I'm going to try this one more time.
I understand that you have one hard drive.
I understand that it is 300GB.
I understand that it contains your XP operating system, applications, and
data.
I do not understand what you mean when you say "it is not partitioned into
anything".
It has to have at least one partition, or you could not have an XP
operating
system on it. It sounds like that is the case, that you have one
partition
on your hard drive, and you have XP installed on it.
I also don't understand what you mean when you say "but the size that is
left is 265 gb". Do you mean free space in the XP partition, or do you
mean
unpartitioned space on your hard drive. This is not some kind of word
game,
they are two very different things.
If as I believe, "the Original Poster [you] has his entire hard drive in a
single large partition, with 265GB of Free Space", you can't install Vista
without either upgrading your XP operating system, which is a very bad
idea,
or reformatting your XP partition and doing a clean install, which is an
even worse idea.
If you have a small partition, with 265GB of unpartitioned space, then you
can create a new partition and install Vista there, but I don't believe
that
this is the case.
You can get Partition Magic and repartition your hard drive and install
Vista in the new partition, or you can get a new hard drive, and remove
your
old hard drive which is far safer. If you don't want to do either of
these
things, don't install Vista. You will really be screwed if you do.
Todd
T5 said:
For Gods sake , enough already.
I have one hard drive>>>>> ONE HARD DRIVE>>>> it is 300gb in size and it
contains my OS (xp pro and a few other essential progs) it is not
partitioned into anything but the size that is left is 265 gb>>>> What more
do I have to say? Why does Todd still not know (after 37 posts) what I have
on my system (even Chad knows that).
Chad , I do appreciate what you are trying to say but look at Todds
Post
and
you'll see why I am a little apprehensive
After 36 posts, I'm still not sure whether the Original Poster has his
entire hard drive in a single large partition, with 265GB of Free
Space,
or
has a small C: partition with 265GB of unpartitioned space. I'm not sure
the Original Poster knows the diference. If it is the former, he
cannot
install Windows Vista as either a clean install or an upgrade without
loosing XP.
You say I wont lose anything and Todd says I will.
Look guys, don't lose sleep, don't get frustrated, don't let it worry
you. I
appreciate what you have been trying to do for me but reading the
advice
it
is still as clear as mud.
Use disk partition
don't use disk partition
use disk management
dont use disk management
stick the cd in the drive and let vista install
dont do it you will lose all data
no he wont
order, counter order and disorder!!
Anyway you are all so totally fed up with me that I am going to do as
Chad
says and stick that cd in the drive and go for it................... I don't
want anymore posts as I am now past caring..... but for you guys who have
stuck with me (especially Chad) I will report back and let you know how I
got on.
Thanks again
After 36 posts, I'm still not sure whether the Original Poster has his
entire hard drive in a single large partition, with 265GB of Free
Space,
or
has a small C: partition with 265GB of unpartitioned space. I'm not sure
the Original Poster knows the diference. If it is the former, he
cannot
install Windows Vista as either a clean install or an upgrade without
loosing XP.
If the Original Poster does not know the difference, but is burning to
install Vista, and wants to protect his existing XP install and his data,
my
advice would be to do what I did, take the 300GB drive out of the
computer,
and get another drive to install Vista on. Drives in the 20 or 30 GB
range,
are cheap. If you look around, even big new drives can be gotten for not
too much. I got a new 200GB drive for $45 after rebates.
Todd
"Chad Harris" <Bushisamoron.net> wrote in message
You are not upgrading. You're dual booting by sitting on the XP
desktop
and
sticking the Vista DVD in the drive and going into setup. This has been
said to you about 20 literal times.
1) I don't see a screen print and after 36 or so posts I don't know what
drive XPP is on, and where you intend to put Vista, so I'll call
them
(I
liked the idea of Star Jones mudwrestling with Condi) XP Drive/Partition
and
Vista/Intended Drive Partition or XPD and VID.
