Computer Hope

Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows XP => Topic started by: eridani on April 11, 2010, 10:30:13 AM

Title: "Earlier Version of Windows" choice at startup missing
Post by: eridani on April 11, 2010, 10:30:13 AM
Hi all.  I tried searching for this problem, but couldn't quite find it.

My computer has three physical hard drives: I have Windows 7 on "G", and XP on "D" (the other one has no OS installed).  Now, usually, when the computer started up,  I get these options:

Earlier Version of Windows
Windows 7

Inexplicably, the first entry has disappeared, and the second now reads "Windows 7 (Recovered)."  As far as I know no virus or any other spyware has infected my computer.  But I ran a virus scan and a spyware scan of the D drive, and it found nothing.  All the files on D seem to be intact.  I'll reinstall XP if I  have to, but is there any way to get it working again? Thanks. 

My PC:
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit/ XP SP3
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
2 GB RAm
Title: Re: "Earlier Version of Windows" choice at startup missing
Post by: Salmon Trout on April 11, 2010, 12:52:49 PM
If the XP drive is undamaged and bootable, you will be able to use it by selecting it as first boot device in the BIOS. However, why don't you go into boot options in W7 and configure the boot.ini?
Title: Re: "Earlier Version of Windows" choice at startup missing
Post by: Broni on April 11, 2010, 01:16:57 PM
BCDEdit, that would be  ;D
Title: Re: "Earlier Version of Windows" choice at startup missing
Post by: Salmon Trout on April 11, 2010, 01:26:00 PM
BCDEdit, that would be  ;D

You are quite right. Good catch. Boot.ini is used with older Windows OSs.

http://www.ditii.com/2009/01/28/how-to-modify-windows-7-boot-loader/
Title: Re: "Earlier Version of Windows" choice at startup missing
Post by: Broni on April 11, 2010, 01:34:45 PM
:)
Title: Re: "Earlier Version of Windows" choice at startup missing
Post by: Salmon Trout on April 11, 2010, 01:40:08 PM
I have been using Windows 7 for 1 month, but I still think in XP mode.
Title: Re: "Earlier Version of Windows" choice at startup missing
Post by: eridani on April 12, 2010, 11:06:50 AM
Thank you for your responses, but I'm still having some trouble.  The link you gave had me enter the following command in the Prompt:
bcdedit /set {legacy} Description "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP3"

I get the following error:
An error occurred while attempting to reference the specified entry. The system cannot find the file specified.

Now I'm assuming that error is referring to the fact that I might have named my XP installation differently.  All the names I tried though return the same error (I don't remember the exact name, but it was similar to the example).  This command is new to me so I don't really know how to use it.  Thanks for any further help.
Title: Re: "Earlier Version of Windows" choice at startup missing
Post by: eridani on April 13, 2010, 07:46:35 AM
Ok, so I seemed to have stumped the best of you.  I decided I'm going to reinstall XP, but now there's a new problem.  I cannot copy over any of my documents; music, pictures, and others.  I always get an access denied error.  I realize this is because of the File Permission security feature on NTFS file systems and multi-booted Windows and the like, but is there any way around it short of hacking?  It's my own stuff...I just wish there was a way to tell Windows that.
Title: Re: "Earlier Version of Windows" choice at startup missing
Post by: Broni on April 13, 2010, 06:37:55 PM
You need to take ownership of those folders/files: http://www.winxptutor.com/ownership.htm