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How to Dual Boot Windows XP and Vista (XP already installed)

How to Dual Boot Windows XP and Vista (XP already installed)

Published by William_Wilson
03-21-2007

Default Create Partition



Choosing a Vista that is right for you:
You will first need to decide which version of Vista is right for you. This can be a tricky choice with cost, performance, and additions to the software eac playing a role, but Microsoft has done a good job of laying out the pros and cons of each version, you can read details on each version or see a side by side comparison.

Once you have decided, and have purchased your software, it's time to get to work. You want to keep your XP in tact, so you chose not to upgrade, but to dual boot your XP and Vista on the same machine, I don't blame you since I did the same thing.

*NOTE: for this explanation I am installing Microsoft Windows Vista Business Edition. I am using the DVD version as well. There are essentially no differences if you are using the 5 CD version, just that you will be swapping discs often.

Step 1 - Partitioning:
I prefer to use Partition Magic, but if you have another partitioning tool you prefer, go ahead, there is a free Partition Magic trial available if you are not familiar with partitioning. The full version is expensive so if you are not constantly using this product this will be enough.

When you run Partition Magic, you will have something like the screen below for your drive (don't worry if yours only has 1 long segment, this is just a comparison)

Before:


-click the image
-from the left hand menu select create a new partition
-click next twice more
*Be sure the new partition will be created after the Partition C:\ where your XP installation is.
-click next again
-click next once more then you will get to choose the size of this partition. (7.5GB - 15GB is your aim)
*NOTE 1GB = 1024MB
-click next
-here you can name your drive anything you want
-click finish

It will now show you what your new drive will look like, before you go ahead with the changes.

After:


-click apply in the bottom left corner and your computer will restart to apply these changes.
-once finished it will then likely restart again, and load into Windows.

WinXP - XP installation
WinVista - Vista installation
* - Linux Ext
* - Swap
XP-Extra - Storage Partition

Now the important things to take from the image of the partition are:
1) It is approximately 15GB
2) It is directly after my XP partition
3) There can be other partitions after Vista, but it is not necessary
*Do not worry about the 2 un-named partitions, they are simply a Linux Ext partition and a swap space. Neither of these are necessary, and they will not affect the installation.


<<  <    Next Page: Install Vista (Page 2 of 8)    >  >>

  #1  
By desbest on 04-05-2007, 02:45 PM
Default

Vista may not be compatible on your pc!
Microsoft has a free tool you can download so you can test before you buy vista.
Windows Vista: Upgrade Advisor
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  #2  
By Unregistered on 06-12-2007, 01:30 PM
Default Thanks..

This is the best tut. I've seen!!!!!!!!

Thanks for taking the time!!!

Bill
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  #3  
By jrtaylor1952 on 07-07-2007, 06:21 PM
Default

I have just purchase a new Gateway Computer with Vista, I was told that I might be able to take my hard drive from my old Gateway and install it in the new one, the old computer has XP on it. Is this possible?
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  #4  
By Unregistered on 08-05-2007, 06:26 PM
Default Same deal but on 2 separate physical drives

What would be the process for this but using 2 separate physical drives.

I have 1 sata drive all setup with XP. I would like to purchase another sata drive and install Vista on that drive.

Should i physically swap them, or is it possible to have both drives hooked up and pick the OS to load at boot up?

thank you
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  #5  
By Unregistered on 08-27-2007, 08:05 AM
Default thank you very much

hi!
just can't thank you enough for preparing this nice tutorial.a very good job.
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  #6  
By almostvistafan on 11-07-2007, 02:47 AM
Default nice tutorial

Thanks for the tutorial. I have an issue and looking for help. I have XP Pro installed on a 40 GB disk on a laptop (IBM think pad T43). There is also one other thing that may be important but do not know. My XP installation has a disk encryption loaded on "safeboot" . I use partition magic 8 to resize the partition to 15 GB that has XP installed. I verify that XP still boots fine after the resizing is complete. While in XP I use Disk Management to create a new partition (name vista,D:\, NTFS, Primary, quick format, ~18GB). I then restart XP, still works. I start the vista install, boot from DVD (OEM version of Business), select install now, custom install, select disk named vista (18GB, D:\) and start getting the normal install stuff. I never get to point where the bootloader shows both "earlier version of windows" and Vista. Vista installs and low and behold when vista starts up (loads great), the vista install renames the 18GB drive to Vista, c:\ - completely erasing my XP stuff. I have tried this on a desktop, dual boot works fine (so I know the procedure works). Thanks for your help...

almostvistafan
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  #7  
By William_Wilson on 11-08-2007, 09:54 AM
Default

your xp partition is likely still there. The drive labels (C:\) are relative to each OS. XP would say that it's OS drive is C, and vista is D perhaps, while Vista would inform you of the reverse. Since applications do not (in general) work across OSs, the naming convention is of little concern

A key thing to note is that it lists the drive as 18GB which is a good sign that the other partition is there, just potentially invisible.
*Or are you able to see the 2nd partition?

there are a couple things i would suggest:
http://www.syschat.com/dual-boot-vis...6.html?garpg=4
steps 3 and 4 of this tutorial.
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  #8  
By almostvistafan on 11-08-2007, 05:12 PM
Default

Thanks. I still see the XP partition, but it shows all the space is available for that partition. I thought since it has formatted NTFS that vista would/should show at least contents (space used for XP). I do not even see the the bootloader screen to select which OS to load. This is the reason I thought the XP data was erased. Is it as simple as editing my vista bootloader to redirect the xp to use the new drive name?

Thanks again.
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  #9  
By joseph.ruskin on 06-23-2008, 11:38 AM
Default Dual Boot Vista & XP Ghosted

Hello, I separately installed XP and Vista on HD1 in partition 1, activated, and created Norton Ghost images. I did this because I didn't think MS provided a way to dual boot them. I've followed each of your well written tutorials for XP/Vista and Vista/XP installation order. Neither one works. With XP/Vista, XP won't boot and Vista says it's missing some files (see below). With Vista/XP loaded Vista works fine, but XP won't boot at all and my machine reboots too.
I'd appreciate any suggestions.


Vista Messages:

The procedure entry point SdbGetAppCompatDatasize could not be located in the dynamic link library apphelp.dll
Error loading C:\Windows\system32\mscories.dll
The specified module could not be found.
IE Per User Initialization Utility has stopped working.
User profile wasnot loaded correctly. You have been logged on with a temporary profile.
Changes made will be lost when logging off.
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