BIOS allows HDD boot order

[housetrained]

As my BIOS allows HDD boot order I thought I would try to dual-boot Vista &
XP. Vista is on a SATA, XP is on an ATA. It will not boot to XP on the ATA.
Would it dual boot if I got another SATA or do the 2 OS's have to be on the
same HDD in separate partitions?
TIA

 

[peter]

This only works if you had one OS installed then disconnected that drive and
installed the other OS onto the other drive.
That way both drives have a master boot record and you get to choose which
drive to boot from in the BIOS.
How did you set yours up???
peter

 

[Timothy Daniels]

As my BIOS allows HDD boot order I thought I would try to
dual-boot Vista & XP. Vista is on a SATA, XP is on an ATA.
It will not boot to XP on the ATA.
Would it dual boot if I got another SATA or do the 2 OS's
have to be on the same HDD in separate partitions?

The HD containing XP was probably connected while you
installed Vista on the other HD. Since Vista's boot manager
is not the same boot manager that works for NT/2K/XP, the
Vista installation CD changes the XP boot files to work with
Vista's boot manager. That involves changing the boot sector
and possibly the master boot record of the XP HD. That
means that the XP HD will no longer boot XP when it is put
at the head of the BIOS's HD Boot Order. Does the Vista
boot manager give you a choice of OSes to boot when it
has control?

Here are some web pages to mull over:
http://apcmag.com/5485/dualbooting_vista_and_xp
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/dualboot.html
http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1
http://www.vistabootpro.org/
http://www.geardigest.com/2007/02/28/how_to_dual_boot_xp_and_vista/
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/driver/tips/debug_vista.mspx

*TimDaniels*

*TimDaniels*

 

[housetrained]

As my BIOS allows HDD boot order I thought I would try to dual-boot Vista
& XP. Vista is on a SATA, XP is on an ATA. It will not boot to XP on the
ATA.
Would it dual boot if I got another SATA or do the 2 OS's have to be on
the same HDD in separate partitions?
TIA

Thanks both,
I think Timothy is correct in saying that Vista has altered the XP disc. I
disconnected the Vista HDD but the XP will still not boot. Just about to
back up all then try disconnecting the Vista drive and starting with the XP
CD in - see what happens.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Just about to back up all then try disconnecting the Vista drive
and starting with the XP CD in - see what happens.

I think this MS document applies to your case:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=922809&sd=RMVP

*TimDaniels*

 

[housetrained]

I think this MS document applies to your case:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=922809&sd=RMVP

*TimDaniels*

Thanks, but PLONKER me! I forgot that I have a different MB now. Have
reinstalled XP and now they dual boot lovely.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Thanks, but PLONKER me! I forgot that I have a different MB now.
Have reinstalled XP and now they dual boot lovely.

Uff! Among the repair utilities, FIXMBR and FIXBOOT might
have been all you needed. But if it works now, all is well I guess.

*TimDaniels*