Michael describes using VistaBootPro instead of bcdedit to get his dual boot configuration working again. Keep reading →

For those of you with Intel Macs, here’s a 5 minute video on how to install Vista on it so you can dual-boot between Vista and OS X. Looks pretty simple, installing the drivers is the most difficult part, which isn’t all that hard.

You have a computer on which Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) is installed on the main partition. On this computer, you install Windows Vista on a different partition. Then, you try to use the System Configuration Utility (Msconfig.exe) in Windows Vista to remove or change the Windows XP startup option. However, the option is unavailable. You expect the option to be available on the Boot tab of the utility.

This problem does not occur if you install Windows Vista on both partitions.

Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system on a Windows Vista-based computer in a dual-boot configuration. Additionally, you may receive the following error message when you try to start Windows Vista:

Disk read error has occurred.

When you use the System Restore feature in Windows Vista or in Microsoft Windows Server Code Name “Longhorn,” you receive the following message:

No Restore Points have been created on your computer’s system disk.

Additionally, only the most recent backup files from Windows Vista Complete PC Backup are available. Earlier versions of the backup files are unavailable. You experience this problem if you are running Windows Vista or Windows Server “Longhorn” on a computer that is also configured to run an earlier Windows operating system.

Note: This configuration is known as a dual-boot configuration.

After you install Windows Vista so that the computer can start either in Windows Vista or in Microsoft Windows XP, you cannot start Windows XP. When you try to start the computer by using Windows XP, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe. Please re-install a copy of the above file.

After you install Windows Vista in a dual-boot configuration together with Microsoft Windows XP, you receive an error message that resembles the following when you try to start the computer by using Windows XP:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe. Please re-install a copy of the above file.

You experience the following symptoms after you unsuccessfully try to install Windows Vista on a separate partition on a Windows-based computer:

• The computer cannot start the earlier version of Windows.
• The computer continuously restarts.

This problem occurs if the following conditions are true:

• The computer is running a version of Windows that is earlier than Windows Vista.
• You try to create a dual-boot system by installing Windows Vista to a different partition than the partition where the earlier version of Windows is installed.
• An error occurs during the installation. Or, an error occurs after Windows Vista restarts for the first time. When this error occurs, the Windows Vista installer rolls back the changes that were made during the installation.

On a computer that is running Microsoft Windows Vista, you try to install an additional operating system on a new partition. When you restart the computer, you receive the following error message:

A disk read error has occurred. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart.