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

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James Bannan05 June 2007, 11:19 PM

Related how-tos:

Want to install Vista on your PC but don't want to get rid of XP just yet? Here's how to install it so you can dual-boot between them, in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide.

Page 5 - Modify Vista's Bootloader

Page 5 - Modify Vista's Bootloader

Once Vista is installed and the system reboots, you’ll be presented with a boot menu with two options: “Microsoft Windows Vista” and "Earlier Version of Windows”.

This is perhaps a little bit bland, so you’ll probably want to change it. Here’s where one of the new features of Vista comes in, and it’s not so terrific. In Windows XP if you want to modify the bootloader, just right-click on My Computer, select Properties, go to the Advanced Tab, and click Settings under Startup and Recovery, then click Edit. This opens a local file – boot.ini. It’s just a standard text file and you can change pretty much anything. Unfortunately it’s not that easy in Vista – you can still navigate to the Startup and Recovery settings, but all you can do is select which operating system is the default and modify the timeout settings.

To edit Vista’s boot manager you have to use the command line BCDEDIT utility. To access BCDEDIT, run the Command Window as an administrator and type in BCDEDIT.

Unfortunately BCDEDIT isn’t an easy tool to come to terms with, especially as it’s purely command line-driven. So, a great tool to use here is EasyBCD by NeoSmart Technologies. EasyBCD offers a GUI frontend to BCDEDIT, and makes life much easier.

Once Vista is installed, call up the browser and navigate to the EasyBCD download page - download the latest version (1.7.2 at the time of writing), install and launch the application.

To configure the bootloader go to “Change Settings”. Here you can change the default OS if you prefer to boot into XP first. Under "Entry-Based Settings" you'll see the field which refers to the the XP partition. Overwrite "Earlier Version of Windows" with "Windows XP" and click "Save Settings".

Reboot the system and the changes are visible. You have a dual-booting Vista and XP system. That's all there is to it.

Open up Windows Explorer and there’s two hard drives – the primary disk running Vista and the secondary disk with XP installed. Restart the system and load up Windows XP, and the XP disk is now the primary, with the Vista partition running on the secondary D: drive

If you decide that dual-booting Vista and XP is not for you, EasyBCD lets you wind back the clock.

All you have to do is remove Vista’s boot manager – go to “Manage Bootloader”, select “Uninstall the Vista Bootloader” and then “Write MBR”. Restart the machine and that’s it – the XP boot loader is the only one left on the system and XP loads. You can then delete the Vista partition and use GParted to re-extend the partition to take up the entire disk, or the Extend command in Vista DISKPART.

Page 1 Intro

Page 2 Get Started - Using GParted

Page 3 Get Started - Using DISKPART

Page 4 Now Install Vista

Page 5 Modify Vista's Bootloader

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zafopc:

i have done this it is very easy but now i want to format the partition that i have the xp and keep only the vista is this posible?

29 February 2008, 8:33 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

metalmuscle:

i can't do this shrinking thing.... ive done everything that these instructions have said to do, and some things aren't working. First, when i use GParted, when the main GUI loads, i can't choose my main XP NTFS partition because it does not show up... only an unallocated space shows up and i can't do anything with that. i also tried using the DISKPART from the command line of the vista dvd, and when i get to the part where i have to type SHRINK... nothing happens... it just brings up a menu of things i CAN type and "shrink" is not one of them! what can i do here guys!?

29 February 2008, 8:49 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

fog:

the express version doesn't included shrink.. (I now have both.. full + express) . so just use gparted instead to shrink the drive..
use make a new partition in computer admin .. off control panel.. worked for me, using a very well known partitioner messed up the MFT tables. so avoid using them =)

29 February 2008, 8:49 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

fog:

