Trouble with drive letters on dual boot with Vista

[Guest]

My client has a Gateway computer, Intel platform, that came with Vista Home
Premium installed. Due to Vista compatibility issues with some software that
the client was using, she wanted to install Windows XP on the same computer.

I used the Vista disk manangement to repartition the hard drive for the XP
Pro installation.

After installing XP the following are the drive letter assignments.

C:Vista
DVD RW
E:Media Reader
F:Media Reader
G:Media Reader
H:Media Reader
I:System Restore Partition for Vista
J:Windows XP Pro

C, I and J are system partitions. On the disk they are I-0, C-1, J-2.

There is a program that I am trying to install in the Windows XP side.
During the install it asks for the location that I wish to install the
program. I pick J:\Programs\(directory for the software). The installation
begins.
About half-way through the installation stops when it tries to write to
C:\Documents And Settings\All Users\Desktop.

Shame on the programmers for hard coding an instruction that writes to a
fixed file and directory location instead of getting the information from the
setup screen.

Of course the directory is locked and can't be written to.

I've tried the SUBST C: J:\ command but that doesn't work because the C:
drive exists as a system drive.

Is there a way to re-route the command to create what I think is a shortcut
on the desktop (C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop) or re-letter the
drives so I can install this software?

Thanks for your help.

 

[peter]

In the normal course of setting up a dual boot the older OS would need to be
installed 1st..XP then Vista.
This way no matter which OS you start with it would be located on the C
drive........Vista sets it up that way.

In your situation I would delete/format the Partition that XP is on.I would
then Hook up a 2nd HD...I would disconnect the drive Vista is on and Install
XP onto that 2nd HD.This does not really create a dual boot as you would
need to enter the BIOS each time to set the 1st boot device...either the XP
or the Vista drive.Some BIOS let you chose during the boot process by
pushing F something..does this machine?? But this would solve your
problem..no matter which OS you boot to it would consider itself to be on
the C drive.
peter

 

[Guest]

Your suggestion would solve the problem but I hoping to find a less time
consuming and expensive solution for my client.

As far as the boot problem goes if the Gateway BIOS doesn't have a boot from
option I could solve that with third party software.

 

[Guest]

Hi,

You can use Microsoft Virtual PC if you wanted to. This may work well for
your client. I have configurded lots of dual boots in my time and echo
Peters advise. What you can also do is something rather complicated.

Ghost Vista to an image file using partition only. Do not close the entire
disk.
Install Windows XP as your Primary OS on the C:\drive.
Restore the Vista image file to the J drive.
That should work for you.
If you can see the OS menue choice use bootcfg/ scan
On vista or what ever OS boots first use the command console and use the
bootcfg /scan option which will add either Windows XP or Vista to the
Archpath boot.ini file. You will then have the option to select what OS you
want to boot from

 

[Guest]

I like both of your ideas. I have played with Virtual PC with some mixed
results. I've had some problems with Windows 98 in that environment but no
problems with Win2K.

I have Acronis Disk Manager which will allow me to create the ghost
partition. This may be the more stable of the options.

One question: If I use TweakUI to hide the c drive from Windows XP will I
be able to create a virtual c drive using the subst command in a logon
script? If that would work then that may be the easiest way to solve the
problem.

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[Guest]

Im not sure if you can do that because i never tried that before. I will add
that when I work with a clients disk drive, I always clone that drive to a
testing drive where I can test what I want without having to worry about
destroying any data.