Dual Boot Files

  • Thread starter Thread starter Richard Urban
  • Start date Start date
R

Richard Urban

1. The My Documents folder must be installed on a partition that is
common to both operating systems.

2. If Windows XP was installed first, direct the "Documents" folder in
Windows Vista to be moved to the old location.

Then, the files will be visible and editable from both operating systems, as
long as you didn't choose to "Make My Files Private" in Windows XP when you
first installed a system password.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
Come back if you have problems.

First, copy your "My Documents" folder to the common area. Then, in Windows
XP, right click on My Documents. Go to properties. You will see a Move tab.
Follow the instructions to point to the new location. Then, do the same
after you boot up Vista.

After you have finished you can boot into XP and delete the original files
in My Documents. If you delete any system folders they will be recreated
automatically but they will be empty, and will remain so.

Most installed programs, such as Office, will pick up this change and direct
file saves to the new locations. Not all programs are so coded. You will
have to check all of your installed programs to be certain of this. You may
have to go into a program's properties or options to manually change the
file save location to the new partition.

I have done this and it works fine.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
That can be altered also. (-:

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
BChat said:
Assuming you are talking about the drive letter assignments, I gotta ask -
HOW?
Click to expand...


From Disk Management. Right click on a volume, and select change drive
letter. It can be changed for any volume except the boot or system volumes.
 
Thanks to the postings here, I now have RC1 and XP Home working in a dual
boot operation. I have Office 2003 in both systems and would like to know if
I can edit files from both. I currently have the files in MY DOCUMENTS on
the XP Drive. When I open them in Vista I am told they are "read only" and
cannot save changes. Each OS is on a separate HD. Is there some common place
I can put them, direct Office to them, so they can be edited from both OS?

I am comfortable with the stability of Vista and back the files up to a CD
on a regular basis.

Thank You
 
I knew how to change them - I meant so Vista and XP would agree on letter
assignment.

Change the XP letters to agree with Vista?, or vice vista?, or they will
never agree?
Click to expand...

Well you did say, "How"? and didn't clarify what you meant. I don't think
it really matter which one you change since you just created the volume.
 
You got me on the ''how'' thing ;-)
What I SHOULD have asked was:
Can the drive letters be set so they read the same in both systems?
Click to expand...

Did you install Vista from inside XP or did you boot with the DVD and
install it.

If you install from inside XP and choose a sep partition to do a dual
boot, then Vista will keep the XP drive letters the same.
 
Thanks Richard,

I will make a partition on one of the HDs, install the files, and give it a
try.
XP came on the computer, I have no idea if "Make My Files Private" was done
or not.

Bill
 
FWIW:

Control Panel-Admin Tools-Computer Mgmnt-Disk Mgmnt-Action-All Tasks-Shrink
Volume
I ''shrunk" C:\ - where Vista OS is installed - I had plenty of extra
space - formatted the new partition, called it "File Disk", and assigned
drive letter "X" to it.
Copied MY DOCUMENTS from the XP drive to it and directed Excel and Access to
look there for files. I was able to open, edit, and save them.

rebooted to XP, realized XP had a different set of drive letters assigned,
directed Excel and Access to the new partition, D:\ on the XP Drive, and was
able to work with Excel and Access files - so far so good.

The more I work with Vista, the better I like it. I would like Vista to go
along with the drive letter assignments set up by XP - but I guess Vista is
having an identity/ego crisis right now. :o)
 
I knew how to change them - I meant so Vista and XP would agree on letter
assignment.

Change the XP letters to agree with Vista?, or vice vista?, or they will
never agree?
 
Rock said:
Well you did say, "How"? and didn't clarify what you meant. I don't think
it really matter which one you change since you just created the volume.
Click to expand...

You got me on the ''how'' thing ;-)
What I SHOULD have asked was:
Can the drive letters be set so they read the same in both systems?
 
in message
Rock said:
I knew how to change them - I meant so Vista and XP would agree on
letter
assignment.

Change the XP letters to agree with Vista?, or vice vista?, or they
will
never agree?

Assuming you are talking about the drive letter assignments, I gotta
ask - HOW?


From Disk Management. Right click on a volume, and select change
drive
letter. It can be changed for any volume except the boot or system
volumes.

--
Rock [MVP Windows Shell/User]

Well you did say, "How"? and didn't clarify what you meant. I don't
think
it really matter which one you change since you just created the volume.
Click to expand...

You got me on the ''how'' thing ;-)
What I SHOULD have asked was:
Can the drive letters be set so they read the same in both systems?
Click to expand...

Did you install Vista from inside XP or did you boot with the DVD and
install it.

If you install from inside XP and choose a sep partition to do a dual
boot, then Vista will keep the XP drive letters the same.
Click to expand...

I did a clean install of Vista on a separate HD
The drive letters are no big thing - direct the programs where to go on each
drive and all is well :-)
 
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