I had nothing but trouble installing vista (express upgrade), because I was using a 3rd party HDD partition manager to install the express upgrade, would install then gave me MFT errors, it's coz how the drive was paritioned!! AVOID using them.. I used Gpart as mentioned here (resized the drive), and the proper windows partitioner, under control panel, computer admin. NOW it works.. as for where you select the drive, if your running xp. you can partition the drive under xp in the background, then go back to the install page. press F5 and it will refresh the drive list. If the drive won't boot xp after install "ntldr missing" use vistabootpro and set the xp drive to boot off the xp drive. all should be well. Oh and the express upgrade doesn't have the "shrink" command, so just make a cd of "gpart" and boot into that, if it don't work graphically , set it to "vesa mode" and it will work. =)

29 February 2008, 8:33 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Adam treadwell:

hi iwas wondering do you haft to leave easy bcd installed on vista when u have chaged the name or if u remove stuff evre thing up

29 February 2008, 8:33 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

richard (New user):

hi i have a new hp with vista basic and really need my xp for older programs i have gparted live booted from cd but the program detects no drives or partitions and of course thats where im stuck

28 March 2008, 12:37 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

richard (New user):

hi i have a new hp with vista basic and really need my xp for older programs i have gparted live booted from cd but the program detects no drives or partitions and of course thats where im stuck

28 March 2008, 12:37 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

richard (New user):

hi i have a new hp with vista basic and really need my xp for older programs i have gparted live booted from cd but the program detects no drives or partitions and of course thats where im stuck

28 March 2008, 12:37 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Michael Matthews (New user):

I tried all of the above and it works !!! Un-did it in the end because Vista does not do what I need it to do and I shot myself in the foot by not allowing enough space in the Vista Partition. Should have at least 20 GB to allow for a few Vista updates and a few programs.
Thanks you. Very effective.

30 March 2008, 3:11 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Michael (New user):

I pulled up this web site because I'm in the process of buying a new computer. I know it will come pre installed with Vista so I am already checking out what the process will be to dual boot.

The question I want to ask which is better dual booting the way it comes and add XP, or formatting the hard drive installing XP Pro as my main partition then putting Vista as the second partition? I don't mind doing it if it's something that will make a difference.

I read both guides (partitioning Vista to XP and this one, partitioning XP to Vista), I've scanned through most of every ones comments on both pages and haven't seen anyone ask this yet.

I've dual booted many drives in the past with 2000 and XP (even tri booted before with Linux for someone) But I have no experience with Vista at all besides hearing all the horror stories of how many problems people are having. So any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mychael

31 March 2008, 11:17 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Michael (New user):

31 March 2008, 11:25 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Michael (New user):

Sorry for the double post, site seems to be running slow (also the reason i'm buying a new computer)

31 March 2008, 11:42 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Harry (New user):

How could i triple boot?

01 April 2008, 6:23 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Kamidan (New user):

I have Windows XP Pro SP2 installed on my primary C drive. I bought Windows Vista premium 32bit. I wish to dual boot, I know that when I go too install Vista it tells me that it can't upgrade the existing XP installation and that I would have to buy the Vista Business edition to do that and so it wants to make a fresh installation but it also wants to rename all kinds of existing windows xp folders like th program files and the my documents etc.

How do I go about getting a dual boot system set up with an existing XP Pro SP2 already installed and wanting to install Vista home premium to dual boot?

Thanks

06 April 2008, 7:57 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Kamidan (New user):

06 April 2008, 8:00 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Kamidan (New user):

We have windows xp pro sp2 installed and I bought Windows vista premium upgrade. I wish to dual boot, but the last time I tried to install vista with xp still there it renamed the program files, and it renamed the my documents etc. Can they coexist on one partition, I assume not and that I will have to make a new partition on my primary physical hard drive.

Can I dual boot if I have xp pro sp2 installed and wish to install vista home premium? I know it won't let me upgrade my current version of xp as it tells me I must buy Business to be able to upgrade xp pro.

06 April 2008, 8:00 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Flukez (New user):

Now I have a perfect dual boot XP/Vista sytsem but I have loads of applications in XP: Can I get Vista to see them without re-instaling them all. If I need to re-instal can I put them in the original location and have only one physical copy but both XP and Vista able to see it or do I need double the disk space?

