Dual Boot - Vista & XP Pro

[Recycle Ben]

I have Vista Beta 2 5384 installed. I just can't get the drivers I need so I
want to do a dual boot with XP Pro. I put the XP CD in but just how many
screens do you go before you see the option to dual boot? Or do you? I
cancelled because I thought it was going to start overwriting Vista. I
cancelled at the location where it asks for a CD to verify that I am
eligible to install the XP Pro upgrade. Thanks for any help.

 

[MICHAEL]

I have Vista Beta 2 5384 installed. I just can't get the drivers I need so I
want to do a dual boot with XP Pro. I put the XP CD in but just how many
screens do you go before you see the option to dual boot? Or do you? I
cancelled because I thought it was going to start overwriting Vista. I
cancelled at the location where it asks for a CD to verify that I am
eligible to install the XP Pro upgrade. Thanks for any help.

My understanding is that you should *always* install the
older OS (XP Pro) first and then Vista, when using
partitions.

-Michael

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

XP will not ask you whether or not you want to dual boot. Please describe
how you have your computer set up and where you plan to put XP and where you
plan to put Vista. We can proceed from there. The fundamental requirement
for dual booting is that you have two available partitions or drives on
which to install the operating systems.

 

[Recycle Ben]

Thanks for the reply, Colin. I only have one partition at this point. I have
an external drive on its way and I will install to that. Should be here
today or tomorrow. I have Vista on a 250 GB drive at the present. Installed
from CD and just a default install, nothing special or off-the-wall.

 

[Tom Scales]

You can't install on an external. You'll have to partition your drive and
put each OS in a different partition. You have to install XP first.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Depends on the external drive. I do it. But I don't use a usb or firewire
drive because that, as you were about to add, does not work. If the OP has
ordered a SATA drive and enclosure with a SATA connector he can do it by
direct connection to the mobo via a passthrough in an expansion slot
opening.

 

[Todd]

I believe that it should be possible to edit the Boot Configuration Data
(BCD) on the Vista Partion/drive to boot the XP Pro Operating System.

I have Vista on one drive and Windows 2000 on the other. I select the drive
to boot from using the BIOS.

I used VistaBootPRO to create another boot section in the Vista BCD, but I
can't get it to work.

Unless someone knows how to configure the Vista BDC, you will be stuck with
uninstalling both operating systems, and re-installing XP first, and then
re-installing Vista.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

If you ordered a usb or firewire enclosure you will not be able to boot
Vista from it no matter what kind of drive the enclosure supports. Vista
simply doesn't support it yet.

I use a SATA enclosure with a SATA drive in it. That does boot Vista
because it is directly connected to a SATA solo controller on my mobo. A
SATA cable from the mobo attaches internally to a simple passthrough plate
mounted in an available expansion slot opening in the back of my computer.
A second SATA cable connects externally from there to the external drive
enclosure. Electrically, the connection is equivalent to an internally
mounted drive.

Most passthrough plates support two SATA connections and are very
inexpensive. One may have come with your mobo. The common mistake in this
kind of arrangement is to try to connect to one of the raid controllers.
This will not work.

 

[Recycle Ben]

Thanks guys for the replies. I may uninstall and reinstall and see what I
get.