Dual boot Vista and XP

[csxkidd]

Hi,
I have an HP a6313 with Windows Vista. I created a new partition on my hard drive with the tool in Vista and then installed XP on the new partition. Now, only XP will start up with no option to select which OS I would like to start up.

I read that Vista and XP use a different boot file and thought I had the answer but the only thing I can find to help requires that I have A Vista Installation CD and I don't.

My drive is listed like this. I'll do my best to explain this. Cwhich has vista on it) says Active (System) and the new partition which is I: says Active (Boot) and then it has the recovery partition on it also.

Anything I can do without having the installation CD?

 

[linney]

This is a handy program to use when having Boot problems in Vista dual booting with XP. It can be run from XP and may correct the booting problem. Try using VistaBootPro from XP?

VistaBootPRO

http://www.vistabootpro.org/

EasyBCD is a similar piece of software.

http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

VistaBootPro is usually pretty good in handling this type of problem. Have you tried their Forum?

http://www.pro-networks.org/forum/index.php

How to dual boot Vista and XP (with Vista installed first) -- the step-by-step guide

http://apcmag.com/5485/dualbooting_vista_and_xp

 

[csxkidd]

Thanks a million. Fixed everything. I have one more problem and this might not be the best place to discuss it, but I figured I'd give it a shot.

I finally got all of the drivers for XP that I needed for my audio, video, LAN and other stuff and got them installed. The only thing showing up as an error is the video card.

I have the driver, but when I try to intall it when running XP, it says that there is already a driver for it installed asks if I want to replace it. I chose no because I didn't want to mess up the driver for Vista. How do I install the driver for XP seperately so that it will not overwrite the one that's needed for Vista.

 

[linney]

I don't think anything you do in XP is likely to effect what you have installed in Vista, concerning drivers anyway. They will be installed in other XP locations separate from Vista drivers.

I'd suggest making a System Restore Point (in Vista) before doing anything, but as you are aware Vista does not keep restore points once you load XP (that is by design unfortunately). XP's System Restore does not have this problem.

If you have spare partitions, perhaps a complete backup of Vista (or third party Image software) is a way to go.

In any case, let XP install the later Video drivers, if you have errors with the current driver, that is my suggestion.

 

[csxkidd]

No I wasn't aware that Vista didn't keep restore points once XP was loaded. Even if they're on different partitions? What if I took it off and loaded XP on a different HD. I have two 300 GB HD's.

 

[csxkidd]

linney,are you saying that Vista doesn't automatically create restore points, or that it doen't keep them. I created a restore point in Vista just now and when I restarted the PC it was still there. Or is it that once I load Windows XP it will erase it?

I will get rid of XP. It doesn't matter that much to me anyhow. I got it because I was having a problem with a stupid Video Capture device called Dazzle, by Pinnacle and figured I'd just capture all of my video from my 8mm tapes and do the editing on XP.

If I format and erase the partition that I created with XP on it, will everything be OK with Windows Vista as far as it keep the restore points?

Thanks for your help,
Chris

 

[linney]

As fart as the System Restore problems is concerned it is any configuration of hard drives or partitions that is dual booted Vista with XP. There are however two workarounds mentioned in this article. The better one is the BitLocker solution, see the article.

No restore points are available when you use Windows Vista or Windows Server "Longhorn" in a dual-boot configuration together with an earlier Windows operating system

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926185/en-us#appliesto

As to removing the XP partition, it will only effect Vista in so far as Vista might not boot if the Vista boot files are on the XP Partition. Otherwise Vista will not notice XP is missing and System Restore in Vista will work flawlessly.

If you do stuff up the booting files there is always this article. Startup Repair is a Windows recovery tool that can fix certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might prevent Windows from starting.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Wi...809f-ed90-415f-a83f-89b42108b3551033.mspx#EFF

 

[PRPhx]

csxkidd,
If XP isn't that big a deal for you, you could always download a free virtual machinr (i.e. virtualbox, (Sun), Virtual PC (MS), vmware, etc), install it, then install XP as a guest OS. You'd have both OS's and wouldn't have to worry about new partitions, etc.

 

[csxkidd]

I have a question about the method used that linney provided in his last post. I just want to make sure I do this right.

In Method 1, it says that if the offline registry subkey doesn't exist that I need to creat it.

So, Under Value name, what would drive letter would I put. Windows Vista is on volume C: and XP is listed as drive I: when viewing it from Windows XP. It's not labeled that way under Windows Vista, but as far as I can tell, the registry key is suppose to be added under XP.

Thanks again.

 

[linney]

This entry for the value "Value name: \DosDevices\D:", the entry is made and created in XP (by you) and the reference "D:" refers to XP's identification of the Vista drive (Partition) as seen from XP by XP. So if XP sees Vista as on Drive D:, or something else, that is what Value name: "DosDevices" must refer to.