Vista or XP

[mercerman318]

Ok, i'm getting a free full version of Vista Ultimate, but im not sure if i want to install it over XP. I really want vista when the DX 10 games start coming out at the end of the summer, but i would really perfer to keep XP for everything else. Is there any way that i can install both, or any thoughts on what i should do? Thanks.

[.Maleficus.]

Why not just install it when the games come out? Keep XP until then, and install Vista when you absolutely need it.

[SgtM]

Do you have a spare HDD? Throw it in as a slave, install Vista, and dual boot. That's what I did.

[r0adawg]

you could look into a dual boot option.

google "xp vista dual boot"

[Cool1Net6]

When I got my copy of Vista, I didn't want to remove my fully customized XP either, so what I did was dual booted. I partitioned my main drive accordingly, and installed Vista to the second partition. It automatically created a boot loader and in about an hour I had a fully functional install of Vista. The install was relatively pain-free.

One thing is that Vista will set itself as the primary OS to boot, but that is easy to change. Its lost somewhere in the 15,000 new Control Panel options.

-Cool-

[moon111]

I have a harddrive selector switch from Indus. Nice unit. Now all I need is to replace my 2nd harddrive that @#$%'d out.
http://www.industechnologies.com/

[mercerman318]

Thanks for all the suggestions, i think i'm going to go with Cool1Net6's idea, and do a dual boot, and just partition my hard drive. If i do this though is there any programs i need or can i do as im installing vista

[Luke122]

You can do it as you are running the install. :D

[Nagoshi]

When I got my copy of Vista, I didn't want to remove my fully customized XP either, so what I did was dual booted. I partitioned my main drive accordingly, and installed Vista to the second partition. It automatically created a boot loader and in about an hour I had a fully functional install of Vista. The install was relatively pain-free.

One thing is that Vista will set itself as the primary OS to boot, but that is easy to change. Its lost somewhere in the 15,000 new Control Panel options.

-Cool-

Then why don't you change it in the 20-options control panel from XP? :) I dont remember exacly where the multi-boot panel is in Windows. but you only have to change a number if I remember.

And if you wanna go for it manually, it's something like boot.ini which should be located in C:. There should be 2 "Windows" entries, use your logic and change it accordingly to your priorities :)

[XcOM]

vista dosen't work like that anymore,
Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options

[Cool1Net6]

Then why don't you change it in the 20-options control panel from XP? :) I dont remember exacly where the multi-boot panel is in Windows. but you only have to change a number if I remember.
Start > Right-Click My Computer > Properties > Advanced > Start-up & Recovery > Settings. Its a similar process to get to it in Vista, but they just changed the name and location of things. I already did this.


vista doesn't work like that anymore,
Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options
For some reason I can't get this to work for me. I wanted to change "Earlier versions of Windows" to "Windows XP" but I cant get BCDEDIT.exe to work for me.

-Cool-

[XcOM]

this program will do it:
http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1
and its free. im good friends with the author, and i can vouch, it works a charm.

[Cool1Net6]

this program will do it:
http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1
and its free. im good friends with the author, and i can vouch, it works a charm.
Thanks for that. It does work like a charm.

-Cool-