2) Backup is advice that has been a mantra on this group and we all mean
it.
Backup is essential whether you are installing a Beta OS or just running
any
OS. So backup your XPP if you haven't already to media--at least
important
files, folders, and any documents, and images.
This is a dual boot. Not an upgrade. Not an upgrade. Did I mention not
an
upgrade?
3) You will absolutely be able to direct (I have said this several times
today and yesterday) Vista to the space for Vista--VID on the second
setup
screen. You will not lose XP Pro. Do not do an upgrade. You do not need
the headache of an upgrade because we have told you it is not
flawless;
and
you will not be able to regain your XP. You want to do a DUAL BOOT.
This
will be a different setup than you are used to in XP and I'm telling you
for
the last time boot up that XP Pro and then stick the Vista DVD in that
tray
and start setup FROM THE XP DESKTOP. I'm not doing this anymore.
There will be no Windows.old file unless you have files on the VID. You
have not indicated anything is on the 265 GB space but if there are
files,
then they'll be in Windows.old and so what. This is vexing
distraction
after 36 or so posts. Windows.old is where Vista saves files
(sometimes
there is more than one windows.old if they are on the drive or partition
where Vista is targeted to go. I have no idea why you mention it on the
36th post any more than I have any idea why you keep asking the same
questions repeatedly.
Why would you contemplate losing the XP Pro? Do a dual boot and you get
a
clean install of Vista on that big space.
This is it. We can't make you put the Vista DVD in that drive while
on
the
XP desktop, and I've been (and the rest of the people trying to help,
infinitely patient.
Good luck,
CH
Chad, Thanks again for your marathon efforts to get me up and running.
Have a look at the following screen print of my current setup and tell
me
that just by inserting the vista disk I will be able to direct the
install
to C drive without loosing my xp Pro setup. So when I get the
option
to
do
an upgrade or clean install, do I do an upgrade and loose the xp pro
(because it creates a windows.old file or do i do an upgrade and loose
everything?
"Chad Harris" <Bushisamoron.net> wrote in message
T5 posted:
"I will forget all of the posts that advise me to use 3rd party
partition progs etc etc and just hit the
button to install, is that correct?"
Yes that's correct. And setup will allow you to have a choice of
where
you want to install Vista. It will allow you to select that 265GB
space
you have as I've told you several times today--this being the last.
Be
prepared that setup will take a while depending entirely on your
hardware. It could be as fast as close to 30 minutes or it could take
longer.
***********T5 you don't need third party*********** Again that's
you
don't need third party. However I'm sure that Partition Magic, and
the
rest of the usual suspect have features that Disk Management
doesn't
have
but it sure now has the main one you need.
Given that as we've said that Disk Management in Vista (I put up three
links on this) will allow you to do it later. The posts that advised
you
to use third party on the first thread, mine included were well
meaning,
but because this is new in Vista, many of us had not tried Disk
Management to learn it is now able to expand and shrink partitions
without losing material. ***Now we know.***
But as far as I know setup in Vista that will now allow you to
partition
is ***not*** going to preserve old material. That would be nice
but
it
isn't. So just go into setup from your XP Pro and you'll have Vista.
running and on the second screen you will get a chance right on the
bottom of that screen to choose putting Vista on the space *other than
XP
Pro is on** 15 GB if I remember is the other space that XP Pro
occupies
on your pc. You don't want to try resizing partitions in setup
because
setup, unless I'm wrong won't save your XP. ***It isn't "fault
tolerant"
but now Disk Management is.*** Fault Tolerant can mean a lot of
things,
but in respect to file systems, it is just the ITesque term that means
your material, data, ect. on the drive will be preserved as
opposed
to
erased.
