I have a new computer with 2 identical hard drives and Vista installed. I
now want to install XP on the second hard drive to make this a dual boot
machine. When I run setup I am shown the two drives (C & D), both showing
full capacity of 131072MB and free space of 131071 MB.

There seems to be no clue as to which drive has the Vista installation so
that I can choose the other one to format and install XP. Is there a way of
finding out? I don't want to wipe out the Vista installation.

Thank you for your help.

PE wrote:
> I have a new computer with 2 identical hard drives and Vista installed. I
> now want to install XP on the second hard drive to make this a dual boot
> machine. When I run setup I am shown the two drives (C & D), both showing
> full capacity of 131072MB and free space of 131071 MB.
>
> There seems to be no clue as to which drive has the Vista installation so
> that I can choose the other one to format and install XP. Is there a way of
> finding out? I don't want to wipe out the Vista installation.
>
> Thank you for your help.
>
>
>

Try Microsoft Virtual PC 2007, It's free and that is the primary reason
they released it.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...c/default.mspx

Just right click on the Vista drive, choose properties and give the volume
label a name like Vista. When you run the XP install, it should tell you
which volume is labeled what.

Normally, the drive plugged into the first SATA port or on the primary IDE
channel is going to come up first, the 2nd device comes up second,

"PE" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a new computer with 2 identical hard drives and Vista installed. I
> now want to install XP on the second hard drive to make this a dual boot
> machine. When I run setup I am shown the two drives (C & D), both showing
> full capacity of 131072MB and free space of 131071 MB.
>
> There seems to be no clue as to which drive has the Vista installation so
> that I can choose the other one to format and install XP. Is there a way
> of
> finding out? I don't want to wipe out the Vista installation.
>
> Thank you for your help.
>
>
>

The clue you are looking for will be found if you start Vista Disk
Management. Look at the graphical layout of your hard disks. You should be
able to see where Drive C: (partition C is located. That is the Vista
partition you are currently booted into.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!



"PE" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a new computer with 2 identical hard drives and Vista installed. I
> now want to install XP on the second hard drive to make this a dual boot
> machine. When I run setup I am shown the two drives (C & D), both showing
> full capacity of 131072MB and free space of 131071 MB.
>
> There seems to be no clue as to which drive has the Vista installation so
> that I can choose the other one to format and install XP. Is there a way
> of
> finding out? I don't want to wipe out the Vista installation.
>
> Thank you for your help.
>
>
>

On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 13:49:18 -0000, "PE" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have a new computer with 2 identical hard drives and Vista installed. I
>now want to install XP on the second hard drive to make this a dual boot
>machine. When I run setup I am shown the two drives (C & D), both showing
>full capacity of 131072MB and free space of 131071 MB.

Base on these numbers (131071 MB), it looks like your Windows XP CD is
limited to 28-bit LBA, meaning that it does not incorporate SP1 or SP2
and therefore cannot access past the 137 GB point on large disk
drives.. You should slipstream your Windows XP installation CD with
SP2 before going any further.

>
>There seems to be no clue as to which drive has the Vista installation so
>that I can choose the other one to format and install XP. Is there a way of
>finding out? I don't want to wipe out the Vista installation.
>
>Thank you for your help.
>
>

Disconnect the power cable from one of the drives.
Does the computer boot?
If No, then boot to the XP CD and install XP.

This is for installing XP after Vista.
http://www.pro-networks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=88231
--
Ronald Sommer


"PE" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
:I have a new computer with 2 identical hard drives and Vista installed. I
: now want to install XP on the second hard drive to make this a dual boot
: machine. When I run setup I am shown the two drives (C & D), both showing
: full capacity of 131072MB and free space of 131071 MB.
:
: There seems to be no clue as to which drive has the Vista installation so
: that I can choose the other one to format and install XP. Is there a way
of
: finding out? I don't want to wipe out the Vista installation.
:
: Thank you for your help.
:
:
: