Dual Booting XP/Vista??Step by Step

[frostybrad]

Been doing some reading on the web inregards to Dual Booting Xp and Vista. I would like to install Vista on my system which already has XP. I was kinda hoping someone here is really good at explaining this procedure.

I have 2 drives (240gig and a 74gig raptor) and Xp installed on the main and my games on the raptor. I would like to install Vista along side the already installed Xp on the same drive, so I think maybe a partition is in order or some sortta resize of the existing partition?? Would love a link or step by step guide to doing this.... I would imagine that somene here has done this....


thanks to anyone who can help.


wanna get ready for the DX10 games....since XP can't play them.

brad

[PrOLifIC_onE]

You will need to put Vista on a separate drive or partition. If your 240gb is not yet partitioned, you will need to use a program like Partition Magic or another similar program to create a partition on that drive. Hopefully you have a good percentage of free space on that drive. Once you create the new partition, you can install Vista on that and you are all set to dual boot.

I did that on one of my computers with a 320gb drive. I would plan on giving a good amount of space for your vista partition. I would go with at minimum 60GB, but would highly recommend 80-100GB. Not that the install itself takes up that much space, you just want the space for when you reinstall all your programs and what-not in Vista. Even when it is partitioned, XP will recognize the new partition as another drive letter, Don't worry about that, whichever drive you install Vista on, Vista will recognize THAT drive as C while Vista is running. GL!

[Reloadron]

I would only add before you do anything with Vista if you want a pleasant experience to run the Vista upgrade advisor from Microsoft. First make sure the machine is Vista ready, make real sure drivers are available for all your hardware starting with the motherboard chipset and associated motherboard hardware. Only once you are sure you are good to go with Vista should you click "INSTALL" or a nice experience can become a nightmare real quick. Homework!

Next worry about using some partitioning software like Partition Magic (as was mentioned) to set up a home for Vista. Vista alone uses about 12 GB after the install. However, remember Vista is a seperate OS so you want that space for programs etc. to run on Vista.

Ron

[frostybrad]

Does VISTA effect anything to do with the XP programs?? Or is everything a complelety separate entity!!!!

thanks guys... Basically it would only be o play CRYSIS when it comes out.... not looking to use it for anything else....

[Reloadron]

Originally Posted by frostybrad

Does VISTA effect anything to do with the XP programs?? Or is everything a complelety separate entity!!!!

thanks guys... Basically it would only be o play CRYSIS when it comes out.... not looking to use it for anything else....

No, for all practical purposes they are each a separate entity. However, Vista will install its boot loader and use that for your dual boot options. Meaning you will be using the Vista boot loader (BCDEDIT.EXE) and not the existing XP boot loader (BOOT.INI). Vista will edit the boot.ini that XP uses.

Beyond that they are separate entities as you said.

Ron

[frostybrad]

thankyou so very much for the replies..... getting my copy now and Partioning tonight..... Looking forward to playing CRysis in DX10 :)..


thanks again... Ill post back and let you know how it goes... and ... if theres any problems...

[screwballl]

remember, any partition edit you do will likely erase XP unless it is a specific program like Partition Magic that can do it without losing XP...

[frostybrad]

do I install Vista within XP.. or do I need to reboot and have it read it from the DVD drive??? Right now I can stick the DVD in while XP is running... but Im not sure if I install it that way or not...

[screwballl]

get the other partition setup first with whatever program you were going to use. If you have XP Pro then you can dynamically change the partition size without ruining your XP install. Once this is done, restart the computer and install Vista on startup from disc, not from within XP. If you do it within XP, your XP will get upgraded to Vista (and bye bye XP).

[frostybrad]

Well.... I just wanted to post this messge from my Vista side of the computer :).....

Now when I boot the computer I get a screen that allows me to choose which OS I want to run... pretty cool....

everything seems okay, except for my version of VIsta.... needs some working on, but all in all.... its there and I got here so I must have done something right!!!

thanks so much guys.....



I do have a question though..... I have a raptor drive e: and thats where my games go. Do both operating system share that drive?? I had COD2 previously installed on there with XP... can I run COD2 from VISTA's side?? Or do I need to install everything again but on the VIsta drive??

I'd also like to install COD4 and Crysis on my Raptor Drive..... will both OS's share the games??