Introduction

Sample Vista Entry

Making the Changes

Additional Important Information

OSS (build 2,160) does not properly detect many Vista installations, especially name-brand OEM versions or "tweaked" standard Vista installations. Windows 7 is also not detected automatically. In order to boot into these undetected operating systems, they must be manually added to the OSS menu.

For the purpose of this guide, the following assumptions have been made:

• OSS is installed and working correctly on your computer.
• You know how to find the BOOTWIZ.OSS file. (If you don't, please read this.)
• You understand the layout and general settings of the BOOTWIZ.OSS file. (If you don't, please read this.)
• You have already installed Vista. This installation was done to an Active Primary partition and boots normally.
• You have created a DD CD that includes the OSS programs. This is an important step and many people don't have one. If you don't, create a new one using the Media Builder program and include the OSS programs.

When adding the Vista entry, you can copy an existing Vista entry and modify it or you can use the sample Vista Manual entry.

Here is an existing Vista entry as added by OSS into the <oses> section of the file:

Here is a Vista entry that's been converted (except for ID values):

The following changes have been made:

• The OS ID value has not yet been set (##########).
• The boot_partition value has not yet been set (##########).
• The name_template value has been set to Vista Manual. You can use whatever name you want. If setting up Windows 7, Windows 7 is appropriate.
• The entire system_root_identifier entry has been removed.
• The write_boot value has been set to 0 (zero).
• The Active partition in the <partitions> section has not yet been set (##########).

A text file of this converted sample can be downloaded below:

The next step is to add the manual entry into the BOOTWIZ.OSS file.

To help make understanding the process easier, I will be using the same sample BOOTWIZ.OSS file as the one used in the Understanding the BOOTWIZ.OSS File guide.

Here is the original "before" version of the file:

The first step is to copy and paste the new manual entry into the file. I usually copy an existing "manual" entry (as above) and then just update the rest. However, it's also easy to copy an existing working entry. In this example, the results are the same:

The next step is to change the OS ID value. Make sure to use a unique OS ID number. This number is often 9 or 10 digits long, though it can be shorter. I usually just copy an existing ID and change the last several numbers. Make sure to enter the new ID in both places:

Now, the booting partition needs to be set. The booting partition is always the partition that contains the booting files for the Vista installation (even if it's a Logical partition). In this example, the undetected Vista partition is the third Primary partition on the booting drive, which has an ID value of 2457113254. Scroll horizontally to see the change.

The next step is to set the ID value for the partition that should be Active. In the case of Vista installations to Primary partitions, this should be the same as the booting partition. In the case of Vista being on a Logical partition, any Primary partition can be set as Active.

Finally, edit the name_template value. This will be the title as displayed in the OSS menu. In this example, I've changed the name to Vista Ultimate. Scroll horizontally to see the change.

After you're finished, double-check the changes to make sure they're correct. If OSS detects something wrong it will usually do one of two things: a) remove the invalid entry; 2) recreate the BOOTWIZ.OSS file.

Save the BOOTWIZ.OSS file. If you have OSS in Windows, you can start the program and check if the new OS entry is present. Otherwise, reboot to the OSS menu.

Hopefully, if the changes are done correctly, your Vista installation will boot properly.

Here is some more information to help you avoid problems:

• Make sure you're using build 2,160 or later of OSS. Earlier builds will not boot Vista or Windows 7 correctly using the method in this guide.
• Do not use the Disk Order feature of OSS with Vista or Windows 7. This feature only works properly with XP and earlier versions of Windows. If Vista or Windows 7 is installed on a non-booting drive, reference the booting partition and Active partition as instructed in this guide.
• There have been several reported cases where OSS absolutely refuses to boot Vista or Windows 7 from the non-booting drive. Try to keep these operating systems on the booting drive if at all possible.
• Remember that you can edit the other settings for the manually added entry using the OSS program. For example: selecting which partitions are hidden, renaming the entry, etc. Try to keep the manual editing of the file to the least amount as possible to avoid causing an OSS reset.
• Do not worry about adding any "Files" or "Folders" into the properties of the manually added entry. OSS doesn't need that information and it may cause problems.