HOW to Install Both XP and Vista ???

V

vilhiem

Weaksauce
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Aug 24, 2005
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What is the BEST way for me to, on my new rig, install both XP32 and Vista64?

I understand it is recommended to install XP32 FIRST ... then Vista64,
but what steps should I follow and what pitfalls can I avoid?

Also, is it worth it to install SystemCommander9 to handle this?

Thanks!!!!
Vilhiem
 
It's a simple and straightforward procedure, if you plan to dual-boot.

Start with a clean machine (which you have) and ensure that you are going to have either a drive or a drivve partition available for each OS, with adequate drive space available to each.

Install XP. With Windows, you always install the older versions first.

When XP is in place, install Vista. Make sure you choose 'Custom Install' as the install type and, where you are prompted about which drive or partition to install to, choose the drive or partition which isn't the one where you put XP.

The dual-boot menu will be created for you, during the Vista install. There's no need to do anything other than install the thing. All the third-party tools mentioned are NOT necessary, if you install in the correct order! By default it'll create a boot-time menu, where you'll be prompted to select the OS version to boot into. That menu (by default) displays for about 30 seconds, if memory serves me correct.
 
Catweazle said:
It's a simple and straightforward procedure, if you plan to dual-boot.

Start with a clean machine (which you have) and ensure that you are going to have either a drive or a drivve partition available for each OS, with adequate drive space available to each.

Install XP. With Windows, you always install the older versions first.

When XP is in place, install Vista. Make sure you choose 'Custom Install' as the install type and, where you are prompted about which drive or partition to install to, choose the drive or partition which isn't the one where you put XP.

The dual-boot menu will be created for you, during the Vista install. There's no need to do anything other than install the thing. All the third-party tools mentioned are NOT necessary, if you install in the correct order! By default it'll create a boot-time menu, where you'll be prompted to select the OS version to boot into. That menu (by default) displays for about 30 seconds, if memory serves me correct.
Click to expand...

The "third part tools" mentioned are needed (or at least make it very easy) for installing with either XP or Vista already in place, like the articles themselves made very clear :) For my situation, I am going to use GParted to shrink my XP Home partition, then install vista in the free space that is created. EasyBCD is useful for easily editing the Vista Bootloader to change “Earlier Version of Windows” to "Windows XP".
 
Your computer BIOS already has the perfect tool for dual booting different OS's.
I found this to be the best method of dual booting as it makes the hard drives entirely independent of each other.
ie if you remove one drive or the boot sector fails, it will NOT affect the OS on another drive.
This is also a great way to have a spare OS as a backup should something go wrong with your Windows or if you wish to troubleshoot.

How it works:
In the BIOS you can select which drive you wish to boot from.
Whichever drive you choose will use its own bootloader and will become drive C:

For this method, when installing a new OS, its wise to unplug all other drives leaving only the drive you are installing to.
This is to prevent wrong drive letters being used and possibly the wrong drive having the bootloader installed.
Once that OS is installed, repeat for other hard drive(s) with your other OS's.

Plug all the drives back in and change which drive you want to boot from in the BIOS.
Voila, job done.
 
criccio said:
^^ Thats all well and good, IF your OS's are on different drives.
Click to expand...

If you have one drive with multiple OS's to be installed on different partitions, change the Active Partition using Disk Manager in windows, or other tools in your respective OS.

The Active partition is the one that will boot and will become drive C:
 
There's very little reason to dual boot anymore, so I can offer a better solution. On today's hardware, XP will run near-native speeds, without going through the hassle of setting up a dual boot system, or having to reboot to switch OSes.
 
Ok I just completed the XP install with all updates and drivers...it is all good. Now for Vista64 install.

So what do I do ? I think;

- Turn on computer go into bios right away make DvD rom the first boot device ?

- Pop the Vista64 disc inside the DvD rom ?

- Then it will start to boot up, and what ask me to install Vista64 on a clean install ?

- Should I do something to XP before all of this ? like defrag or something ?

Thank you
 
If you have some blank, unformatted space available for Vista, all you do is boot from the Vista DVD and point the installer to the unformatted space. Every other process is the same as a normal install.
 
DeaconFrost said:
If you have some blank, unformatted space available for Vista, all you do is boot from the Vista DVD and point the installer to the unformatted space. Every other process is the same as a normal install.
Click to expand...

ok thanks, I just left 100gb for XP, and left 200gb free on the WD Velociraptor, I will try this tonight
 
Catweazle said:
It's a simple and straightforward procedure, if you plan to dual-boot.

Install XP. With Windows, you always install the older versions first.

When XP is in place, install Vista. Make sure you choose 'Custom Install' as the install type and, where you are prompted about which drive or partition to install to, choose the drive or partition which isn't the one where you put XP.
Click to expand...

I've never set up a dual boot - why do you have to "always install the older versions first"?
 
MrAgmoore said:
I've never set up a dual boot - why do you have to "always install the older versions first"?
Click to expand...
That's the way it has always been. The newer OS can't boot using the older OS's bootloader. For example, Vista won't boot using XP's bootloader.
 
Unless you use the BIOS boot selection method.
Then you can install in any order at any time.
 
older windows first since they cannot read the newer NTFS partitions
Click to expand...

That isn't the reason, and it isn't even true for more recent Windows versions anyway.

The real reason is that the multiboot configuration 'feature' of the Windows installation tools are not a fully-featured multiboot management tool. Instead, it's simply a capability designed to create boot menu, during Windows instllation, when another 'known' Windows version is present on the machine also. 'Known' in the sense of it being a version which Microsoft has actually produced and made available up to that point in time.

Install an earlier version after a newer version and, effectively, the older version's installer cannot create the boot menu because it cannot detect something which, to its 'perception', doesn't actually exist yet!
 
hmmm not working ?

I installed XP first, and it went perfect. Now I put the Vista64 disc in the DvD rom and go into bios to make the DvD rom the 1st boot device, but it still just goes straight into XP, does not even seem to notice the Vista64 disc ? No install option or nothing, just loads up XP
 
Update just call me McFly :rolleyes:

I had the disc upside down :p I put it in, and post asks me to hit any button to load up off cd/dvd. I do and goes to Vista screen, then goes to the green/blue screen waiting to load up something, and just sits there for minutes, until finally shows a smaller box for "Install Windows"

It is installing everything fine now, just on Windows update currently
 
Are you sure it doesnt require you to press a key to boot from CD?
If not, it sounds like a duff disk.
 
Catweazle said:
That isn't the reason, and it isn't even true for more recent Windows versions anyway.

The real reason is that the multiboot configuration 'feature' of the Windows installation tools are not a fully-featured multiboot management tool. Instead, it's simply a capability designed to create boot menu, during Windows instllation, when another 'known' Windows version is present on the machine also. 'Known' in the sense of it being a version which Microsoft has actually produced and made available up to that point in time.

Install an earlier version after a newer version and, effectively, the older version's installer cannot create the boot menu because it cannot detect something which, to its 'perception', doesn't actually exist yet!
Click to expand...

actually it is true......I tried to install win 2K on a NTFS partioned by server 2K3 and it failed stating it could not write to the newer NTFS partition. It stated that it was a newer version and stopped
 
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