A dual boot problem : Missing partition

[enigmagic]

When I installed Windows Xp Pro for the first time I stupidly only opted to use 50gb of my 120gb hard drive. Since I filled that I decided to install XP on the unused 70gb. Only trouble is, upon booting up I don't get the option of which one to use, it just loads up the new installation and I can't access the original partition of 50gb that has all my work, games and music etc.

I've tried right clicking on My Computer > Properties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery > and changing the default operating system but it only shows the new installation of XP. The old installation on the 50gb partition is nowhere to be seen unless I boot from the XP disk and go to Windows set-up.

Any ideas as to where I've gone wrong or how I might be able to get access to it ?

If it helps, my system is :

Athlon XP3000
2 x 1gb RAM
120gb hdd
NVidia 6600gt video card
ASRock A7S8X mobo

 

[Ididmyc600]

Hi

When you installed the new one, it should have created a boot menu, allowing you to access either OS, seems that something went wrong during the install.

You will need to repair the Boot.ini file on the boot drive, that is the drive that holds both the boot.ini and the NTLDR see this guide on how to use the command BOOTCFG from inside the repair console.

Regards

 

[enigmagic]

Thanks. I'll look into that.

Would merging the partitions work using partitioning software ?

 

[Ididmyc600]

Err merge them, OK you 'll end up with one large partition, but you wont be able to use any of the programs if they point to the registry for information as the regsitry wont have been loaded for the other OS.

Regards