How to create partition with fdisk, then install vista on one

[Phily]

Alright, so I have a dell dimension 3100, with 1 gb of ram and a 250 gb
hd. I want to be able to boot both XP and Vista. I know to do so I have
to create partitions, but I don't know how to do so.. so I will need
detailed instructions on how that is possible..

Anyone could help me?

 

[Gordon]

Alright, so I have a dell dimension 3100, with 1 gb of ram and a 250 gb
hd. I want to be able to boot both XP and Vista. I know to do so I have
to create partitions, but I don't know how to do so.. so I will need
detailed instructions on how that is possible..

Anyone could help me?

Oh dear, if you don't KNOW about creating partitions and dual-booting, then
I would do some serious research first.
Google IS your friend in this case.

 

[Pierrot Robert]

Do not use fdisk if you do not want to loose ALL your current data.

Pierrot

 

[Mike G]

concidently...I am installing partition magic on my hard drive and I am
about to install vista beta on the new partition. It is NOT supposed to
destroy existing data....(fingers crossed). Other partitioning software
would produce similar results.

 

[Donald L McDaniel]

Alright, so I have a dell dimension 3100, with 1 gb of ram and a 250 gb
hd. I want to be able to boot both XP and Vista. I know to do so I have
to create partitions, but I don't know how to do so.. so I will need
detailed instructions on how that is possible..

Anyone could help me?

Personally, I would take my machine to a licensed professional if I
were you.

Partitioning is pretty much one of the first things one learns. If
you have failed to learn it, you probably never will.

In the first place, there is no need to create partitions to install
Vista, since the installer has a partitioning utility built in, and
you will be able to create/delete/format partitions from within the
installer.

In the second place, IF you have a 250gb HD, AND it is currently all
formatted as ONE single partition, you will HAVE to REPARTITION your
HD, causing the loss of ALL your programs and data, if you want to
dual-boot with XP, unless you do the repartitoning from within a
program like Partition Magic 8.x or BootITNG. Only such programs can
repartition your HD NON-DESTRUCTIVELY. Using ANY Microsoft-supplied
partitioning utility, including the one included in the Vista
installer, entails the DESTRUCTIVE partitioning of your HD.

So the FIRST thing you need to do if you want to dual-boot with Vista
is BACK UP all your irreplacable data and programs BEFORE attempting
to install Vista.


==

Donald L McDaniel
Please reply to the original thread and newsgroup.
=====================================================

 

[Randy]

Better make sure you have your data backed up.

concidently...I am installing partition magic on my hard drive and I am
about to install vista beta on the new partition. It is NOT supposed to
destroy existing data....(fingers crossed). Other partitioning software
would produce similar results.

 

[Phily]

Well, throughout the day, I've been reading about partitioning and
all.. starting to know a lot about it. Slowly sinking in

About the back up part, of course I will back up all my things.. that
was already in my check list..

So, I'm going to order the vista cd.. when I put it in, it's going to
ask to install with xp still there? Is that right? Thus creating a
partition for vista?

 

[Malke]

Well, throughout the day, I've been reading about partitioning and
all.. starting to know a lot about it. Slowly sinking in

About the back up part, of course I will back up all my things.. that
was already in my check list..

So, I'm going to order the vista cd.. when I put it in, it's going to
ask to install with xp still there? Is that right? Thus creating a
partition for vista?

Are you really really sure you want to run a *very* beta operating
system on the same hard drive as your presumably working XP? I would
just go buy a second hard drive for Vista.

Never put beta software on a production machine or on a machine which
you are unwilling to wipe.

Malke

 

[Ed]

I would
just go buy a second hard drive for Vista.

With the "Low" costs of HD's these days, that is the option I am
looking at for when my Vista Beta 2 disks arrive.

Found a 120gig Teak for $65 locally which I can use for a backup for
my primary after the Vista Beta 2 time bomb shuts it down.

Regards,

 

[Malke]

With the "Low" costs of HD's these days, that is the option I am
looking at for when my Vista Beta 2 disks arrive.

Found a 120gig Teak for $65 locally which I can use for a backup for
my primary after the Vista Beta 2 time bomb shuts it down.

Very sensible.

Malke