Creating a vista - xp dual boot

[kasavien]

Hi all

I've been thinking recently about trying vista out, and i was wondering what would be involved in creating a dual boot machine. I want to keep Windows XP installed on my current hard drive and i was going to buy a second hard drive to install Vista.

I can get Vista business through the MSDNAA, is there anything major that i will be missing out on with this version as opposed to having home premium or even ultimate? I'll only be using it for uni work (coding, word processing etc) and gaming. If it has any bearing on things my system spec is to the left.

Thanks

Andy

[trippinzippy]

As far as I can see all you miss in business compared to the premium/ultimate editions is the media centre and dvd movie maker software, which from what you've said you'll be doing shouldn't be a problem. It shouldn't be any more trouble in creating a dual boot than just booting from the dvd and installing into a new partition/drive, windows will create the bootloader, but I'm sure someone can correct me if I'm wrong!

[redlight]

I put Vista on a separate drive and it did all by itself. First time I booted it asked if I wanted to boot up Vista or earlier version of Windows(XP on the other drive).

[kempez]

Well you could use a partition utility to make a partition on your current drive.

What I did was start by installing XP and creating 3 partitions:

1 for XP ~30gb
1 for Vista ~30gb
1 storage (the rest)

Then I installed XP, then Vista

When you boot Vista gives you a boot manager before it loads asking if you want to boot Vista or an older OS (XP). Leave it alone and Vista boots, switch it for XP

[kasavien]

awesome, thanks for the info and help. I'm always a bit paranoid messing with hardware since it's always gone wrong in the past for me, but it sounds like a fairly simple process so i'll give it a go when i get some spare time and money.

[Boon72]

ive got my Vista business instaled on a small 40gb sata seperate from the my other OS's, when you install it just ask's where you want it installled and thats it..... just gives you a new boot menu.

but if you install XP after it on a seperate drive (like i did) you'll find out that you wont be able to access Vista anymore without a quick goggle for the dos command to reinstate the boot manager again over boot loader

[kasavien]

Cool, well i'll be leaving windows xp installed as is since it's set up how i like it and there was a bit of fiddling to get it that way. One other question am i correct in assuming that if i installed vista on one drive it would be able to see the files on the other and xp would be able to see the files on the vista hard drive?

[kempez]

It did when I had RC2 + XP installed. Still waiting on my Retail Ultimate to come through tho

[redlight]

Originally Posted by kasavien

One other question am i correct in assuming that if i installed vista on one drive it would be able to see the files on the other and xp would be able to see the files on the vista hard drive?

Yes you can transfer back and forward. If you are like me I downloaded everything I needed(drivers,patches antivirus etc.) for Vista with XP into one folder then set up Vista and copied the folder across to install them all. Saves going on the nasty net with a new build until you are sure all the security is in place and working properly.

[kempez]

Originally Posted by redlight

Yes you can transfer back and forward. If you are like me I downloaded everything I needed(drivers,patches antivirus etc.) for Vista with XP into one folder then set up Vista and copied the folder across to install them all. Saves going on the nasty net with a new build until you are sure all the security is in place and working properly.

That's what I did...and I have a folder for everything there ready as I re-install all the time anyway

[d3fiant]

word of warning, just dont install XP after Vista, Vista uses a new boot config database which can read entries on the old method and integrate exisitng XP installs into its database, however if u install XP after Vista, XP destrys the database by writing its own method in the drive header

[charleski]

If you need to install XP after Vista you can re-install the Vista boot loader fairly easily. I'd recommend VistaBootPro, which is free and also allows you to manage the Vista boot configuration.

[d3fiant]

Originally Posted by charleski

If you need to install XP after Vista you can re-install the Vista boot loader fairly easily. I'd recommend VistaBootPro, which is free and also allows you to manage the Vista boot configuration.

nice find fella, will take a look