Why did Windows 7 go on drive C when I specified D?

[Salmon Trout]

I say Patio should leave it exactly as it is. You should learn that actions have consequences.

[Geek-9pm]

System Commander does it...

Course if you are suggesting an older 20 dollar version i can't guarantee what latest OS versions will work on it.
He will have to research that...

I am working on it. I am slow, but I will keep at it.

[php111]

I am working on it. I am slow, but I will keep at it.

Are you trying it with a free boot loader such as Ranish?

[Geek-9pm]

Yes, I am using free stuff first. I think I have something that works, but I have to prove it to myself first, then I will post it .

As a rule, if a boot manage and do both Vista and an old OS. then it will do Windows 7. But I want to make sure. These type of managers have to intercept the BIOS call to the MBR loader and use their own boot loader. Not endorsed by Microsoft.

[php111]

Yes, I am using free stuff first. I think I have something that works, but I have to prove it to myself first, then I will post it .

As a rule, if a boot manage and do both Vista and an old OS. then it will do Windows 7. But I want to make sure. These type of managers have to intercept the BIOS call to the MBR loader and use their own boot loader. Not endorsed by Microsoft.

Thank you for the info.

[BC_Programmer]

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itproinstall/thread/7e52b1b9-0e72-40ff-958c-e688427bfa94

[php111]

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itproinstall/thread/7e52b1b9-0e72-40ff-958c-e688427bfa94

Thank you. I'm not understanding on what bootsec.dos has to do with it? I haven't had DOS on my PC in a couple of years, so I don't have an old bootsec.dos to use.

I'm sorry about that.

[Geek-9pm]

RE: Windows 7 and DOS 6.22 on the same hard drive.
A brief report.
Most often the 'experts' say use a Virtual Machine.
You might install DOS 7.1 and Windows 7 on the same disk
You  might boot DOS 6.22 from a USB. BIOS dependant.
DOS 6.22 can not be installed above the 7.5 GB mark.
DOS 6.22 must be on an active  primary partition.
Once source says GPART has to be used.
Another says EasyBCD needs to be used.
Others claim GRUB will do it.
I am testing two different third party boot managers the promise to do the job. They are FREE. Will report back later.

[Geek-9pm]

I have go to a dead end on this project. Here is how far I got.
Found a good copy of MS-DOS 6.22 which does NOT support FAT32 file system and can not be located beyond about 7.7 GB on a hard drive.
Now I have Windows 7 and DOS 6.22 on the drive and both working. But I can not make a valid boot menu for them. I have to use a floppy to go set a partition active to boot either windows 7 of MS-DOS 6.33 on that one drive.

Windows 7 has the first and third partitions. DOS has the second. Yeah, but it works. Just no simple way to make amen All Boot loaders I have tried insist that they have to be in the active partition. Won't work that way.

The DOS partition is just FAT, not FAT32.
Using DOS 7.1 would mean using FAT32, which changes the game.

The objective of the experiment was to see if both DOS 6.22 and Windows 7 could be on the same hard drive in  each his own partition and boot either from a menu.

Using a USB or floppy is not fair. Just the hard drive. And no fair using smoke and mirrors. One product recommends putting a patch in the BIOS. No, I won't go that fa'.

I will quit here.

[Computer_Commando]

Which tool did you use?
BCDedit?  http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2676-bcdedit-how-use.html
BCD Editor?  http://www.boyans.my3gb.com/
Or something else?

[Geek-9pm]

I used Easy BCD. Could  not get it to work. I will try those.

[Geek-9pm]

The OP wants to put D OS 6.22 and Windows 7 on the same hard drive.
Dos can be started from a floppy, but OP wants it on the hard drive.

Windows 7 does NOT destroy the DOS drive. Rather, it creates its own partition and refers to it as the C drive, although it is in fact the second partition.

This is want works for me.
Erase a drive and prepare it so tat there is a FAT partition at the start of the drive. It must be under the 2GB limit. A 200 MB is lots for DOS applications.
After installing and testing DOS 6.22, install  Windrows 7.

To get back into DOS, boot from a CD  that allows you to switch  the active partition and reboot from the hard drive.
This could be the same CD used to install MS-DOS to the hard drive.

The OP can do a Google for
Build DOS 6.22 install CD
And find out how to make a bookable DOS CD.
A simple solution.