VistaBootPRO to the rescue

I am running low in disk space do decided to get myself a 500GB harddisk and replace my two years old 80GB primary harddisk. My current setup have two HDD with total capacity 240GB. So the fastest way to migrate my HDD was perform a Disk Copy from 80GB to 500GB, this should be easy unfortunately not the case. Bum into several error and luckily manage to fixed it. It mainly cause by;

1. HDD too big
2. Windows VISTA Boot Manager (BCDEDit)

Below is the problems I have and how I managed to solve it, thanks to VistalBootPRO. This is the must have tools if you running VISTA and have dual-boot. I will skip the HDD too bit issue because it was fixed easily by PQMagic. It simply detect and change the partition type to ExtendedX (can't really remember the message, because I just click the Yes button).

After fixing the partition type I can now see my Boot menu, but when I select Windows XP it said my ntldr is missing and asked be to put in my XP CD and perform a repair. When I plug in my old 80GB HDD then it can boot, my guess was something to do with the boot record. So I boot into VISTA and lunch the VistaBootPRO and found out the the record in the Windows XP Boot Drive was pointing to {none} (refer pix below). Google for some tips and immediately I change the rive to my new HDD TaDa... back to normal.

To edit the Boot Record follow the steps below;

1. Click the Manage OS Entries button
2. Select the OS from the OS List window
3. Check the Rename selected operating system
4. Make the necessary changes
5. Click Apply button.

ITIL v2

Working into this.... WOW big topics

Boot Manager in Windows Vista

I decided to change my dual boot setting from auto countdown to wait until user select, hence I uncheck the boot setting. Oops Mistake Now I can't perform dual boot, this is because it always boot the default OS. In my case it's Windows XP, now I have a problem... I can't change the boot setting in XP because Vista use a new book manager The Boot.ini in no more there... Luckily found this tools which allow me edit Vista Boot settings in XP.

Introducing VistaBootPRO 3.1 from PROnetworks. Download from here.

Free Firewall

If you like me hate the Windows Firewall then get this free one from Comodo. This is a very powerful firewall and sometime I think it's too details. Alternatively you may want to use Kerio Personal Firewall from Sun-Belt Software. Kerio provide less question ask but enough for you to decide what traffic you allow and deny.

Vista User Experience 03-Feb-07

First note, still not download of DreamScene, I think this small apps giving Microsoft problem that's why they can't release it. I saw someone demonstrating it and it crash the system which cause the PC need to perform a reboot.

Now I am having problem on how to enable a Defrag program I install to start every time I reboot my PC. Currently this program was blocked by Windows Defender (see attach pix). Looks like I need to Google for solution or should I try live.com :-)