XP Pro SP2/Vista dual-boot

[McPudd]

Hi:

I Use WinXP Pro SP2 with 2 x 500GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 SATA 3Gb/s 7200RPM 16MB buffer HDDs in a non-RAID config.

I have a third identical drive which is new and unused that I?d like to add and use to dual-boot Vista Beta2.

I do not want Vista to interfere in any way with my XP Pro SP2 O/S.

How do I go about doing this?

Is there a good step-by-step page you can refer me to?

Thanks,

 

[SynthDude2001]

Just install Vista on the other hard drive, and it will replace the XP boot loader with its own (from which you can select to boot into Vista or XP). If you want to get rid of the Vista install, just wipe/format the drive, and boot to a Windows XP recovery console and run "fixmbr" to restore the original XP boot loader...I believe that's how it works, anyway.

 

[mauiblue]

Before I installed Vista Beta, I imaged my primary drive that has Win XP Pro SP2. My second drive is installed but nothing stored there. I installed Vista on my second drive and played a little with Vista (dual boot). When I was done, I wiped both drives clean and installed my backup to my primary drive. Done deal and good as new.

BTW, I didn't like Vista and I will hang around with Win XP until I things settle down with the new OS.

 

[Noema]

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001
Just install Vista on the other hard drive, and it will replace the XP boot loader with its own (from which you can select to boot into Vista or XP). If you want to get rid of the Vista install, just wipe/format the drive, and boot to a Windows XP recovery console and run "fixmbr" to restore the original XP boot loader...I believe that's how it works, anyway.

Yes, that should work like a charm. :thumbsup:

 

[cbuchach]

Or, do what I did and disable the WinXP HD when installing Vista to another system harddrive (or in my case just not load the Intel RAID0 driver at setup so that Vista doesn't detect it). Then install Vista to the other system hard drive. Now, to switch booting between the two, just select in the BIOS which hard drive to boot off of. After you install Vista you can re enable the WinXP hard drive with no ill effects.

 

[Mavtech]

Originally posted by: McPudd
Hi:

I Use WinXP Pro SP2 with 2 x 500GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 SATA 3Gb/s 7200RPM 16MB buffer HDDs in a non-RAID config.

I have a third identical drive which is new and unused that I?d like to add and use to dual-boot Vista Beta2.

I do not want Vista to interfere in any way with my XP Pro SP2 O/S.

How do I go about doing this?

Is there a good step-by-step page you can refer me to?

Thanks,

It will ask you which HD to install it on. Just make sure to select the right one. I used Acronis Disk Director to resize the partition on my second SATA drive. It left 40 GB unnallocated. I selected that when I installed Vista. Dual boots perfectly. Didn't affect my XP Pro install at all.