Need help with dual boot Vista & XP

HI ALL Newb Here This question has probaly been answered a gazillion times but I am still confused I have vista installed already and want to install XP Pro on another hd in my system so that I can dual boot. I really don't want to uninstall Vista and install XP then reinstall Vista but will if necessary. NE help is really appreciated.

 

Yes, the basic question has been asked a ton of times. However, the answer is usually different as each computer is different.

Do you have Disk Director?
If yes, what version and build?

Do you have True Image?
If yes, what version and build?

Are you planning on installing and using Acronis OS Selector (OSS) as the boot manager?

Do you have a regular XP cd? (OEM Standard, Retail, etc.)
Or is it a Brand OEM disk? (HP, Compaq, Dell, etc.)

Do you have a regular Vista DVD? (OEM Standard, Retail, etc.)
Or is it a Brand OEM disk? (HP, Compaq, Dell, etc.)

Are you planning on doing a clean install of XP or restoring a previous TI image of an XP that was previously installed on the computer?

Do you have a backup of your current system that you can restore if needed? (A TI image, Dell Recovery DVD, etc.)

A lot of questions, but it will help in figuring out the best way to proceed. I currently have a computer I use for testing Vista/XP and one of the tests I'm going to run is doing this exact procedure and use OSS as the boot manager.

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On the easy side... If you want to use Vista's boot loader to dual boot XP and Vista, you should be able to just install XP to the second drive by booting from the XP install cd. XP will overwrite Vista's loader on the first drive and the computer will boot directly into XP. Once XP is setup how you want, boot from the Vista DVD and do a repair. It should recognize XP and automatially setup a menu for you. The disadvantage of doing it this way is that the OS's are not isolated and the OS partitions can't be hidden from each other. Also the XP drive will not be C: (probably E: or F: ) since it was installed after Vista.

 

Thanks for fast reply
Disk Director 10.0.0.2160
Should be in Suite
Have OSS Installed & Will Use As Boot Manager
Retail XP
Reg Vista Home Prem OEM
Clean
Backup Done With Stomp PC Backup

 

You already of OSS installed and it recognizes Vista and you can boot into it okay. Correct?

If yes, then when booted to the OSS menu (not in Windows), does OSS see the XP CD if it's put in the cd drive?

Are the drives IDE or SATA? (I ask this in case it becomes necessary to disconnect a drive... SATA is much easier because you don't have to mess with jumpers.)

Is the second drive (the one you want to install XP on) currently being used for anything or is it empty?

 

Yes
Yes It Shows Windows
IDE
Will B Empty BTW Can It B an External Drive

 

Windows will not install to or run from an external drive (except perhaps eSATA). There are extreme measures to bypass the restrictions, but performance, even on USB 2 will be very bad compared to an internal drive.

I'm still working on the procedure. XP is installing on the second drive now, so I'll know before too long if it worked.

 

Amazingly enough, OSS actually worked correctly!

Okay, this is what I did:

Boot the computer to the OSS menu. Right now it will only show your Vista install and probably a floppy drive (if you have one).

Select the Tools menu and then Disk Director. Use Disk Director to partition the second hard drive for XP (NTFS primary). I used the whole drive in my test. If you have already partitioned the drive you can skip this step. Once the partition is setup, exit DD and return to the OSS menu.

Right-click on your Vista menu item and select Properties. In the Partitions section, check the box to hide the XP partition.

Insert the XP cd and wait for it to display in the menu. Right-click on the XP CD menu entry and select Properties. In the Partitions section, check to make the XP partition active. Also check to make the Vista partition hidden. In the Disks section, check the Specifiy boot order manually box and then move the second drive (the XP drive) up into the first position. It will probably then show "Hard disk 2" and then "Hard disk 1". (I have three in the sample picture below. Disk 2 is for XP so it is first in the list.) Click OK to save the changes.


Now right-click on the XP CD menu entry and select the "Boot" option.

The XP cd should now boot. When the installation gets to part where you select the partition to install, select the XP partition you created (if done correctly it will show up as the C: drive in the list). Select to reformat if you want (sometimes XP installs better if it formats the partition so I usually do the Quick format option).

Let the install continue. When it reboots, OSS should come back up. It should automatically detect the new XP installation and add a menu entry for it. Right-click on this, pick Properties, under the Partitions section, hide the Vista Partition if it's not already hidden. Check the drive order is still correct in the Disk section. Click OK to save any changes.

Double click on the new XP entry to boot into it. If the message comes up "if you want to boot from the cd, press any key" don't press any key. The XP installation should continue normally. When the next reboot is needed, just boot XP from the OSS menu and let it continue.

Hopefully it will work for you. I have SATA drives and you have IDE, but as long as you can set the order I think it should work okay.

 

OK Update: Sorry for so long in getting back. Did step 1
Did not need to do step 2
r clicked properties
checked box to hide XP Partion
inserted XP CD
r click properties
Can't make active (Grayed Out)
Can Make Vista Partion Hidden

What should I do Now

Again Thanks for help

 

When you changing the properties to install from the XP CD menu entry, just make sure the 2nd drive is first in the Disks list and that the Vista partition is hidden. Then when XP install reboots back into OSS, then you can right-click on the newly created XP menu entry and make sure that the Vista partition is hidden, the XP partition is active and that the 2nd drive (the XP drive) is first in the Disks list.

 

Thanks again for all your help I followed your last instructions and it worked like a charm Got the dual boot going. Now if I can fix the loose nut on the keyboard things will be perfect.

Thanks again
Rob

 

Great news! You're welcome and thanks for posting back with the success.