Knives412

Ok so I just bought a brand new laptop and it came with vista. I am not very familiar with it and I know I like XP so I want to dual boot with XP and make my vista experience easier. But I just got this computer and I don't want to go fooling around and mess something up so I figured I'd ask a few questions before I did it.

Ok so first of all I know you need to partition a spot on the hard drive for XP. Already the drive is partitioned into 3 I think, under disk management I have 1 "primary partition" with a small amount of the hard drive and doesn't have a name. Then the other 2 use the rest of the hard drive and are split pretty evenly. One being called VistaOS(C:) and one being Data(D:). I don't understand what the "primary partition" is, what is that? Also if say I partition 5GB for XP can XP still access files on the partition that vista is installed on (VistaOS(C:))?

I want to clean up this hard drive and fix up this wacky partitioning they did before they sent it to me and have a clean partition for Vista and XP. But before I do that I wanna know if there's a reason they did it like this and if I should change it?

After I get the partitioning figured out I think I can do the rest on my own, but if not I'll be back.

TriggerFinger

I think this page can answer your questions http://www.theeldergeek.com/hard_drives_01.htm

sobeit

first of all, you must purchase a full retail version of xp. You cannot use a copy that came with another computer, you cannot use oem, nor can you use a copy that is currently being used in another computer or being used to justify some upgrade.

Next you need to make sure there are xp drivers available for your system. They are not that easy to find if the computer manufacturer does not provide them. XP will not have all the drivers you need and expect some features of your laptop to never work

You can create a partition for your xp installation using vista's disk management before hand if you want. You can also create it during the install if you have the proper xp cd. See the following for more info on dual booting.

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_v...step_guide.htm

Knives412

TriggerFinger that link helped but theres still one thing I don't understand. Why is there 10GB on my 300GB hard drive partitioned out and doesn't have a name or a letter. What is it doing there? It doesn't show up in my computer but it shows up when I am in disk management. I can't even access it to see if theres anything on it, what is it?!

jcgriff2

The 10GB partition is the Vista recovery partition. It contains the files needed to restore your system back to factory default settings - exactly like it was when you took it out of the box and first booted. If you ever need to use the recovery partition or recovery DVDs, it would reset the partitions wiping the XP install out.

If not yet done, you should burn recovery DVDs - there should be an option to do so. If not, consult your owner's manual. This is unnecessary if the system came with recovery discs - most do not.

Also, note that each time you boot into XP, the Vista VSS (Volume Shadow Service - system restore points) for Vista will be wiped out.

jcgriff2

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Knives412

ok so I have a new question about this...

Suppose I were to make 3 partitions 2 x 10GB and then 1 large one say 200GB. Could I install vista to 1 x 10GB partition and xp to the other 10GB partition and use the 3rd 200GB partition for all data files, programs, etc. Having XP and Vista sharing the 3rd 200GB partition, is that possible to run programs and whatnot off that 3rd partition in both Vista and XP?

jenae

Hi, the simple answer is No and your partitions would be far too small I suggest you do some basic computer courses you obviously like to explore and understand this is good. Try asking google for answers you will surprise yourself how good you get at it after a time.

geslink

I just wrote the following on a question about Vista downgrade to XP:
A better solution is to install the former XP as a multiple boot choice as I did both on a computer with Vista Home Premium and Vista Business installed. The latter was delivered with a XP-downgrade CD, but such one can't be used for multiple boot of Vista and XP and also not if you practise harddisc partitioning as I do and which is necessary in case of multiple boot of operating systems.
Multiple boot of Vista and XP works fine, but requires some knowledge about harddisc-partitioning and Vista and XP installation sequence and the repair of the bootrecord and editing of the bootrecord with the MSDOS command BCDEDIT.

I add now:
As others replied: you have to check if you can download XP-drivers for your hardware.

If you are interested you may ask me for more info, which however requires some translation work since my system is in danish and likewise the detailed documents I wrote on the whole matter.
These documents include also 2 examples of internal harddisc partitioning in 7 partitions:
2 for the operating systems Vista and XP and 5 for:
Software recovery, Data (documents, pictures, soundfiles, programdata), Audiolibrary, Videolibrary, Workarea, which all can be accessed from both operating systems. Such a division in physical areas makes also backup and maintenance much easier.
At læst 3 partitions C, D, E (C for Vista, E for XP and D for data) are needed and 4 if there was established a system recovery partition before (of which the contents need to be changed to software recovery only).
Regards, Geslink.

jcgriff2

I really would suggest that you "get to know" your new Vista system & allow it to stabilize before embarking on dual boot w/ XP.

I recommend 40 GB minimum partition for Vista.

jcgriff2

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Knives412

ok so I did the dual boot following these instructions...

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vi...creenshots.htm

everything went fine except I can't get it to give me the choice at start up. it automatically loads vista everytime unless I remove vista's boot loader with easybcd, then XP will load up. But I can't get the option of the two OS to come up though, anyone know why?