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

Punchey:

Can this procedure be accomplished using a Vista Ultimate Upgrade DVD? Or will this only work using a full version?

Tony Sarno:

no, the Vista upgrade would overwrite the existing XP installation. You would have to install another copy of XP (if on the same drive, repartition the drive to create another partition for the copy) then install Vista over the original XP installation. Presumably you would need a new licence for the second XP, as it's unlikely you would be able to re-register if the previous version has already been upgraded to Vista. Somebody who has done this might know for sure. 

joey:

so basically we have to buy the full version to have a dual boot xp and vista system? am i getting this correct?? i ordered an upgrade but i guess i have to take it back and spend the extra $70 for the full version for a dual boot system. has nayone used the upgrade version to dual boot XP and vista on the same hard drive??

SS_Camaro_SS:

Yes. I Have Windows xp Professional/32bit
And Windows Vista Ultimate /64bit (upgrade Version) Running Right Now
No Errors No Problems @ Bootscreen It Asks Which OS Do I Want To Boot To
Previous Version Of Windows Or
Windows Vista (THis Is Just The Upgrade )
Which Is The Exact Same Disk As The Full Version.
I Had Xp Pro Installed ,Updated Till It Couldnt Update Anymore.
Ran /Installed The Vista Advisory.
Shut Off Pc/rebooted From Disk (Which I Hear Isnt Supposed To Work) And It Installed Successfully.
So Yes Its Possible.

KLund1:

Will this work with Vista 32bit?
If so, how about a link to the 'exact' steps?
Also how to make sure my current XP key doesn't get killed by vista calling home?
Thanks in advnace
KLund1

Scott:

The instructions and screenshots above work perfectly with Win XP Pro and Vista 32 Upgrade. I just finished. Great posting!!!

Pete Davies:

Please can you or anyone explain in detail how you did this?

I have windows xp home and will be getting Vista home premium 32 (upgrade) and would like to dual boot.

Thanks.

Sam12342:

Of course it can work on vista 32bit.

Lawrence:

Hi I just wanted to know if that you can dual boot windows Vista 64 bit with XP 32 bit?

Terry:

Yes, this works fine.
That's what I've got.
(on x64 hardware of course)

duncan (New user):

i have windows vista home premium upgrade i have windows xp home edtion just now but cant get any sound in vista aeall its realtek hd audio manager i have thanks for your help

krishna:

Hi
I am having compatability problems with windows vista ULTIMATE.
Can I install XP keeping VISTA i mean both in one system.
Will that work.
Please let me know ASAP

DoHi:

What you ask is what Dual boot is. Two operating systems on one disk with the option to run either one.

chandraprakash:

Hi
I am having compatability problems with windows vista ULTIMATE.
Can I install XP keeping VISTA i mean both in one system.
Will that work.

Angel:

Hi! Sir,
I want to do what you did. I have Vista now but i like to install XP for some of my programs that i need that dont work well with Vista.
My question to you Sir. is, How to doit?
what are the steps to get it done?

Would you be able to tell me how, please!

bong (New user):

can i ask 1 question? my problem is everytime i turn on my pc is there's no display on the screen that asking me what OS do i want to boot, because of that, i cannot select my on choise which of the two OS i want to use, which is i have a two OS just like yours, XP and Vista,

Anonymous2:

Actually, if you have a copy of WinXP, you can install that on the other partition, then upgrade the new installation. The Vista Upgrade disc contains the full version of Vista, but it is "locked" away.

Patanjali:

I run a dual-boot XPso that I can use one for general computer stuff and one with minimal services for audio recording. As long as you haven't changed the System drive (as opposed to the Boot drive - running OS partition) between installs, the drive letters remain the same and the same Windows authentication codes will work for both.

However, if you swap the System partition between installs, the Boot partition will always be C: and the Windows authentication codes will be different (mainly because the System partition ID will be different).

