Yet another Dual-boot thread...

[RangerXML]

OK, I bought a Notebook with Vista Premium preinstalled on in, Toshiba P105-S9337. I was wondering if without touching Vista I could partition my HD (I think Vista can do that) and install XP, something that could quickly and easly be removed once they work all the bugs outta Vista.

If no, my notebook included one of those niffty Anytime Anywhere Upgrade Disc, could I use this to clean install Vista after I install XP?

 

[bbz_Ghost]

What bugs?

Anyway, yes, you can, but not using Vista's own partitioning tools since they won't expand/shrink the system partition itself. You can use some third party tool - and I recommend Acronis Disk Director because Partition Magic has been stuck at v8.05 for about 2.5 years now and probably will never be updated to handle Vista's idiosynchrasies with respects to the boot records and boot loader.

Resize the system partition with whatever tool you want (I can't stop you from using Partition Magic, I can only suggest you don't) and then create some unpartitioned space for XP. Install it and the Vista bootloader should recognize the second OS on the drive and add it to the boot loader menu.

If things go wrong, you should have a few CDs or a DVD to restore it back to factory condition. You might also have some recovery utility on the hard drive right now that will create a second DVD full of applications and drivers. If you do, make that DVD with all possible haste before proceeding or you might never be able to get back to a "factory condition".

Gateway does that nowadays: the restore DVD only restores the OS; it does not restore the applications or the drivers. Those are on a second DVD you must burn yourself with the tools provided preinstalled from the factory.

Hope this helps...

ps
As for the upgrade, yes, there's a little bugaboo in the upgrade installer routines that will allow you to use Vista to upgrade on top of itself in a clean install, but in your instance if you used your Anytime Upgrade, you'd get an Ultimate DVD anyway, which is a true upgrade from what you have now, Home Premium.

 

[digital_exhaust]

I'm not saying your wrong bbz_Ghost.. but... well, actually, I guess I am.. no offense intended though

Unless something has changed drastically in the recent past... the simple answer is no.

When setting up a dual boot system, the legacy (older) OS must be installed first, otherwise, the bootloader will never work.

To dual boot XP and Vista, you need to install XP first, then Vista.

Now, you could try using your partitioning tool of choice (I recommend GParted.. it's free and has never once failed me..) make room for an XP install behind your Vista install... but I am willing to bet it's not going to work.