I have XP/Vista/Win7 configured on 3 primary partitions off 1 HDD.  I'm running Ghost 15, and I'm wondering how it is best to make/restore the images to allow independent flexibility for restoring the partitions.

As for a boot manager, I set that up in Win7 (which I installed last).  I have Ghost installed in the XP and Vista.  Haven't installed it in the WIn7 yet. 

So, I wasn't sure if was better to image from within each OS, to reimage from within just 1 OS (say XP) or image from the bootable CD. 

What I want to avoid is having any particular OS image dependent on another (e.g. if I wish to re-image Vista, I'd like to do so without recovering the other two). 

Hey Brian -

Thanks so much for fielding my questions, bud!

I read the link you sent me, very informative and enlightening! I wish I'd read that *before* I set up my OS's. But that's totally on me for leaping prior to researching, eh?

As to my boot.ini and ntldr, that is correct.  I used EasyBCD 2.0 for that (I found  this thread (after a couple failed attempts :) ) and follwed the post  regarding "fixed... with  extra steps"):  http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/5173-windows-7-install-problem-vis...   

Hi Brian,

Again, thank you, sir! 

After reading the first one, I understand now what EasyBCD automated, and the 2nd article dealt with my earlier problem - once installing Win7 I didn't have either two options (for XP or Vista).  But luckily the DVD installer was able to self-repair that problem. 

So, what it looks like I have (based on a couple tests and more than one disaster restoring each OS image) is my XP partition is set as the active partition (bootmgr is in my XP root directory). 

So far, I've validated that Vista and XP do restore independently (tho' I've only tested with Ghost15 restore points created at the same time for the partition images).

I found that leaving the Ghost 15 installation on Vista allowed me to re-image the XP partiition from Vista, and I also verified that either partition restores from the boot CD.

Heck, I even validated that when I made the wrong choice earlier, re-installing Win7 restored my rather nicely.

With that all said, (and apologies for the missive), I'd like to figure out if I got independent booting or not, my guess is since they all rely on XP, I don't.

Or if I try the tips in that second article you sent, would that make them independent boot configurations?

Yup - that's the solution I'm striving for. 

Each partition containing its own boot files. 

And it sounds like I will need a 3rd party boot manager. 

I actually have 2 XP images (well two version of the same installation - one with .net and one without).  When I created my disk and partions (using Partion Magic 8) I had XP.  I created an image of it back before I had Vista and Win7 installed.  WIth my present configuration, I don't think I'll be able to use it (and I haven't tried because the last time I killed my whole testbox and embarked on this present rebuild strategy).

So, yeah, my goal now is to configure each OS in such away that the other partions appear hidden, and they boot entirely of their own resident boot files.  Brian wrote on Mar 27^th, 2010 at 11:53pm:


You are correct, my early tests confirmed that very fact. 

But again, I only have 1 remaining scenario to sort out - restoring that early version of XP.   

So, if I could find away to make Vista and Win7 truly independent of one another as well as the XP image, then I'd be set.

But, is that feasible since I've already installed the configuration in the manner of have.

Again, thanks for your help.  I've really picked up quite a bit just in this exchange.

To be honest, while they are all recent installations (I had to rebuild this pc from scratch), the real time investment is the configuration of all of them. 

So, I could do that, delete and re-install Win7 partition, but I figure at this stage, if I were to do that, I just might as well go all the way back to the beginning and do them all correctly.  That's only 2 or 3 day commitment to do.  I'd just rather not for - oh I don't know... a YEAR at least! :D

But, if it's possible to separate all 3, I'd rather try that. 

I mean, that is the beauty of having Ghost, if you're careful you can screw up royal and still get out of trouble with a click on restore

WOW!

Thanks again!!!

While we wait for him, I'll be grok'ing all those articles. 

Very VERY cool of you Brian!

bill wrote on Mar 28^th, 2010 at 12:12am:

You mean an image of the XP partition created prior to installing Vista and/or Win7?  If you restore that, it will break your ability to boot the later OS's.  When you installed Vista and then Win7, they made changes to the XP partition so they could piggy-back on that partition.  If you restore XP to a state prior to those changes, they can't boot through it anymore.

That can be repaired, though it's not something I would consider acceptable as a long term strategy.  A better strategy would be to make a new image of the XP partition after it has been configured for Win7.  If you don't like your current XP because it has gotten messed up or something, you'd be better off restoring the old XP, taking the time to repair it so it will boot Vista/Win7 again, and then immediately making a new image of it, with the changes.

However, all this does is give you the ability to restore your current, intertwined partitions.  It doesn't let you separate them from each other.


bill wrote on Mar 28^th, 2010 at 12:12am:

That's not easily done.  Getting them to boot without going through XP is doable, but the big problem is the drive letters.  An independent Vista or Win7 installation would see itself as C:, but right now neither sees itself that way.  It's possible to break it out of a Microsoft-style multiboot and get it to start booting on its own as though it were C:, but it will choke in the middle of the process because there are countless ini files and registry entries that will be looking in vain for stuff on the wrong drive letter.

On ocassion I'll hear of somebody who will try to manually change all the drive letter references, but it's not easy, there are way too many of them, and you don't know where they all are.  Don't forget that many apps may also store drive letter references, so it's not just Windows you have to worry about.  In the end, you can never be sure how successful you were . . . though your chances are better if it's a relatively new installation with few apps.

OTOH, if it's a fairly new installation then you should be able to start over and do it right.  IMHO, the time and effort you would put into trying to separate the current OS's would far exceed the time it takes to reinstall.  And afterward, it will be worth the peace of mind to know that you've got an image of a good, pristine OS installation.