In multi-HDD systems, to do multi-boot and have the boot partitions all on the same HDD, you will have to disconnect the 2nd, etc, HDDs. Without the disconnection, Windows would allocate drive letters to each drive first, then by partition, so that a two drive system with two partitions on each HDD would have default letter allocations of:
HDD 0:
Partition 1: C
Partition 2: E
HDD 1:
Partition 1: D
Partition 2: F

instead of (preferred?):
HDD0:
Partition 1: C
Partition 2: D
HDD 1:
Partition 1: E
Partition 2: F


While you can change drive letters of partitions, you do NOT want to do this to a Boot partition as the registry entries set at installation will then point to the wrong drive. Reletter partitions after OS install, but before installing applications to minimise reconfiguration of paths to data partitions.

gr8pom (New user):

Hi There can this setup work with a pc with a raid 0 configuration ?

adv3rsary:

yes, you can.
it isnt as easy but this is what you do...
start the vista install, when it gets to where u put in the key, put in nothing and select vista ultimate edition and continue with install, when its all done, from within vista launch vista installation again and this time put in the key... let it go through all the way again and ure done

u can also do this if ure not dual booting at all.. basically makes an upgrade disc into a full version disc if ure willing to install it twice

Kady (New user):

hi i have vista on my pc, i did not do the drive shrink, just booted my pc with xp disc and installed it opn a different partition. Now if i download the easy bcd and install it i get an error message. is there an alternate way to edit the boot in vista to enable the dual o/s boot

KaceyLauinger (New user):

I want to have both xp and vista on the same computer so i can swap between them for use of different software that only works so far on either one OR the other. Will this process let me do so? Becuase i noticed that it said "..but dont want to get rid of xp just yet." and i dont wanna get rid of it at all untill upgraded software comes out for 64 vista. Any help?

Buckskinpass:

Just a quick question about the Vista Boot Manager. If Vista is installed on a different drive than the XP Install, will the Vista Boot Manager see the original XP install and give the option to choose which OS to boot? I'm just afraid that I'll have to jump through the bios and change the drive in the boot priority section in order to change the OS.

Any help on this is greatly appreciated.

Mike:

I installed Home Premium Upgrade onto a second drive and the Option to boot to the other drive where XP was installed was setup by the Vista boot manager and it worked.

VTmuggle:

what about yhe other way around? If I have Vista installed already can I install a copy of XP on a second drive and expect everything to work right? I've got some issues with Vista's DRM features :(

Buckskinpass:

Every one that I've talked to says to make sure XP is installed first but I have no first hand experience with Vista being pre installed.

Anonymous94654:

I just purchased a new laptop from HP which cmae with Vista Business pre-installed. I also purchased the CD but instead of getting the full Vista install, it's just a DVD to re-image the hard drive to factory settings

If I install XP and then inert the DVD, I do not get any options on how to install, instead, the HD is re-imaged.

Is it possible to install XP after Vista becuase it seems there is no way for me to do it the other way?

Nina:

I am in the same situation with you. Did you get any solution? If so, please send the solution to me. Thanks.

Hagar:

Here's the link to how you can install XP after installing Vista - you just won't have to do the drive-shrink diskpart portion of the install because you have a second drive.

http://apcmag.com/5485/dualbooting_vista_and_xp

Leice:

Hi! Okay, first of all, I am using two hard drives to do my install of XP. I just got a new PC with Vista preloaded, but I have to keep XP to run programs that are not compatible with Vista. So, I reviewed your steps and the part where you show the XP install screen with the two partitions, on my screen, I get a list that says unidentified something and it says to use the arrows to select but when I do, it gives me an error blue screen. I need to find a way to get my hard drives to show up on this screen. What do I do to get my hard drives to show up on this screen? Please HELP. As long as some of my programs are not compatible with VISTA, I need XP! THANKS.

Zatt:

For the first you didn`t say anything if u have sata disk or ide, if u have sata it`s easy to find in bios and u dont have to juse jumper osv I think u have ide disk and i also think u are using only one cabel from HK and to both HD ?If u can use only one kabel to each of them and set jumper on HD1 to master and HD2 to slave .. Cd rom can use cabelselect. Then i think u will be able to find your HD.
When it`s so many hvo have trubble with dualboot i cant understand what u/they do wrong ??? Here are some good simple advice for dual boot :
1. Innstall XP first on one HD
2. Then Vista on another HD, whwn u do that Vista will take command over the boot section and u vill have a boot screen where u can choose XP or Vista... if u have old version of windows shoving up on the same bootscreen,u go to boot.ini in XP and remove it there.
And you MUST have Wista boot Pro there u go to "system bootloader" and choose WINDOVS WISTA BOOTLOADER and ALL DRIVES under system bootloader, and then remember to INNSTALL BOOTLOADER... Thats all if u do so u will have Vista bootloader with Vista as nr1 and XP as nr 2 on your bootscreen.
Hope`s this will help some of you, i had it for a loong time and still working perfekt.

gioggio82:

I am in the same situation too...
My computer is a brand new HP with Vista Home Premium preinstalled, I tried to follow the instructions, I make a 20Gb partition with Gparted but when insert the Xp Professional install-cd I receive a blue screen with this error "Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in you computer"
Can someone help me???

myshop:

Make sure that the "SATA Native Support" option is disabled in the BIOS settings. To install XP from XP bootable CD, you should either disable this option or load SATA drivers from bootable USB/Floppy.

