Windows 7 fails to boot after failed XP install

[pizzahead911]

Hello. Recently I tried to install Windows XP on an old HDD I had lying around for better compatibility with certain programs. The installation seemed to be doing OK until I got a "Data Error (Cyclic Redundancy Check) which I have read is from bad HDD's. I figured no harm no foul and went to go back to Windows 7 on my other Hard drive to check the other one but when I went to it, it failed to boot. The BIOS screen said "Windows could not start because of a disk hardware configuration problem." I'm seriously very mad at this point as I did nothing to the other HDD to cause this problem. Any suggestions on how this could be fixed?

 

[JackNaylorPE]

You didn't install Windows XP on the old HD, you installed part of it on the new HD and the rest of it on the old.


ALWAYS unplug data cable on working HD when installing OS on another HD. See method 2 below

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

This may help you fix the bootloader

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/easybcd.html

Another option

Rebuild the BCD store. The BCD store will be part of a small 100MB 'System, Reserved' partition. See if this article is of any help as to how to rebuild the BCD store: How to repair a Windows 7 Dual Boot computer after a hard drive failure
http://www.pagestart.com/repairwin7dualboot01.html

3rd option - Dual Boot Repair

Restart your computer with the Windows 7 DVD in the CD/DVD drive. wait for Windows to start ... be patient, will take a while

Change your language, Time/Keyboard if necessary otherwise click 'Next'. At the 'Install Now' prompt (Do not pick the Install Now option) instead choose the 'Repair your computer' option located in the lower left of the display.

Next select the 'Use recovery tool' option and click 'Next'. Use the 'Startup Repair' option. You may need to do this more than once.

 

[pizzahead911]

Well that seems kinda ridiculous but alright. Basically because part of my HDD is already windows XP your saying I should just make it a dual boot HDD. Wouldn't doing that erase all the files on the original Hard drive as I didn't make a partition for it originally as I figured I would just install it on the old drive. Also the windows 7 CD I originally had is now unusable. Any way to get the files for one of those online legally

 

[JackNaylorPE]

No...the idea is when you thought you were installing to the old HD, you were actually installing the boot files on the HD with Win7 on it. Bad idea especially if you installed them in reverse order (newest 1st instead of oldest 1st)

If you want to install another OS to a different HD then next time do just that. Unplug your Win7 HD while doing the install and then XP won't write to the drive with Win7 on it.

The typical install process when a OS is present, the installation process logically assumes you intended to dual boot so that's what it did. Different partition / different HD ... doesn't matter....the boot files will always all be installed for all OS 's it detects in the same location.

You don't need a CD, you just need the license number / code thing from the sticker that was on the CD case. Look at sevenforums for instructions on how to build an ISO.