If you want to install Vista onto an XP computer, try the reverse tutorial: (XP already installed) (How to Dual Boot Windows XP and Vista)Click here to read the entire tutorial

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-William. § (marvin_gohan)

I have tried this and everything else (including reloading Vista), but the XP CD hangs every time with a blue screen (tells me to run CHKDSK /F) at the point of starting windows (right after preloading a few drivers). Any other suggestions?

I'm also having trouble.

When I try to enter the command manually I get this error:
"C:\Windows\system32>bcdedit -set {ntldr} device partition=C:
An error occurred while attempting to reference the specified entry.
The system cannot find the file specified."

When I copy and paste from the forum I get this:
"C:\Windows\system32>bcdedit -set {ntldr} device partition=C:
The specified command line is not valid.
Run "bcdedit /?" for command line assistance."

Any ideas?

bcdedit /set is also a valid option, you can try that.
Is your vista installed on C: ?

try typing bcdedit.exe /? to make sure the probel is not with bcedit itself.

Nope same error both ways

C:\Windows\system32>bcdedit /set {ntldr} device partition=C:
An error occurred while attempting to reference the specified entry.
The system cannot find the file specified.

i have an hp pavilion with home premium vista, partitioned the main drive with 40gb for xp, restarted the computer, booted from the xp disc, installed, and then it froze when it got to the restarting computer step. i turned it off and it will boot in xp to the load screen and freeze. I appear to be locked out of Vista until i get xp to work. Was it a problem with the drive partitioning? or is xp sp1 possibly out of date for the hardware im using (pavilion s7700n pc).

any help would be greatly appreciated.

could be a partition issue, but i doubt it. Try installing again, make sure you format the partition before installing.


Villemus:
It sounds to me, that your Vista is not installed on C: If it was, then the line would work. C: is what i used, but if your computer happens to have a partition on it before Vista, Vista may be on D: or some other letter.

The only other option for this message is if, your vista bootloader is corrupt. Restart with the vista dvd and choose the repair system bootloader option instead of the prompt option. Once this is fixed, the method should work.

I am trying to install xp a vista preloaded acer aspire 5610, no floppy. After all the shrinking and partitioning, the xp wont start in 16 bit mode so have to load from command prompt in vista mode. It starts to load then blue screen of doom appears with error pci.sys. I've now decided to clean vista completely but I cant even do that as despite all my fiddling with the bios, I cannot boot from either usb hdd or fdd nor the dvd drive. Looks like vista is stuck here for good. Any suggestions.

if you have a cd drive, restart with the XP cd and you can format/install from there.

No cd drive only dvd drive. System will not boot from drive at start up.

New ASUS notebook with Vista Premium installed.
I need XP for applications and some older hardware.
Loaded XP, Vista dissapeared as you said it would in your tutorial.

Followed all the steps except I have a genuine ASUS Recovery DVD which will only recover the Vista O/S.

How do I stop Vista from recovering and then making my XP non existant?

You have explained the steps very clearly but I still can not get it to dual boot.

Many thanks

Pat