dual boot XP and Vista?

[Nonny]

I want to keep XP on my computer, but would still like to run Vista.
I have run the compatibility check and only my scanner won't work in
Vista (supposedly).

How do I install Vista so I can dual boot. And how can I eventually
remove XP once I am sure I want to stick with Vista?

 

[Michael Jennings]

You need a partition for Vista - installing another hard drive is a good
way to get this if you have a desktop. Point Vista at the second drive.
It will install its boot manager on the XP drive, letting you select at boot.
When you select XP, the XP boot will corrupt Vista's restore points.
Since circumventing this is involved, the easiest thing is to just live with it.

If you decide to format XP's drive, the Vista bootloader will also be
erased, but the Vista DVD's repair option will be able to fix that. If
you decide to format Vista its bootloader on the XP drive is harmless.

If you have a laptop, or won't buy a hard drive for your desktop,
you'll need to partition. Google " Partition " and " Dual Boot ".

 

[Nonny]

You need a partition for Vista - installing another hard drive is a good
way to get this if you have a desktop. Point Vista at the second drive.
It will install its boot manager on the XP drive, letting you select at boot.
When you select XP, the XP boot will corrupt Vista's restore points.
Since circumventing this is involved, the easiest thing is to just live with it.

Thanks for the info.

Point me somewhere to look at how to circumvent that problem. I can't
live with it.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I want to keep XP on my computer, but would still like to run Vista.
I have run the compatibility check and only my scanner won't work in
Vista (supposedly).

How do I install Vista so I can dual boot. And how can I eventually
remove XP once I am sure I want to stick with Vista?

The cleanest and most versatile method requires you to install
a proper boot manager, e.g. XOSL (free). It would allow you
to install the various OSs completely independently from each
other, which means that they don't interfere with each other
and can be removed at any time. However . . . installing a
boot manager involves certain risks. Your safest bet would
be to get an old disk from your friendly computer dealer
(4 GBytes would do nicely) and use it to play with your chosen
manager until you are fully comfortable with it.

 

[Nonny]

The cleanest and most versatile method requires you to install
a proper boot manager, e.g. XOSL (free). It would allow you
to install the various OSs completely independently from each
other, which means that they don't interfere with each other
and can be removed at any time. However . . . installing a
boot manager involves certain risks.

Thanks, Pegasus

What are those risks? Are they simple enough to list here, or would I
be better off going somewhere else to read about them?

If the latter... point the way, please.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Thanks, Pegasus

What are those risks? Are they simple enough to list here, or would I
be better off going somewhere else to read about them?

If the latter... point the way, please.

I have worked extensively with XOSL. Since it is a free boot
manager, the only support you get is through its FAQs and
through newsgroups. The risk is that when you take a wrong step
then you could wipe your existing Windows installation.

Other boot managers may have inbuilt protective mechanisms
that warn you before you shoot yourself in the foot. Since I have
no experience with them, I recommend that you wait a day or
two until you get some qualified responses about them.

 

[Nonny]

I have worked extensively with XOSL. Since it is a free boot
manager, the only support you get is through its FAQs and
through newsgroups. The risk is that when you take a wrong step
then you could wipe your existing Windows installation.

NOT GOOD!

I've been looking at Acronis Disk Director, and it has a boot manager.

I'll search around, and will follow your advice and wait to see what
anyone else has to say here.

Thanks.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Vista will set up the boot options for you automatically. Just install
Vista (full edition, not upgrade) to a second hard drive and you will get a
dual boot setup. You can protect your Vista files from XP (a known problem)
by then making the registry change in this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926185

There is no need to use a third-party boot manager to do what you want to
do.

 

[Anna]

NOT GOOD!

I've been looking at Acronis Disk Director, and it has a boot manager.

I'll search around, and will follow your advice and wait to see what
anyone else has to say here.

Thanks.

You might also want to take a look at...
http://windowssecrets.com/2008/02/14/01-Make-your-computer-dual-boot-Vista-and-XP

Also, a Google search on "dual boot xp vista" will lead you to a wealth of
information on this topic.

And then there are the various MS newsgroups dealing with Vista issues...
Anna

 

[Nonny]

Vista will set up the boot options for you automatically. Just install
Vista (full edition, not upgrade) to a second hard drive and you will get a
dual boot setup. You can protect your Vista files from XP (a known problem)
by then making the registry change in this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926185

There is no need to use a third-party boot manager to do what you want to
do.

MUCH THANKS!!

 

[Nonny]

You might also want to take a look at...
http://windowssecrets.com/2008/02/14/01-Make-your-computer-dual-boot-Vista-and-XP
Thanks,

Also, a Google search on "dual boot xp vista" will lead you to a wealth of
information on this topic.

And then there are the various MS newsgroups dealing with Vista issues...

I've used Google on this quite a bit - TOO MUCH info to distill.

And I'vebeen lurking on the various Vista groups as well. I'm more
interested in looking at it from an XP perspective.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Vista will set up the boot options for you automatically. Just install
Vista (full edition, not upgrade) to a second hard drive and you will get
a dual boot setup. You can protect your Vista files from XP (a known
problem) by then making the registry change in this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926185

There is no need to use a third-party boot manager to do what you want to
do.

It depends what the OP's aims are. While I am not familiar with the
Vista boot manager, I doubt that it can hide OSs from each other.
Furthermore, assuming that the OP has WinXP installed on drive C:,
I wonder where Vista will go and what the OP will end up with
when he decides to drop WinXP some time in the future.

Seeing that you believe that the OP won't need a third-party boot
manager, perhaps you would care to comment on these essential
points.

 

[Nonny]

Seeing that you believe that the OP won't need a third-party boot
manager, perhaps you would care to comment on these essential
points.

Uh-oh... a controversy <g>.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Uh-oh... a controversy <g>.

Nope - peer review. Standard practice in newsgroups.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Unfortunately the article does not address the points I raised. It
only talks about the System Restore issue. Unless someone tells
me otherwise, I assume that the Vista boot manager cannot hide
OSs from each other and that the OP might have a problem
when attempting to delete WinXP at a later stage.

 

[Nonny]

Nope - peer review. Standard practice in newsgroups.

OK... I think it's your turn. He commented as you suggesed he should.

Do you agree with his comments?

Look pretty good here.

 

[Nonny]

OK... I think it's your turn. He commented as you suggesed he should.

Should have waited a tad longer.

Nevermiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd.

 

[Michael Jennings]

Thanks for the info.

Point me somewhere to look at how to circumvent that problem. I can't
live with it.

To prevent XP from messing around with the Vista partition, use virtual or
physical means. The best physical means would be to put Vista in another
computer. You have not experienced yearnings for a hot new computer?
Then prevent XP from seeing the partition. Ultimate's bitlocker has been
joined by an XP registry hack as Windows ways of blinding XP. Colin
Barnhorst gave you the link: http://support.microsoft.com:80/kb/926185
If you want to share Vista files with XP, set up a data partition. Running
a virtual machine - XP guest, Vista host or the other way around - may
be more practical than dual booting. The VM software is usually free.

Bottom line: don't be so sure you can't live with it - maybe you can.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Also, a Google search on "dual boot xp vista" will lead you to
a wealth of information on this topic.

Yes, and the OP should be aware that adding XP to a Vista
installation is more complex than adding Vista to an XP installation.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Nonny]

To prevent XP from messing around with the Vista partition, use virtual or
physical means. The best physical means would be to put Vista in another
computer. You have not experienced yearnings for a hot new computer?

I already HAVE a hot almost-new computer. Built it myself. about a
year ago and it will do fine for a few more years.

Vista will go on it, one way or another.

Thanks for the follow up.