How to Dual Boot Windows XP and Vista (XP already installed)

Installing A Dual Boot with Vista:

You likely have XP installed... If you don't, I would question if your computer is ready for the Vista jump.
Vista System Requirements:Click here to read the entire tutorial

ok, i installed vista with xp and it wouldnt give me the boot screen and went straight to XP Pro, so i installed Acronis OS Selector, so that worked nicely etc, etc

about a wekk later i tried to boot into vista and it said it couldnt read the BCD so i re-installed and fixed that but now i cant boot XP acronis can see my xp installation but when i boot it it goes to vista (i do know whic is which
) both boot to Vista, PLEASE HELP!!

Hi,

New here but ran across your this Tutorial and I must say that it was EXCELLENT! I only wish that I had join here before installing my Vista Home Premium and being a NEWBIE at this stuff (installing and technical stuff) I could have used this!

I was wondering IF at all possible that you could check out my post regarding somewhat of the same subject. Here is my post, it was in the last 24 hrs. or so, so it is still shown as a new post.

DUAL BOOT SYS - XP to Vista Home Premium

I messed up and was looking for a fix to my Stupidity!

I might add that with your Tutorial even I could have done a better job...you should be a teacher!

Regards
Desparate in KS.
Dlira

Dear William,
I installed vista in dual boot mode with XP(With XP installed first) as you instructed in the tutorial. but when i tried to boot XP an error message comes
"ntlr" not found.
What should i do?

I have installed Windows 7 on a second Drive,
I have XP Pro on my Primary Drive, I have been trying to figure
out how to dule boot, Although all the post I have read are very
informative, None quite have the info i need or if it is even possible.
I am getting tired of swaping my Sata cables around
Any Help ?


Thanks

I take it that your two drives are each individually bootable by their self. If this is right then:

Google for GAG boot manager. (Free program)
Remove all but one operating system. Follow the directions to installing the GAG boot manager. Once it is installed then shut down your computer and install the other harddrive...leaving the other one in place. GAG will install itself to the dive's lead-in (first 8mb of drive space) and then ask you to set up the preference as to which drive you will like to boot to.

While in one operating system then you will be able to share files and folders but not applications and programs. You may use the applications from each operating system but you may not transfer them from one to the other...

Have fun!

First of all you can create Partition your hard drive. In Windows XP, using the $50 Partition Magic the free GParted Live CD, create a new primary partition to install Vista on. Make it at least 20 gigabytes in size and then Install Vista on the new partition. Pop in the Vista CD and point it to your newly-created partition as the installation destination. Installation will restart your machine at various points.
and then Choose your operating system on boot. Once Vista is installed on your newly-created partition, on boot up, you'll get a choice to start XP or Vista. The default is Vista. However, this can be changed using Vista's boot manager.