Amardeep Singh:

Dear

You have to download sata hdd drivers & then u have to put it in a floppy.then when u boot frm xp cd then u have to press F6 for giving the sata HDD Drivers.Then it will be installed

Nicholas-Computer Kid:

That's a reason why NOT to get WINDOWS VISTA! (go to top story's and click on 10 REASONS NOT TO GET WINDOWS VISTA!) PROBLEM! PROBLEM! PROBLEM!

wwilliam.klein (User):

did you get the solution for this? Would you like to share with us?

DONKEYBOY:

I have heard all versions of Vista are
on the Vista DVD so in theory just borrow
a retail version of a Vista DVD and use
your valid key from Vista oem sticker on
your laptop when you re-install after the XP
install.

Lost1 this is Lost3 r u lost2 (New user):

At the top of the page where the instructions are there is a link to a page that has instructions on how to dual boot if Vista is already installed and they talk about your situation of not havomg a copy of Vista just the recovery disk that came with your computer.

omas:

same proplem pl solve it to us
any body any body help
what about yhe other way around?
I have Vista installed already and I installed a copy of XP on a second partion drive and expect everything to work right?
only xp work
if i used recovery disk came with veas I loos Xp booting even it still on partion D

Angry user with same problem:

Hey, i had the same problem. All you need to do is:
1. Format your HDD(s).
2. Install Windows XP.
3. Install Windows Vista with dual-boot.
4. Throw you computer case through the window.
5. BE HAPPY =P

linosi:

I need to make a serious correction
I did not read the M$oft article
about dualbooting Vista + XP

Vista usses a totally diffderent bootmethod with the BCD so replacing
ntldr + netdetect does not work

look at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919529/en-us
IT EXPLAINS THE CULPRIT

Nehal Ahmed Jony:

same proplem pl solve it to us
any body any body help
what about yhe other way around?
I have Vista installed already and I installed a copy of XP on a second partion drive and expect everything to work right?
only xp work
if i used recovery disk came with veas I loos Xp booting even it still on partion D

omas

Sarge:

Mike,
I too installed Home Premium Upgrade on a second drive,as a custom installation but I did not get any option to boot to my other drive with XP Pro on it. Is this something I can change, like a setting, or is this something that Vista does automagically or is supposed to do in a situation such as this? Any help would be great. Thanks.

Sargesilver:

Mike,
I too installed Home Premium Upgrade on a second drive,as a custom installation but I did not get any option to boot to my other drive with XP Pro on it. Is this something I can change, like a setting, or is this something that Vista does automagically or is supposed to do in a situation such as this? Any help would be great. Thanks.

Rema (New user):

i also did the same thing (before reading anythink on subject). And I can't also start my old OS ea XP. What is there to do? I have a lot of important programs on xp and first hard drive so this is a prob for me.

HP:

hey i just bought bran new computer with XP Ultimate and its got 2 hard drive 2 ga ram and 120 each hard drive so is there way i can install XP professional cuz vista isent that good with my work if u can give me step by step instruction it will be grate thanks

Ichigo_Bankai:

I know its been a while since you post this question and you have probably already did the dual boot. I can say install Vista was quite pain less in comparsion to a fresh XP install. I have XP on one drive and Vista on the other and they work fine.

David H H:

I have the same situation 2 hard drives 1 vista 2 XP. did you find a boot loader or other oprogram to load one or the other?

tbuzzard:

Is it possible to dual boot between the 32 bit edition of XP and the 64 bit edition of Vista? I want to move up to the 64 bit OS, but I need to keep my current XP as there are a couple of apps for my work that will not work under Vista.

Enok:

i really dont know...but when i try booting up a x64bit program on my Xp x32 it doesnt work. so i guess you should try it the other way around..but that might prove difficult for you..i have the same problem as you have.