Adding Windows XP to the existing Vista installation

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jack
  • Start date Start date
J

Jack

Hi,
I have Vista factory installed on the C drive. I am now in process of
resizing my D partition and I want to install Windows XP into it and have a
dual boot system.
What steps and precautions should I observe?
Windows XP will be my primary OS
Thanks,
Jack
 
I just got a job which requires me to telecommute. I need
to have XP installed, so I just ordered a separate hard disk and
XP home retail, which is going onto the new drive.

Can I install XP by simply putting that drive into the computer,
and having it install without the vista drive hooked up, so
that it doesn't thrash my restore points?

Is there a boot loader that will load either system without one
being able to see the other, or attempt to write to the disk?
 
Jack said:
Hi,
I have Vista factory installed on the C drive. I am now in process of
resizing my D partition and I want to install Windows XP into it and have a
dual boot system.
What steps and precautions should I observe?
Windows XP will be my primary OS
Thanks,
Jack
Click to expand...


Normally, the older OS must be installed first unless you wish to
acquire and use some 3rd-party partition and boot management utility.
(In which case you have to follow the instructions provided by whatever
3rd party solution you select.) However, this KB Article (not for the
faint of heart) explains how to repair the Vista boot process after
installing WinXP:

Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of
the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919529

However, dual-booting is no longer necessary in most situations.

Why not download a Virtual Machine application, such as Microsoft's
VirtualPC 2007 (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp?) or
Innotek's VirtualBox (http://www.virtualbox.org/) and run Win2K and your
legacy applications within a virtual computer. Both are free and work
with Vista.

NOTE: Microsoft does not support the use of VirtualPC 2007 on Vista
Home editions, but several people have reported that it works. Your
results may vary.


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Bruce Chambers

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