you are trying to defeat the system instead of learning how it works and using it.
once you install vista and it installs the NEW boot loader you CANNOT install an older version of windows without damaging the NEW boot loader.
to properly install multi boot, install the OLDEST first.
there are a couple of programs that work with the NEW boot loader and can reconfigure it.
EasyBCD and VistBootPro
you should bed able to install on xp and FIX the vista boot loader.
by switching cables you are defeating the system and these programs may not work correctly.
(e-mail address removed)
"think the user who dual boot is minuscle huh?" I don't think so.
Look at the HDD sales lately? All the 500G internal HDD are sold out
and the price jumped $20 in last 2 weeks.
I have been enjoying Vista on a newly build computer for few weeks.
Mostly for Web surfing, watching DVD. Life was good. Until my daughter
needs to do homework using XP application softwares that I cannot load
on a Vista system. (Office 2003 duh, 3D Home and Landscape)
OK. So I bought a seperate HDD, hooked it in as HDD#2 and install XP
on this new HDD. Work fine of course except now everytime I turned on
the machine, XP would boot up automatically. Where is my Vista now?
Then I went into the BIOS trying to disable one drive. Unlike older
system, it does not allow me to disable a drive. Mine is an Intel
DG965SS board.
Next, I used the Vista DVD to boot, then repaired the Vista in HDD#1.
Now the Vista would boot everytime, but how I can get the XP to boot
when I need it?
Then I tried to switch the HDD#1 cable with HDD#2 so the drive with XP
would boot first. Guesswhat I got the NTLDS boot error. Neither XP nor
Vista came up.
Final solution as I could come up: Connect only one HDD and boot up
whatever OS loaded in that drive. So everytime I need to switch OS, I
have to switch the SATA cable to the other HDD.
So far so good. I wonder how long that SATA connector will last. I
hope when the cable or the HDD breaks, I can send the bill to Mr.
Bill Gates.
I saw in microsoft vista FAQ site on some instruction how to set up
dual boot. It sounds complicated. I will check into it in a few days.
But this is sad, very sad that Microsoft cannot solve this type of
user problem. Especially when their newly OS Vista is not compatible
with their own XP application softwares such as Office 2003, McAfee
antivirus, etc. I can see how many customer will be frustrated after
paying for the Vista tomorrow, then find out they cannot get old
software applications to load in Vista.
They ought to change the law to allow customer to return the software
if it doesn't work unless there is a warning label: UNLIKELY TO WORK
WITH YOUR OLD XP APPLICIATIONS.