11 April 2008, 4:31 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

VIthe3RD (New user):

Is there a way to Quad boot? I have Home, Pro, Ultimate, Business on 2 seprate HDD's 2 per drive in my machine. Would like to know if there is a way to select one of the four OS's at start up in stead of 2 at a time after going through the Bios to switch which disk boots first.

12 April 2008, 8:28 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Sprint6 (User):

Try using vista boot pro

30 April 2008, 11:02 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Sprint6 (User):

Try using Vista Boot Pro

30 April 2008, 11:02 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

moniran (New user):

I have some problem in my computer
I have XP and VISTA on my compuetr same time.
thay have similar name and when I change my Operating system from vista to xp , other users in network cant access me in network ! why must I do?

19 April 2008, 10:40 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Sprint6 (User):

try Vista Boot Pro

30 April 2008, 10:46 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Sprint6 (User):

try Vista Boot Pro

30 April 2008, 11:02 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Kamidan (New user):

Is there anyway to install Windows XP AFTER Windows Vista has been installed, if so how?

Thank you

22 April 2008, 9:40 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

behdad (New user):

Hi all.
I have combed all the comments here and other forums elsewhere on the Net to get an answer to my problem but it seems that my problem is unique to me and my computer in regard to dual booting Vista and XP:
I have two hard disks: One has three partitions (one for XP, one for Vista and the last one for the software I use) and the second disk is for my games with no operating system installed on it.
I have recently installed a full version of Vista Ultimate on first disk (on one of three partitions); I used the available instructions on Net to do so. I also used EasyBCD to try to make dual booting work on my PC.
Now the problem is: If I select the partition that XP is installed as my “Active” partition I will not get any dual booting option. Well, that’s fine with me up to here. But if I select the partition that has Vista on it as my “Active” drive I do get the dual booting option screen but if I select XP as my preferred operating system my computer restarts itself without loading up XP although my Vista works fine if I select it as my preferred operating system. For your information, depending on which partition is my “Active” drive I get different letters assigned to different partitions/disks. I am sure I am selecting the right drive for XP when using EasyBCD but, as I said earlier, my computer restarts each time I select XP as my operating system.
I’d greatly appreciate any help resolving the problem….
Many thanks

30 April 2008, 11:33 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Kamidan (New user):

We are all so hopeful, Since I posted my question a couple months ago all I've seen is a new post every couple days from someone else asking about how to set their particular setup for XP and vista. We the people keep asking, but we the people only keep asking, theres little point to keep asking when nobody actively monitors and responds to the masses of questioners.

01 May 2008, 12:15 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

John Brines (New user):

Hi There,

I have tried to print this and it will only print the first two pages.

John.

11 June 2008, 11:40 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

rwood (New user):

I have tried to print this article and it will only print page 1. What gives ?

16 June 2008, 2:37 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

nam207 (New user):

I followed exactly what the guide said here. However, when I tried to boot using "earlier version of windows" before using neosmart software, I got a blank screen. Right now I can't only boot into Vista. I've heard that I have to fix some MBR for WinXP? Could anyone please help me on this? Both XP and Ultimate are clean installation.

19 June 2008, 4:07 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

nam207 (New user):

Please delete - duplicated post as above.

19 June 2008, 4:09 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Marina (New user):

Hello,
I bought a Laptop with Vista on it. I formatted everything, created 3 partitions so that in the first (20GB) I have Vista, second (20 GB) with XP and the third (120 GB) for me to save my data.
I have already installed XP on the second partition and now I am trying to follow this tutorial. The problem is that I have a recovery DVD to install Vista, and it's not necessary to put the product key. So I couldn't find the moment for me to press SHIFT+F10 and the Vista was installed normally. Now when I start my computer I don't get the options page for choosing the operational system, it starts directly with Vista. What can I do to choose it when starting my computer? Or if it is not possible and I need to install Vista again, in what time do I need to press SHIFT+10?

