dual OS question

[bluecula]

I have vista on C drive. If i install XP on D drive would the bootup screen give me the option to load which OS?

 

[postmortemIA]

no, it will screw up vista boot loader and you'll be able to load only xp.

it is a lot of work to make it work when you install vista first then xp; other way is much easier

http://support.microsoft.com/?...n-us%3B919529&x=5&y=11

 

[RebateMonger]

Consider using (free) Virtual PC or VMWare. These work great unless you need gamining performance in XP.

 

[Noema]

Like mentioned, XP will overwrite Vista's bootloader.

And like Trashman said, it's much easier to install XP and then Vista.

What do you need XP for?

 

[bluecula]

I have 2 HD btw..so I should install Xp first then install vista on my secondary hard drive...and the bootup screen should give me an option of which os to run without editing anything?

 

[postmortemIA]

Yes, that will work, but you will always need 1st drive to boot to second.

 

[Navid]

Alternatively, you can just make your second drive bootable, from the BIOS, and install XP on it.

Then, when you boot, you can press F12, or whatever key depending on your motherboard, to bring up the boot screen and select which drive to boot to. If you do it this way, each OS will be on drive C and you don't have to install XP first.

The only disadvantage of this is that you will have to enter the boot menu at boot-up if the OS you want is not the default. You can also change the default in BIOS.

The advantage of this is that both OS are on C and the two OS are independent. The OS that is not active automatically gets assigned a diffeent drive letter. But, the active OS will always be C as long as you disconnect other drives when you install.
You can wipe out one OS without affecting the other.
You can hide the inactive OS and the active OS will not see the other.

 

[montag451]

Nice one Navid.

I didn't figure that one out.
Thats great.

 

[postmortemIA]

Originally posted by: montag451
Nice one Navid.

I didn't figure that one out.
Thats great.

it is, but not all mobos support that.