Installing XP on Vista computer.

[Juppy]

I want to make my computer to choose between booting XP and Vista at the start of the computer.

Is it like this?
Insert XP disk during startup,
Create new partition in second harddrive.
Install XP in second harddrive.

[cottonvibes]

something like that.

How to dual boot Vista and XP (with Vista installed first) -- the step-by-step guide

read that guide.

the hardest part is dealing with the bootloader, which is the thing that lets you select between XP or Vista when you start up your computer.

[Juppy]

^thanks. Its far more complicating than I thought it would be >,>

[Phil]

Make sure you install XP first...

[burncloud]

Originally Posted by Phil

Make sure you install XP first...

...too late?

While your at it, add a linux distro to the mix. You may be pleasantly surprized. Open source FTW

[_mr_m_]

Youre better off installing XP on a second physical hard drive. Im pretty the boot screen will still work, as long as it is specified what hard drive each OS is on. I've run into far too many problems with partitioning and dual booting off one physical hard drive. That may just be me.

[DB7]

Most computers now offer you a boot selection screen when you are starting up your PC. I hit F12 when prompted to get this.

Instead of relying on a boot menu if you are going to install to a second hard drive, I recommend that you do this method instead.

Unplug the molex power connector from the drive with your current OS on, this will have the effect of making your PC not see it. Your Bios should automatically move the second hard drive up the boot order but in case it doesn't go into your bios and make it the primary hard rive.

Install Windows XP as you normally would and set-up the hardware drivers and software you want before shutting down your PC again.

Reconnect the molex power connector and restart your PC, go into your bios and make the hard drive with the OS you are likely to use the most the primary.

Now you have a dual-boot system where you can boot into each operating system but neither OS has written any boot information onto the other, meaning you can safely remove or format one of the drives at a point in the future with no ill effects on the operating system on the other.

[Juppy]

Originally Posted by _mr_m_

Youre better off installing XP on a second physical hard drive. Im pretty the boot screen will still work, as long as it is specified what hard drive each OS is on. I've run into far too many problems with partitioning and dual booting off one physical hard drive. That may just be me.

So if I install a second OS in a second harddrive, I don't have to go through all the messy stuff?

[Zack]

Originally Posted by Juppy

So if I install a second OS in a second harddrive, I don't have to go through all the messy stuff?

I installed vista on my dads pc for him which was running xp.

Just install XP then install vista, then reboot. I didn't have to modify any files /bootloaders whatsoever.

Just make sure to choose create partition not use entire disk when installing Vista

On startup it gives him 2 choices.

Run older version of windows (xp)
run windows vista

Simple as that

[Juppy]

Ok, So I had Vista first and I had 3 harddrives as shown in My Computer but I think I only have 2 physical harddrives because the BIOS only shows 2 SATA harddrives and no more harddrives.

My 3 harddrives are named ACER,DATA and DATA by default. When I boot the disc during the startup.
I deleted a partition in DATA to create a partition to install XP into.
Once I created and installed XP, the problem starts.

XP boots up with no problem or whatsoever. However, Vista couldnt boot no matter which harddrive did I chose to boot from at the Boot Menu (F12). However, when I checked my previous Local Disc(ACER) which had Vista installed in it. It still had all the files intact in it.

I can't boot Vista now. Can someone help me? I don't wish to reformat my computer as I have alot of important data related to work and programs which I do not wish to go through the trouble of finding the discs and downloading.

Anyway, I am doing this on another computer not mine so it has nothing to do with my specs in my sig. :P

Originally Posted by zion

Just make sure to choose create partition not use entire disk when installing Vista

May I know how do you do that? Can this process be done backwards? As in Vista first then XP. This is because the Vista I am using came packaged with an Acer disc and it basically helps you do everything without giving you the options to choose partitions.

I do have another Vista disc though but I do not wish to go through the trouble of using it because I have to install the "Acer Vista" first to copy the CD Key (CD Key not given with software. It came preinstalled.) and then reformat again and use the "Another Vista" to install and use the CD key I obtained earlier. This is because the CD key can only be used on one computer T_T.

[DB7]

Okay first things first is to recreate the Vista entry in the bootloader.

Boot from your Vista install disk, select the language setting you want and then on the next screen pick to repair your install, let it fix the install automatically. After the reboot do the exact same thing to see if your version of Vista is showing up in the repair screen., choose to repair the boot loader.

It wont actually repair the bootloader but when you are in Windows XP grab a copy of VistaBootPro VistaBootPRO - Go PRO with Microsoft Windows Vista Boot Manager there are other programs that can do the same thing but I am not familiar with them, so I will use this one.