I typed this on a prior post, and did not assume you knew how
diskmanagement worked--whether it was reasd or not is a whole other
situation:
You want to put Vista on a dual boot. You have two opportunities to
resize
or partition that remaining 265GB. 1) During Vista setup 2) Using
diskmgmt.msc in the Vista run box--Diskmanagement in Vista. DM in
Vista
is
now fault tolerant--meaning you won't lose information when you resize
partitions with it (expand/shrink) See:
http://www.tweakvista.com/Article38991.aspx
Windows Vista Windows Vista Tips & Tricks: Resize Partitions
http://www.tweakvista.com/Article38991.aspx
Let's Do It:
***Simply get to your XP desktop. Then put in the Vista DVD.
You
are
going to see the blue Vista setup screen. You will have the
option
to
put it on that space (Condi Mud Wrestles Star Jones--isn't that
it's
name?)*** Give yourself some time to enjoy Vista. Then later
when
you
decide for whatever reasons you want to carve up that generous
space
of
265GB--perhaps you will want to put a later version of Vista on
it--perhaps you will want to put a 64 bit version of it besides
an
X86
version if you have the hardware--you can take your time and think
about
how you want to use Disk Management to divide that space.
It's time for you to stop kvetching and just enjoy Vista. Believe
me
those of us who have used it for months are discovering new
features
we
didn't know existed. I've seen features discussed in the new books
out
on Vista that haven't had a letter typed on them in the Beta groups
because the TBTs aren't aware they exist. I've seen features
discussed
at ISV meetings that haven't had a scintilla of mention on the Beta
groups.So get workin' on your Vista. I don't understand why you
aren't
enjoying it by now.
If you take your time, as John Barnes said and think about the simple
facts that are the components of your problem--then post
them--you'd
save
yourself ane everyone else a lot of time and confusion. You have a
ton
of talent up here at your disposal who will do all they can to help
you
who have a lot of MSFT resources at their fingertips but making
them
guess what your doing just wastes time.
You were simply asked to clarify. I supose you had this good
sized
HD
and
wanted to dual boot but to this moment I'm not sure. When it's not
clear,
we're reduced to hypothesizing likely scenarios to solve your problem
which has spanned two threads and (34) thirty-four counting this one,
posts.
At no time would any reader of the posts other than yourself perceive
from them that I "summised" that you knew how to use Disk Manager and
if
you didn't, why didn't you post the unique question "How does disk
management" work. I must have posted 3 links on how it works with
screenshots and psssst T5 have you ever heard of
1) clicking Help on Diskmgmt 2) going to Window XP Help and
Support
by
typing helpctr.exe in run or clicking Help and Support and typing
in
Disk
Management 3) Going to
http://support.microsoft.com and typing Disk
Management in search.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308424/en-us
Frankly some of the MSKBs are written in the least user friendly
way
possible; some aren't. It depends on the writer on the team's grasp
sometimes of the world that awaits him or her when they pull their
care
off the Redmond campus.
The very important point is that once you put Vista on that big space
you
have besides XP Diskmanagement in Vista now allows you to resize
partitions and make them without losing your data. That's a big plus
and
a nice improvement over XP. You should have it made in the shade now.
CH
P.S. I have never made a statement about proficiency or whether
questions are "dumb." But you need to learn to say "I want to dual
boot
Vista and I have XP Pro on C:\ or whatever drive that is 15GB and I
have
remaining space of 265GB, Can you show me the steps to get this
done?"
That simple sentence would have been all you needed.
Do you have high blood pressure Chad? I hope everybody that accesses
the
newsgroups is as proficient as you, then, hey, nobody will need
to
be
here and ask any dumb questions (what a relief).
I have never used disk managment tool ever (never needed to) so
you
just
summise that I know how to, but no bother. I'll thank you for your
efforts in trying to educate me and just take what you say as gospel
and
stick the iso disk into the drive and install vista, I will forget
all
of the posts that advise me to use 3rd party partition progs etc etc
and
just hit the button to install, is that correct?
"Chad Harris" <Bushisamoron.net> wrote in message
Not angry at all. But I'm puzzled as to what the holdup for you is.
It doesn't matter whether that 265 GB is on D:\ or what you
call
it.
