How to dual boot using vista boot loader

[Weinter]

Firstly When installing FreeBSD skip install FreeBSD Boot Manager

Use Gparted boot to Vista and set Vista to active partition

Start Command Prompt right click run as Admin

*bcdedit /create /d "Linux" /application BOOTSECTOR
Sometimes the /create doesn't work so use /copy
* bcdedit /copy /d "FreeBSD Operating System" /application BOOTSECTOR
* bcdedit /set {ID} device boot (where ID is a very long number which you will get after the first command)
Copy /boot/boot1 (FreeBSD CD) to "Windows" Folder in C drive
* bcdedit /set {ID} PATH \Windows\boot1
* bcdedit /timeout 5 (time in seconds before the default OS is started)

If you want to set FreeBSD to Default
* bcdedit /default {ID} (where ID is a very long number which you will get after the first command)

Important DO NOT use powershell for bcdedit some function will not work as expected use Command Prompt

[kamikaze]

There's also a graphical solution called easybcd. This spares you the annoyance of having to find out how to use Windows.

[BSDRich]

Wow, why do things the hard way. I installed Windows first since it likes to stomp the MBR. Then rename bootmgr (windows boot loader)to something else, copy grldr to bootmgr. That's what windows is looking to load but it's really grub in disguise. Then in the grub menu just point to the new name you gave bootmgr to boot windows. Then install FreeBSD in another partition but during install choose the bottom of the three options for boot manager, I think it say's "None, leave the boot sector alone" or something like that. Then put that freebsd installation in the grub menu too. I didn't mess with the boot sector during FreeBSD install. I hope this is helpful to people and works for you like it does for me.

[Carpetsmoker]

I found this to be useful as well:
http://www.daemonforums.org/showthread.php?t=2879

[terietor]

hello,

first i install FBSD and then windows.

i gave these commands exactly as i am writing them down,but nothing happened,i still boot at windows 7 without any bootloader message.

bcdedit /create /d "FreeBSD Operating System" /application BOOTSECTOR
bcdedit /set {ID} device boot
bcdedit /set {ID} PATH \Windows\boot1
bcdedit /timeout 10

where {ID}=a long number

and i insert the FreeBSD cd and copy the /boot/boot1 to "windows" folder.

i also tried EasyBCD but i am doing something wrong and i cannot boot..

[terietor]

ok,i tried EasyBCD and the problem is solved

thank you for this great topic

[zspider]

Just be careful. the first time I reinstalled Windows 7 and FreeBSD I managed to accidentally erase my partition table(in the confusion of getting EasyBCD to work) x( now I keep a backup of the MBR and partition tables.;)

[qsecofr]

Hi,
Does EasyBCD require that a pre-installed Windows be shrunk & re-partitioned? Or will EasyBCD do all that automagically? I'm going through the docs trying to understand if it's all I need, or if I need something else like Gpart to first shrink & resize a Windows partition on disk - but I haven't gotten certainty yet.

The link is here http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

Sounds easy. But it is Windows..

[wblock@]

EasyBCD does not resize partitions, although it's nice for what it does do, editing Vista multiboot setups. In theory, you can use the Vista volume manager (http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/resize-a-partition-for-free-in-windows-vista/). In reality, if Vista for some reason decided to put "system files" (swap file?) at the end of the partition, it can't be shrunk by Vista. Gparted might do it, but couldn't on that system. And Gparted has done other questionable things at times. Eventually I punted and downloaded the free version of Easeus (http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm), which worked fine.