2+ OS's on the same HD?

badbob · 8 Feb 2008 at 21:09

Is it possible to install two Microsoft OS's on the same physical HD? 1st partition (20GB) for XP, another 20GB partition for Vista 32, and perhaps another 20GB partition for Ubuntu. I know MS + Ubuntu on the same HD works, but not sure if two Microsoft OS's will.

croni486 · 8 Feb 2008 at 21:19

Yes it'll work fine

Priapus · 8 Feb 2008 at 21:23

As above, it will work no problem. Each partition is treated like a different hard drive.

badbob · 8 Feb 2008 at 21:33

Is 20GB for Vista 32 enough? I disable restore points.

Priapus · 8 Feb 2008 at 21:46

Providing you don't install too much on it, yes. It used around 15GB of HDD space on a fresh install, so cutting it close.

Skeeter · 8 Feb 2008 at 21:50

Ive had a 40GB laptop tri booting your exact setup. It works fine. Only issue is you may want to fiddle the drive space. Vista uses about 9GB on a clean install, so you want a lot of space for that compaired to the others.

Also, install in this order: XP, Vista, Linux

It will give you the better Ubuntu boot loader as your main one, and also installing XP after Vista removes the ability to get into Vista.

badbob · 9 Feb 2008 at 00:30

ok xp + vista installed, where do I install the GRUB bootloader? on the partition with Vista?
also is it safe to change the drive designation in Windows disc management of the other OS drives? Ie C: in Vista is obviously Vista drive, D: is XP partition, so I'd rather have that as Z: or similar. Same when I'm in XP.

.walls · 9 Feb 2008 at 00:46

Skeeter is spot on - install XP, Vista then linux.

As for GRUB, I tend to install it on the mbr (/dev/sda for sata/scsi, /dev/hda for ide)

badbob · 9 Feb 2008 at 01:09

Is it ok to defragment a OS that's on another partition?

Skeeter · 9 Feb 2008 at 01:15

badbob said:
ok xp + vista installed, where do I install the GRUB bootloader? on the partition with Vista?
also is it safe to change the drive designation in Windows disc management of the other OS drives? Ie C: in Vista is obviously Vista drive, D: is XP partition, so I'd rather have that as Z: or similar. Same when I'm in XP.

From experiance, this is absolutely fine as long as the drove doesnt include the boot information. I.e. my drive is split in 2, XP in the first half, Vista in the second. In XP I can change the Vista drive letter (its currently V

but I cannot change the XP drive from D: in Vista as it looks there for boot information. If its not safe, it simply wont let you, so If it lets you change drives then its fine.

badbob · 9 Feb 2008 at 01:46

ok I need to know the EXACT HD number I need to enter in the GRUB installer. Last time someone gave me instructions it killed the Windows option.

HD0 is the default setting, isn't that the 80GB?

/dev/sdb is the 250GB with XP (20GB) and Vista (20GB) In BIOS boot options are
SDB1 is XP, SDB2 is Vista

DVD
250GB HD