What matters is that you tell us 1, 2, 3 simply what we can do to
help
you at this point which as far as I know is simply setup Vista from
your XP pro. Put the Vista DVD in while you're on that XP Pro
desktop
and you're on your way.
If there is anything that worries you or confuses you just say what
it
is and someone will help you with it.
I just want you to take the clear directions you've been given
Day 2
now and setup Vista You have two threads going on the same
subject--why
I don't know. Before you do, I'd back up XP just as common
sense.
1) state clearly what you are doing- I thought dual boot--I wouldn't
do
an upgrade. This group is full of threads where people want to get
back XP after an upgrade--didn't backup and can't.
2) You don't need to keep starting threads to get the same thing
done
which I thought was Dual boot Vista with XP. You have two
threads
going now and haven't taken any suggestions. Why?
No it's not clear.
"said that I have a 300gb hdd with 265gb remaining after xp, office
pro etc etc is installed so it is all on c drive, there is no D
drive
is that clear enough?"
I have acknowledged that from the get go. What's not clear is
why
you
continue to be the world champ at futzing around????
I know this much. You have XP on part of this HD. You have a
remaining 265 GB--let's call it "J-Lo/Star Jones/Condi Rice's and
Rosie
O'Donald's Old Fashioned Friday Night Mud Wrestle Keg Party." I
clearly said I don't know if it's called "D" and it doesn't
matter
what
it's called. You have the real estate; why in the world haven't you
setup Vista on it?????
You want to put Vista on a dual boot. You have two
opportunities
to
resize or partition that remaining 265GB. 1) During Vista
setup
2)
Using diskmgmt.msc in the Vista run box--Diskmanagement in
Vista.
DM
in
Vista is now fault tolerant--meaning you won't lose information when
you resize partitions with it (expand/shrink) See:
http://www.tweakvista.com/Article38991.aspx
Windows Vista Windows Vista Tips & Tricks: Resize
Partitions
http://www.tweakvista.com/Article38991.aspx
Thanks John Barnes for alerting me that Diskmanagement in Vista will
expand or shrink to resize partitions.--I did not know. Now I do.
That
means T5 can either resize that 265 GB space in Vista setup or
he/she
can do it with Vista Dis Management.
Why don't you take the Vista DVD *already* while you are booted
into
XP
and run Vista setup. What can be stopping you all this time for
more
than a day? No one here who helps (we all get plenty of help
from
different sources) is hung up on childish things like "stupid" or
"expert". Anyone who has the advantage of access to a computer and
the
web has the world by the tail as far as the ability to learn very
quickly. A lot of people are going all out to put up Vista help
sites
who do an excellent job just as they have done during XP. They have
better screenshots and illustrations than ever. It's easy to learn
from them.
Ball would seem to be in your hands now T5 with no one between
you
and
the end zone.
CH
Thanks John,
Chad is getting really angry with me why? You seem to realise that
I
have xp installed and no seperate partition just a c drive so
why
is
it that Chad seems to think that I have another partition D, E
or
whatever? I have never inferred that I have anything other than
a C
drive with win xp pro installed so why is he getting so
tetchy?
Ok
I
am not an expert but I am not stupid either. I said that I have
a
300gb hdd with 265gb remaining after xp, office pro etc etc is
installed so it is all on c drive, there is no D drive is that
clear
enough?
It would appear he is doing an upgrade of his XP or he wouldn't
have
a .old file. At least I did when I upgraded and didn't when
I
did
a
clean install.
"Chad Harris" <Bushisamoron.net> wrote in message
The only thing the correction pointed out is that I didn't
type
265GB and typed 250GB by mistake as to what you have left
over.
You
learn to need to read what we give you the first time and do it.
Then if you have more questions ask them. Say explicitly
what
you
infer that you have two partitions right now--one that is 15
GB
and
one that is 265GB. Whatever they are:
1) Boot into XP.
2) Insert the Vista DVD.
