Help with dual boot

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tom
  • Start date Start date
T

Tom

I have a new notebook computer with vista installed. I am trying to install
xp pro on the same drive, because of program incompatibility. I created a
new partition for xp, labeled it drive E, then formatted drive E, but when I
boot from the xp pro cd it loads all the install stuff, then stops, saying
it cannot find any hard disk drives installed on the computer. I would
appreciate any help.

Tom
 
I believe that you need to install the older OS (XP, in this case)
first, don't you? (I'm certainly no expert here . . .)

Have you considered the possibility installing the XP in Virtual PC 2007
and running your older programs there?

Daze
 
Tom said:
I have a new notebook computer with vista installed. I am trying to
install xp pro on the same drive, because of program incompatibility.
I created a new partition for xp, labeled it drive E, then formatted
drive E, but when I boot from the xp pro cd it loads all the install
stuff, then stops, saying it cannot find any hard disk drives
installed on the computer. I would appreciate any help.

Tom
Click to expand...
==============================
Maybe the following link will offer some ideas:

Install Windows XP in a Dual Boot
with Pre-installed Windows Vista
http://tinyurl.com/2ajv59

Another option would be to install Win XP
in a Virtual Machine...have a look at the
following links:

Microsoft Virtual PC 2007
http://tinyurl.com/2jr7a7

Use Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 to
run multiple operating systems at
the same time on the same physical
computer.
http://tinyurl.com/387goe

Using Microsoft Virtual PC 2007
for Application Compatibility
http://tinyurl.com/2tq2ja
(the Compatibility White Paper
that can be downloaded from this
page is very informative)

Download the full version of Microsoft
Virtual PC 2007
http://tinyurl.com/287fx8

--
John Inzer
MS Picture It! -
Digital Image MVP

Digital Image
Highlights and FAQs
http://tinyurl.com/aczzp

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk
 
If this situation is during XP installation, as opposed to after the XP
installation has fully completed, then the drivers required for the disk
controller in your notebook are not on the Windows XP CD; this is not an
uncommon situation for newer hardware.

The way to solve this is to get the Windows XP drivers, either from a CD
that came with the computer or to download them from the notebook vendors
web site and put them on a floppy disk. Then, during XP setup, when you get
the message/prompt to Press F6, do so. At that point, setup will read the
drivers from the floppy disk and will install them both for use during setup
and while XP is running.

Unfortunaely, most notebooks do not have floppy disk drives. Windows XP
setup does not support loading the drivers from other media (e.g. USB
key/drive), so you may be kind of stuck unless you are familiar with
"slipstreaming" or "unattended installation".

You might try running XP setup from Vista, instead of booting from the CD.
When you do this, you can still choose to install XP into a different
partition. The drivers included with Vista may or may not work with XP, so
this might not work for you.

See if you can find a CD that has Windows XP SP2 integrated on it - this
may have the driver for the disk controller incorporated on it.

If none of this helps, see if you can get help from the notebook
manufacturer.

If you install a version of Windows that pre-dates Vista (e.g. XP), the
Vista boot menu will be disabled and you won't be able to boot to Vista.
This is the reason a lot of people say to install the oldest OS first - it
avoids this kind of issue. Actually, with the new boot process in Vista,
this should not be a problem for Windows version that follow Vista.

However, there is a way to correct this problem, assuming you can get XP to
install and run! The process to fix the Vista boot menu issue is:

1. while XP is running, put the Vista DVD into the drive
2. cancel the "autorun" window for installing Vista
3. open a command prompt window
4. key these commands:
x: [where x is the drive letter for the DVD drive]
cd x:\boot
bootsect /nt60 sys
 
I tried to install using the instructions in your first link. XP will not
install. Also some of the programs we have are not recommended to run on
virtual pc.

Tom
 
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