Windows 10 has disappeared after installing XP. Where did I go wrong?

Garlic · November 19, 2020

I am a total n00b when it comes to dual booting, and I thought that I would just give it a go with an old system with no important files on it.

I installed a spare SSD alongside the Win10 SSD that was already in the PC, inserted the WinXP CD and went on with the usual installation process, selecting the new SSD as the target drive and formatted it as one does.

After the installation I noticed that the Win10 drive showed up under WinXP as a normal drive, and that I could reach all of my files in the Win10 installation from XP. Upon restarting I expected to be greeted by a boot menu in which I could select the version of Windows to boot from, but the PC boots straight to XP. I uninstalled the Win10 drive from XP, placed the Win10 drive at the top of the boot order, and even tried to physically disconnect the XP drive from the PC, but no matter what I do the PC seems to be a Windows XP only system. With only the Win10 installed, I get a screen telling me that the PC failed to start because of a 'computer hardware configuration problem'.

So, trying to learn from my mistake, what did I do wrong? Is my Win10 installation salvageable? And how do I set the system up to allow me to choose which OS to boot from?

Letgomyleghoe · November 19, 2020

you installed win XP on your old drive.

NumLock21 · November 19, 2020

Windows XP boot loader isn't going to recognize your Win10, when Win10 does not even exist during that time. It mostly overwrites whatever boot loader you currently have.

Garlic · November 19, 2020

Damn, you are right. I am certain that I selected the right drive when I installed XP, but it has placed itself on my Win10 drive anyway.

I´ll reinstall and make sure to physically disconnect the other drive as I install each version of Windows.

Thanks.

TargetDron3 · November 19, 2020

1 hour ago, Garlic said:

Damn, you are right. I am certain that I selected the right drive when I installed XP, but it has placed itself on my Win10 drive anyway.

I´ll reinstall and make sure to physically disconnect the other drive as I install each version of Windows.

Thanks.

If you want to truly dual boot, install XP. Then install Windows 10. Once you boot into Windows 10 you can edit the bootloader to show both OSes so you can select which one you want when you boot.