fresh install in stages

[lancstech]

i'm planning on reinstalling xp. advice please as to whether its possible to install in stages, whilst keeping old setup.

my plan is to create a primary partition, make it active,
install xp, update, add fw/av, etc. make old windows partition active, carry with on old setup. repeat process for apps until new install is finished, then dump old setup, or keep as backup. has anyone done this/or similar?.

did you use a boot mgr, linux livecd ? any tips/refs/utils?

 

[temporello]

You basically describe a dual boot system,if I understood you.
No need for boot managers,setting partitions active.
XP will change the boot menu so you'll have two systems to chose from at boot up.
Later you can remove the old XP installation if you want to.

 

[lancstech]

yep u r right, its a long time since i did an install of xp, the trick might be removing the current xp, and thats when the black arts might be needed.

 

[bcastner]

This MS KB article will help you to remove the old XP installation:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;888023

 

[linney]

266465 - HOW TO: Perform a Parallel Installation of Windows 2000

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;266465&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

You can do the same with XP.
Or see the paragraph in this article.

"To install Windows XP to a new folder (to perform a parallel installation):"

How to install or upgrade to Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316941&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[lancstech]

thanks bcastner,linney for refs.
now nervous of direct boot.ini changes.
nb after installing vista rc1 i rashly editted my xp boot.ini from cp system. after no os access at all. it required recovery console, and old style attrib changes to recover. i later found bootcfg option.

 

[lancstech]

have read refs, learnt new term "Parallel Installation" comes down to
(a) do a fresh install, a lot of work in a short time(hopefully).
(b) install in a new primary partition, taking at most 30 days to complete, and hope my dell activates after scrapping current config (not sure how to yet).