Create the back-up if you want and then go to the Manage OS Entries screen, you should only see Vista on here (weird I know), so check the Add New OS Entry box, give the OS a name and then point it at the drive where XP is installed and pick Legacy as the OS type. Hit Apply Updates.

Then go to the System Bootloader screen, choose Windows Vista Bootloader and All Drives as the two options, then hit Install Bootloader.

Now when you reboot you should have the OS selection menu. This worked for me when I wanted to do the same thing.

[sidd_deshpande]

Here's a good site if u only want to switch to vista bcoz of looks. Download a bicropack. install it and the u go "vistaxp" here the link.
CrystalXP.net - Graphics & Windows Customization

[DB7]

That is one of the things I would never do because, as I've mentioned before, I hate the look of Vista.

I don't fault its performance but I hate the changes to its Explorer UI.

[sidd_deshpande]

DB7 who's giving u the link anyway. its Juppy we r concerned abt here...

[Juppy]

Originally Posted by DB7

Okay first things first is to recreate the Vista entry in the bootloader.

Boot from your Vista install disk, select the language setting you want and then on the next screen pick to repair your install, let it fix the install automatically. After the reboot do the exact same thing to see if your version of Vista is showing up in the repair screen., choose to repair the boot loader.

It wont actually repair the bootloader but when you are in Windows XP grab a copy of VistaBootPro VistaBootPRO - Go PRO with Microsoft Windows Vista Boot Manager there are other programs that can do the same thing but I am not familiar with them, so I will use this one.

Create the back-up if you want and then go to the Manage OS Entries screen, you should only see Vista on here (weird I know), so check the Add New OS Entry box, give the OS a name and then point it at the drive where XP is installed and pick Legacy as the OS type. Hit Apply Updates.

Then go to the System Bootloader screen, choose Windows Vista Bootloader and All Drives as the two options, then hit Install Bootloader.

Now when you reboot you should have the OS selection menu. This worked for me when I wanted to do the same thing.

Thanks. This helped me.

URGENT PROBLEM

I encountered another problem here. The same product key I used to activate Vista in the computer is no longer valid after I reformated. What should I do. Its the same computer which I activated it last time.

Originally Posted by sidd_deshpande

Here's a good site if u only want to switch to vista bcoz of looks. Download a bicropack. install it and the u go "vistaxp" here the link.
CrystalXP.net - Graphics & Windows Customization

Thanks for the link but I don't really need it

Originally Posted by DB7

That is one of the things I would never do because, as I've mentioned before, I hate the look of Vista.

I don't fault its performance but I hate the changes to its Explorer UI.

Mind telling me what is Explorer UI? :P

[SCHUMI-4-EVA]

Explorer User Interface

[Juppy]

Oh yea. I hate it too. In an attempt to arrange and categorise the options. They ended up making it harder to find. I preferred the XP UI too.

[SCHUMI-4-EVA]

Only like the flashyness of Vista which is why I am using a Bricopack....although not like I have the power to run Vista anyways....

That top bar is so crappy VS XP's side bar...

The only thing that bugs me about Windows Explorer in XP is that it can't remember it's position (If I go into a folder and then come back out again, I will be all the way at the start of the window...not to where I had scrolled to......no clue if it can in Vista though.

[DB7]

Originally Posted by Juppy

Thanks. This helped me.

URGENT PROBLEM

I encountered another problem here. The same product key I used to activate Vista in the computer is no longer valid after I reformated. What should I do. Its the same computer which I activated it last time.

The activation screen should give you a number to call Microsoft, just phone them up and explain your problem and they will give you a new code to activate Vista.

Originally Posted by sidd_deshpande

DB7, who's giving you the link anyway? It's Juppy we are concerned about here.

I just thought I would comment on the pointlessness of installing a transformation pack to make XP look like Vista when the looks of Vista are horrible and Juppy has Vista installed anyway.

[Juppy]

Originally Posted by DB7

The activation screen should give you a number to call Microsoft, just phone them up and explain your problem and they will give you a new code to activate Vista.

I called the Toll Free (or Toll, Can't remember) number for my country and a machine was talking to me and asked me to enter the activation code for Block A-F after asking me to give a whole bunch of numbers from my screen. My Vista is now activated already but what I am concerned is that it was not a human answering so I can explain my problem. If everyone could do this, why didn't everyone buy a pirated copy of Vista and just call to activate for free?

So I'm concerned whether are there any charges, perhaps to my phone bill because the price of Vista is crazy >,>. I don't want to pay it again. I had already paid for it 2 times for 2 computers. Should have just used the phone method for the second computer if there is no charges