Dual boot using Vista Boot Pro 3.1

[Marcus]

Could someone please double check I have got this right to set up a dual
boot using Vista boot pro (http://www.vistabootpro.org/) where I keep my
existing Win XP set up and have a choice upon starting PC weather to Boot XP
or Vista.

I have 2 hard drives:-

Drive 1 120Mb
------------------
C: Windows XP (primary/Active) 60Gb
D: Back up (Logical) 60GB

Drive 2 80GB (This is how I will partition it and set up)
---------
E: Back up (40GB) Logical
F: Windows Vista 40 GB (Primary)

Am I right to set up the F: partition as a Primary ??

Right so I install Vista to F: then run Vista Boot pro to change to boot
loader ??

Is it that simple ??

Thanks

Marcus

 

[Robert Firth]

To be honest, all you need to dual boot is to install Windows XP, then
install Windows Vista on a different partition. VistaBootPro will only
modify the settings of the Vista bootloader.

Vista's bootloader will give you a choice when you turn on your computer
which operating system to boot to. By default, there is a 30 second timeout
in which it will default to Vista. This can be changed by VistaBootPro as
well. The names listed can be changed with VistaBootPro, which you might
want to do since Windows XP shows up as "Earlier version of Windows" and
Windows Vista as, well, "Windows Vista".

Anyway, good luck!

--
/* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Robert Firth *
* Windows Vista x86 RTM *
* http://www.WinVistaInfo.org *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */

 

[Marcus]

Thanks Robert, going to order next week, my system is about 4 years old but
still respectable by todays standards so I don't expect everything to work
staright away, I'm planning to build a new system towards the end of the
year so hopefully by then I'll know my way around Vista and have ironed out
all the problems before I change over and use it alone.

 

[Marcus]

Few more question sorry, am I right to label my F: drive as a primary
partition and will it show up as F: drive. Also will I have access to all 4
partitions in each of the operating systems and lastly will I have to adjust
my boot drive in the BIOS or does it look at the Active partition which XP
is on first. My second drive is on a highpoint IDE connector and this is a
different option in the BIOS (SCCI I think!)

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

VistaBoot Pro is not a boot manager. It is an editor. Just use Vista (full
edition). It will set up your boot options screen for you.

 

[Marcus]

Would you suggest I let Vista set up and format the partition or should I
use Partition Magic to set it up and label it as a Primary partition then
let Vista format it ??

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

If you run Setup from the desktop of the first OS you installed on your
computer Vista will use the same drive enumeration (lettering) as the first
OS. It is when you install by booting the system with the installation
media that drive lettering varies.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Search this newsgroup on the term "volsnap.sys." You will find that there
are other reasons for using a third party boot manager anyway. XP messes
with Vista everytime you boot XP unless you hide the Vista volume. That has
nothing to do with drive lettering but is significant.

As far as drive lettering goes, just starting Setup from the desktop of your
present OS will keep the drive lettering consistent between both systems.
See my other reply.