I just got a new Compaq pc that has a hidden partition for its recovery files. That appears as FAT32. The xp system is in another partition that is ntfs. Apparently the hidden partition has the boot loader because you have an option at booting to hit f10 and go into system recovery mode.
Last night when I tried to load xp pro on a newly created ntfs parttion , windows setup would only see the ntfs hidden parition. When I realized the problem I cancelled the install but it had already messed up the boot loader. I couldn't boot. I had to do a system recovery.
Can anyone suggest how to create a dual boot with this system. I can install another drive for the second system or create another partition but I will loose the boot loader that compaq has set up. Can I manually add the system boot parameters to the boot.ini file? I know many sytems come with these hidden recovery partitions....I hope someone else has come up with a solution short of clean installing both systems.
Last night when I tried to load xp pro on a newly created ntfs parttion , windows setup would only see the ntfs hidden parition. When I realized the problem I cancelled the install but it had already messed up the boot loader. I couldn't boot. I had to do a system recovery.
Can anyone suggest how to create a dual boot with this system. I can install another drive for the second system or create another partition but I will loose the boot loader that compaq has set up. Can I manually add the system boot parameters to the boot.ini file? I know many sytems come with these hidden recovery partitions....I hope someone else has come up with a solution short of clean installing both systems.
