Installing Vista for dual boot....

Chris [BEANS]

Chris [BEANS]

Chris [BEANS]

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Hi,

I assume this will be quite simple but we all know what happens when you assume!! So I thought I'd double check with the bigger boys who know what they're doing.

I have a new mid range system. I currently have two HDD's installed.

C: is Windows XP
D: is a storage drive

I have a third HDD installed in the case but not plugged into the motherboard and my new copy of Vista Home Premium 64 should arrive this morning.

Am I right in thinking that when Vista arrives....

  1. I can simply plug in the 3rd HDD
  2. Insert VIsta 64 and it will give me the option to format and install
  3. I choose the destination as E: (Or whatever XP recognises the 3rd HDD as) and it does the rest without harming anything on C:
  4. Next time I power up the PC it will tell me there are two versions of windows and ask me to choose

On another note, if the above is correct, is there a way to get the PC to always boot to Vista unless I tell it otherwise?

Cheers all
 
Last edited:
I am not 100% but if i remember correctly when i made my computer dual boot i had to install the newer version of windows first. I may be wrong but you should look into it. Try Google.
 
You are pretty much correct Chris. When you install Windows Vista, set it to install from the third hard disk and then you can use EacyBCD (google it) to customize the boot menu so you can choose the time it waits and what OS it boots.

^^You DON'T install the newer OS first unless you want a screwed boot.ini. Old OS first, then the new one.
 
Not one of the big boys here but I'll try and help you out.. This might not relate to you but when I tried to d a dual boot with Windows 7 and XP, I lost my XP boot.

Chris [BEANS];14117162 said:
Hi,

I assume this will be quite simple but we all know what happens when you assume!! So I thought I'd double check with the bigger boys who know what they're doing.

I have a new mid range system. I currently have two HDD's installed.

C: is Windows XP
D: is a storage drive

I have a third HDD installed in the case but not plugged into the motherboard and my new copy of Vista Home Premium 64 should arrive this morning.

Am I right in thinking that when Vista arrives....

  1. I can simply plug in the 3rd HDD = Yes, even though I been told that the best and most secure way is to just unplug your other drives and just have the drive you intend to use for your Vista OS plugged in.. up to you though, I had all my drives plugged in (6 of them!) and it worked without a problem.
  2. Insert VIsta 64 and it will give me the option to format and install = Yes, all your hard drives will be listed, just make sure you pick the right one! Not sure if you have named them or not but might be a good idea the you know for sure you pick the right one!
  3. I choose the destination as E: (Or whatever XP recognises the 3rd HDD as) and it does the rest without harming anything on C: = It did not harm my XP installation, but once I booted up in Win7 my XP had a different drive letter though.
  4. Next time I power up the PC it will tell me there are two versions of windows and ask me to choose = See below..

On another note, if the above is correct, is there a way to get the PC to always boot to Vista unless I tell it otherwise?

Cheers all
Click to expand...

There might be other ways around it to sort it out but I was suggested to use EasyBCD, first it did not help but after downloading their BETA version [Clicky] it was automaticly sorted with the booting sequence and all. You do have to sign up to their forum to be able to download the BETA version though, but its free and well worth it! If for some reason your XP is showing first when you dual boot, it's very easy to change the sequence in EasyBCD also!

As I said, not sure if it relates to you but after what I understand Vista and Win7 is very similar so hopefully it will be of some help! If you want to wait until one of the experts comes around please be my guest! :)
 
The golden rule with multi os is always have the oldest OS installed first. So as long as XP is on your C drive first then you can add as many other OSes as you want on top if they are on either different physical drives or partitions. Vista is not bothered about drive letters for it install (unless XP which is a pain unless it sits on the first bootable physical disk). You can use easybcd to manage these after but no real need as long as you leave XP alone.

One thing many people forget is that System Restore does not work on Vista with XP + Vista both installed unless you change system settings as per the MS guidelines on this page:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926185
 
AWPC said:
The golden rule with multi os is always have the oldest OS installed first.
Click to expand...

..unless you want to be fancy. :p

1. Install each OS on a spare drive ; all other drives are unplugged.

2. 1:1 copy the image to the main, multi OS drive.

3. Add an entry in your preferred boot manager. ( GRUB, in my case. )

Self-contained, independent installs are great. No issues with the new OS dumping its boot files in another OS partition. No need to follow the 'oldest first' rule.


That System Restore gotcha is quite interesting. :eek:
 
"Tum te tum tum tum..................". Have all the relevant drivers saved to a folder in the storage drive, itching to install vista and have a play about.
Never used it and am quite intrigued.

As for the system restore bug. Am I right in my understanding that the Vista restore points are only deleted when XP is booted and this can obviously be easilly rectified by setting a new restore point next time Vista is booted??

Edit:

Lol, how far behind am I exactly?!?! Just found out about 'windows 7'. Lol, my nice new OS will be obsolete before it's installed!!
 
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