Dual boot Windows XP Home and XP Pro from single laptop hard drive

[Scott Hidalgo]

I have an HP zd7260us with an 80Gb hard drive and Windows Home Edition. I
would like to set up a dual boot system with my current XP Home installation
and XP Pro, with the following considerations:

1. Leave intact my current installation of WinXP Home (HP preinstalled) and
all other software and files. I have used 24.2 Gb of space so far, including
the OS, and would like to keep an additional 10-15Gb of storage for this
setup.

2. Create a new partition and install WinXP Pro in the new partition.

3. Set up a dual-boot that prompts the user to choose which OS he/she wants
to use on startup.

I've read the how-to on windows.com
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306559&Product=winxp#7),
but it doesn't have a procedure for dual booting 2 instances of WinXP Home
and Pro. I've also been told that I should use the procedure for dual
booting WinNT with XP, as the OS's are similar.

For those of you who are familiar with setting up this type of dual-boot
system, any tips, links, or other info regarding this setup would be greatly
appreciated. I have a few general questions:

1. How do I create a new partition? Is there a utility on the XP Pro CD that
will allow me to do this, or should I use another, perhaps better 3rd-party
utility?

2. After I create the new partition, how will I access it to install WinXP
Pro? Will it be listed as a separate hard drive, or will I need to do
additional formatting before installation of WinXP Pro?

3. Is there a way to prevent the computer from automatically choosing a
default OS, and instead have a prompt appear indefinitely, at startup, that
allows the user which OS to use?

4. Is there a way to password-protect each WinXP instance at this startup
prompt?

Thanks in advance,
Scott

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Multibooting with Windows XP: Introduction
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/multiboot.mspx

HOW TO: Create a Multiple-Boot System in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306559&Product=winxp

The only way you can create, delete, resize or merge existing partitions,
and not harm your existing Windows installation, is to use
a third-party partitioning program such as Partition Magic 8.
http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic/

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I have an HP zd7260us with an 80Gb hard drive and Windows Home Edition. I
| would like to set up a dual boot system with my current XP Home installation
| and XP Pro, with the following considerations:
|
| 1. Leave intact my current installation of WinXP Home (HP preinstalled) and
| all other software and files. I have used 24.2 Gb of space so far, including
| the OS, and would like to keep an additional 10-15Gb of storage for this
| setup.
|
| 2. Create a new partition and install WinXP Pro in the new partition.
|
| 3. Set up a dual-boot that prompts the user to choose which OS he/she wants
| to use on startup.
|
| I've read the how-to on windows.com
| (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306559&Product=winxp#7),
| but it doesn't have a procedure for dual booting 2 instances of WinXP Home
| and Pro. I've also been told that I should use the procedure for dual
| booting WinNT with XP, as the OS's are similar.
|
| For those of you who are familiar with setting up this type of dual-boot
| system, any tips, links, or other info regarding this setup would be greatly
| appreciated. I have a few general questions:
|
| 1. How do I create a new partition? Is there a utility on the XP Pro CD that
| will allow me to do this, or should I use another, perhaps better 3rd-party
| utility?
|
| 2. After I create the new partition, how will I access it to install WinXP
| Pro? Will it be listed as a separate hard drive, or will I need to do
| additional formatting before installation of WinXP Pro?
|
| 3. Is there a way to prevent the computer from automatically choosing a
| default OS, and instead have a prompt appear indefinitely, at startup, that
| allows the user which OS to use?
|
| 4. Is there a way to password-protect each WinXP instance at this startup
| prompt?
|
| Thanks in advance,
| Scott

 

[Scott Hidalgo]

Thanks for the links. Unfortunately none of them include a procedure for
installing 2 instances of Windows XP. Do you know of another site that
details such a procedure? Also, is it possible to password-protect each boot
on startup? Thanks.

Scott