I want to install Vista

[John Barnes]

There should be no effect on the boot.ini. It is just used to boot XP after
you select it on the Vista boot menu. Doesn't use drive letters, just ARC
paths.
I don't know what you mean by reinstall Vista by itself, so have no idea if
it will be a problem. You have it working, why not leave well enough alone?

 

[Newtechie]

Technically, Vista does work. However, the drive letters aren't how I want
them. So I want to reinstall Vista by itself, meaning it would be the only
drive in the computer. I would unhook the IDE and power cables from the XP
drive. Am I clearer now? Am I gonna have any re-activation problems?

 

[John Barnes]

So I want to reinstall Vista by itself, meaning it would be the only

drive in the computer.

I would unhook the IDE and power cables from the XP

drive.

Power cable is enough, you don't have to worry about messing with the IDE
cable.
Am I clearer now?

Yes
Am I gonna have any re-activation problems?

You may have to use the telephone method depending on the new algorithm but
others have had not problem with that.


Since nobody at this point knows what you have on your XP drive, though I
assume you have the original Vista boot MBR and boot files, you will
probably be able to plug your XP drive in, set it again as first HDD in boot
priority (some BIOS's will stay with the last boot priority until changed,
and that would have the Vista drive as first since it will be the only one
the BIOS sees when you install Vista with only that drive connected)

Either way, you will be able to boot into one system or the other and post
back any problems (which I don't expect you to have)

Good luck.

 

[Newtechie]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm where I wanted to be!