Manually change default os in xp and windows 7 dual-boot

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codedi

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Sep 17, 2007
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Hello everybody,

I had Windows XP Pro running on my PC and I've installed Windows 7 using dual-boot.

I want to create a command line BAT file that will allow me to change the default OS system before I boot. For example If I'm working on XP and wants 7 to start-up automatically then I'll execute the batch file and it will manipulate the boot info so that i won't have to select it, and if i work in Windos 7 and want to automatically restart to xp i will run another BAT file.

I was able to do it in windows 7 using the command line bcdedit.exe application tha can control any aspect of the boot settings, but i couldn't find anyway to control the boot settings from within XP because the boot "belongs" to windows 7 and XP doesn't even "know it" or able to access it.

However I have a third-party application able to do that called VISTABOOTPRO, so i can assume it is indeed possible, but i want to create a simple one-click procedure to do it for me.

Does anyone know how can i access the boot settings from Windows XP ?

Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
Because the third party app was specifically designed for that purpose. Windows XP's bootloader no longer exists, however... the best you can hope to do is change the default manually each time before you reboot. It's really just easier to select the OS at the choices menu.
The bootloaders for XP and Win 7 / Vista are completely different. There is no way Windows XP will recognize Windows 7's bootloader. Once you installed Windows 7, XP's bootloader was overwritten and no longer exists. Windows XP no longer has any boot settings whatsoever.
 
Because the third party app was specifically designed for that purpose. Windows XP's bootloader no longer exists, however... the best you can hope to do is change the default manually each time before you reboot. It's really just easier to select the OS at the choices menu.
 
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