcomings of multi-system startup, we can modify the startup of multiple systems by ourselves. Firstly, the startup files of each system are copied to their respective partitions, and then the independent startup of each partition system is realized by XRLDR configuration, so that the multi-system startup can get rid of the dependence on the first partition and the single startup file, and the process comparison before and after the transformation is as shown in FIG. .

Note: This article uses WinDisk plus D disk to install Win7 dual system installation as an example. In order to facilitate maintenance, I also install WinPE system in E disk.

Actual combat: multiple systems start each

From the above introduction, you can know that the first step of transforming multiple system startup operations is to copy each system startup file to the respective partition, because the startup file is simply copied. The system cannot be started, and the system startup must be configured after the copy is completed. The following describes how to perform specific operations for different systems.

(1) to achieve WinXP independent startup

We know that WinXP is started by "C:\\NTLDR", for users who install Win7 after WinXP, we only need to boot the hard disk. Change the record to NT52 format. After entering WinXP, copy the downloaded "bootsect.exe" to the C drive, then start the command prompt tool and type "c:\\bootsect.exe /nt52 c:”, when the screen appears "Bootcode was successfully updated on A prompt for all targeted volumes.” indicates that the master boot record was successfully changed to NT52 format. Now restart the system will automatically load NTLDR to start WinXP (the Bootmgr boot manager interface will not appear again).

Tip: For users who install WinXP on the basis of Win7, do not use the above command to change the master boot record, otherwise there will be consequences of the inability of both systems to enter. After changing to the NT52 format, the hard disk master boot record will look for the NTLDR file in the root directory of the first partition (the NT60 format is looking for Bootmgr).

(2) Implement Win7 independent startup

After completing the above operations, restart the system and enter WinXP, and cut the entire directory of the file, “C:\\boot” Cut to the root directory of the D drive. Then run the downloaded “bcdtool.exe”, click “ Launch Configuration & Rarr; Open ”, open “d:\\boot\\bcd” configuration file. Select “Edit → Delete Startup Project> to delete all the original startup projects. Then select “Edit →New Vista Startup Project", select the new project, double-click the “device” item in the right pane, and change it to “partition=D:” (drive letter according to Win7 Change the specific partition of the installation), “description" (start menu display name) changed to “Windows 7”.

After the above startup file is moved and configured, as long as we can load “D:\\bootmgr”, Win7 can be started from the D drive (Bootmgr loading needs to be configured with XRLDR).

(3) Implementation of WinPE independent startup

Since Win7 startup often needs to be repaired with WinPE, in order to facilitate the maintenance of Win7 system, we can also manually install WinPE system on local hard disk. Just prepare the Win7 installation CD, open the CD and copy all the files except the "disc directory\\sources\\install.wim” file to the E drive to complete the installation.

Final setting ——Multi-system unified management

After completing the configuration of the above three systems, now enter WinXP system, run the downloaded XRLDR, click “Install/Configure&rdquo ; Enter the configuration interface. In the interface preview, select “ the first operating system & rdquo;, in turn, the following settings:

1. Start mode single-select "Start from file", start file select NTLDR (used to start WinXP, Start Win7 and WinPE and select Bootmgr).

2. The boot partition selects the first partition (that is, the partition where WinXP is located, and other systems select according to the specific partition).

3. Select the system type “NTLDR/BOOTMGR” and check “ activate to activate the primary partition when starting.

4. Change the menu text to “Windows XP” and click “Generate” to set the font, color, font size, etc. according to your preferences. Other parameters take the default settings.

5. The operation is the same as above, set the startup configuration of Win7 and Win PE systems in turn, and finally click “write to disk” to complete the change to the master boot record.

OK, now just restart the computer
, we can choose the system we like in the boot multi-boot menu (the next time you start the system, the default system will be started. The system can be set up in XRLDR).

The above three systems are started independently. For example, after selecting Win7, you can open “ldquo;Computer Management & Rarr; Storage & Rarr; Disk Management”, and you can see that the partition where Win7 is located is both the system partition and the boot partition. Indicates that its startup does not depend on the first partition.

Tip: What is the system partition, boot partition? According to the Microsoft Help documentation, a system partition is a partition that contains the hardware-specific files needed to load Windows (such as Bootmgr). The system partition can be (not necessarily) the same as the boot partition. A boot partition is a partition that contains the Windows operating system and its supporting files. In the case of the traditional WinXP+Win7, its system partition is the first partition for Win7 (because the specific files required to load Windows such as Bootmgr and Boot boot directory are in the partition), the boot partition is the second partition (because the Windows operating system directory) In the partition). Here, the system partition and the boot partition are combined to indicate that the partition contains system files and boot files, which indicates that the system is autonomously and independently started.

After the above transformation, we have realized the independent startup of WinXP, Win7 and WinPE, which brings great convenience to our daily maintenance. For example, before the transformation, the Bootmgr file was deleted by mistake. After restarting, it is impossible to start multiple systems. Now, you can enter the WinXP system. You can fix the startup problem of Win7 system by copying Bootmgr to D disk on other computers. Similarly, if Win7's BCD menu fails, we can also enter WinPE and use the Bcdboot command for quick fixes.

This article independently boots through XRLDR to achieve independent startup of multiple systems. If you have installed multiple systems and have experienced many system startup failures, then try the methods described in this article to greatly reduce your maintenance work! Even computer experts often encounter many problems. A system-initiated failure, and once an unstartable failure occurs, maintenance can be time consuming and labor intensive.