Correct steps for installing Vista RC1

[Billy]

I just recieved my Vista RC1(32-bit) DVD in the mail, and would like to know
the best way to install Vista with my setup. I want to keep XP installed
and have a dual-boot setup. Just a few questions....

1) Right now I have one huge partition. Would it be better to create the new
partion for Vista during the setup (is there even an option to do that?), or
do it from XP before installing vista?
2) Is there any difference between instaling from XP or booting from the
DVD?
3) Does Vista have it's own SATA drivers or do I need to install the drivers
I'm using for XP? If the latter, how/when do I install them, in other words
does Vista ask for them during the installation?
And finally, does Vista have problems with RAID?

My current setup
Abit AV8, Via K8T800 Pro chipset
Windows XP SP2 Home
1 gig of Ram
2 120 Gig SATA Drives in RAID 1 array (have SATA drivers on floppy)

TIA

 

[Jack]

1.
Do you want upgrade or clean install?
2.
no

 

[Bill Frisbee]

1.) If you want to keep XP installed, your best bet would be to either break
it into separate partitions, one for XP and one for Vista, or just go out
and get another hard drive (luckily they are very inexpensive now, I think I
saw a 500GB drive on NewEgg for 150 bucks!). Vista does have the ability to
create partitions IF there is blank space to do so. It does not have the
ability to dynamically resize partitions.

2.) Not really (unless you are doing an upgrade). I do find installing from
the boot DVD is faster simply because you just run and install.

3.) Vista has some SATA drivers (my HP DC7100 controller was supported
OOTB), but some, especially some RAID SATA configurations, will require you
to install the driver before installing (F6 typically). I haven't run into
any issues with RAID1 and SATA.


Bill F.