3) Run setup that will appear on your XP desktop.
4) It will ask you where you want Vista and you tell it as
Richard
said and I said where you want it--that partition that isn't
XP
whatever letter it is --I called it D but whatever it is
that's
where Vista goes.
If now you want to make further "divisions" --partitions of that
big
other space, you are going to have to get 3rd party software
in
order not to lose what is on the drive.
Do you have any further specific questions? If not as Nike says
finally "Just Do It."
Good luck,
CH
thx Chad, but as you yourself have acknowledged through your
correction it is not as crystal clear as you first said. It
appears
that vista beta installs itself alongside xp as when I boot
after
I
have installed vista it gives me the option to boot into
vista
or
to another os (which I presume is xp pro although I havent tried
this yet) is this correct? I do know that when I first installed
vista and booted to the desktop the old windows was in a folder
called windows.old
"Chad Harris" <Bushisamoron.net> wrote in message
Not sure what help is required that we didn't give you already
on
the first thread you started.
Correction: I assume you have C:\ 15GB with XP Pro and the
other
space is 265GB not 250GB as I typed in the first sentence.
Put
the DVD in after you boot to XP Pro on C:\ and setup will
pop
up
on your XP desktop. Run the Vista setup from there and it will
retain whatever drive letter you have assigned the other space.
Any further partitioning will have to be done by 3rd party like
PM
or Acronis if you want to retain what you have while you parcel
up
that 265 GB.
CH
"Chad Harris" <Bushisamoron.net> wrote in message
T5--
1) Do you have the HD already partitioned into anything other
than C:\ Do you have C:\50GB and D:\ or whichever drive letter
the other 250GB?
If so just boot up XP and insert your DVD and run setup
from
XP
and you'll get the option to direct to your other presummably
250GB partition.
On the previous thread you were told clearly to get 3rd party
software to get this done. You can put Vista on the remaining
space and then if you decide to make partitions out of
that,
you
will need 3rd party as you were told by Mark Vandenberg in
order
not to lose what is on C:\ and I'll call your remaing space
D:\
since you didn't name it.
2) You can't use diskpart from cmd or diskmgmt.msc from the
run
box to make a partition with fault tolerance, i.e. you need
3rd
party software like Symantec's Partition Magic to make a
partition and retain your XP Pro on C:\ unless you've already
partitioned when you installed XP Pro and I'm guessing with
the
265 GB of the 300GB HD left you haven't.
3) On the previous thread Richard Urban, Colin, I and others
told you how to do this. Richard Urban's post was crystal
clear
and to the point. Mark told you that you needed 3rd party
software. Why is this cycle repeating?
Richard Urban posted:
Vista setup does not create anything. It gets installed where
YOU
tell it to
install to.
Prepare before you install. Use a third party program,
such
as
Partition
Magic 8.01 (or later) to shrink your current partition. You
will
need 20 gig
of free space to create another primary partition used
for
the
Vista
install. Then create the new partition.
Getting another hard drive would be even better. Use it
exclusively for your
Vista experiment.
During setup, be certain to direct the installer to the
correct
drive/partition.
I posted:
After you burn the Iso, while you are in XP, the setup for
Vista
will pop
up on your screen. You get the chance to direct to the
partition
you want.
You can make partitions with Diskmanager; but it is not fault
tolerant and
so if you want to extend them or make new ones without losing
things you can
1) Backup 2) Use 3rd party.
I don't think you'll be successful in getting MSFT to
build
it
in. It'd be
great and you can try.
CH
Ok guys thx for all of the help and advice you gave me
in
my
previous post now I'll give you the current
configaration
of
my
machine and see if one of you can give me an idiots
guide
to
creating a partition and installing vista to that
partition
(without losing any of my current setup/files/progs etc etc)
win XP Pro on C drive all setup and working fine on a
300gb
HDD
with 265 GB freespace
2gb Ram
Athlon 64 dualcore 3800+