Thanks a lot,
Marina

22 June 2008, 10:22 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

ohnala (New user):

I've both WinXP (C drive) & Vista (D drive) installed. The problem now is when i boot into WinXP it's the C drive but when i boot into Vista it is D drive. Shouldn't the drive letter be change automatically? Would appreciate it if you can advise me on how to rectify this problem. Lastly how should i hide the OS from each other?

26 June 2008, 11:02 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Sprint6 (User):

c:\ drive is always the drive name given to the currant running Os, all others are adjusted accordingly by defult. Do not think this action can be easily changed.

07 July 2008, 10:10 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Sprint6 (User):

WinXP (C drive)when booting the os is the first drive in the list,then all others are found and names in order of priority/Type of drive.
When you boot to another OS, the boot file tels it to boot to vista (C:) and then looks for the other drives in order, so it is normal to get rearanged depending on boot OS.

no need to make any changes, You can use the User files from ether drive, program and windows files should not be used interchangably.

07 July 2008, 10:25 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Ankit (New user):

can dual booting be done b/w xp sp2 and xp sp3????

how????

30 June 2008, 6:07 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

tesla77 (New user):

Ok, so I have decided to keep Vista and do away with XP.

How do I get back the other half of my hardrive and loose the XP partition?

04 July 2008, 4:04 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Brandon (New user):

Hey there. When I try to do this using Gparted I end up getting a blank monitor screen that says mode not supported. And when I try to do it using Diskpart, the command shrink is not regonized...any help?

07 July 2008, 5:42 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

bartz101 (New user):

08 July 2008, 4:30 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

bartz101 (New user):

Hello everybody.
(I am not English or American, so sorry for my English!)

I have a problem; here it is:

I have three partitions: C:, D: and E:.
- On C: I have installed WIN Vista (first installed!)
- On D: I have installed many programms
- On E: This partition is empty. Here I want to install XP.

So I rebooted, and booted from the WIN XP DVD. After the first "loading" install (you know, the blue screen where you can format partitions; in this case I did E), the PC rebooted but then when the screen appeared: "press any key if you want to reboot from the cd", my PC just didn't pass this and hanged. Also on the screen 3 blocks appeared. It looked like a crash or something... Each block had another colour and each had another letter. And so I waited and waited and rebooted again and tried the whole procedure again but without any result. Does somebody know how to install XP correctly? I have tried to install XP with another DVD (maybe the first DVD was damaged) but also without any result.
Please help!!

Greetings,

B.

08 July 2008, 4:45 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

bartz101 (New user):

Hello!

I have a problem:

I have three partitions: C, D and E.

- On C I have installed WIN Vista (first installed).
- On D I have installed some other programs (when Vista was running).
- Partition E is empty. Here I want to install XP.

But the problem is:

After I had rebooted and booted from the XP (SP2) CD, I got a blue screen. Here I could format partitions etc. *you know*. After formatting partition E the PC rebooted again, and then normally I would go to the installation of WIN XP. When I got the screen with the message "Press any key if you want to boot from the CD" you must wait (to got to the installation procedure) but the screen hanged and there 3 blocks appeared (on the black screen under the above mentioned sentence). Each block has antoher colour and letter. It looked like a crash or something. So I rebooted and did the whole procedure again, but without any result. I have also tried with another CD of XP, but I got the same thing (here the 3 blocks were somewhere else on the screen, with another letters in).

Could somebody help me with installing XP?

08 July 2008, 4:45 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Sprint6 (User):

I think that you need to go into the Bios and set the order of hard drives propriety to the disk that XP will be installed as the first hard drive to boot from(may need to change back after installation is done ), and the boot order to CD “First” and hard drives “Second”, then try the reinstallation of XP. Hoping that the BIOS will allow for this configuration.

08 July 2008, 5:44 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Aeon Psych (New user):

I encountered a problem that has not been listed or identified:
diskpart does not give me the option to "shrink", it only brings up the command help for diskpart when I type in "shrink", and when i go through the command help, shrink is not listed as a command.

also, I ignored trying to partition the drive, just to see what the installer would prompt instead, but it gave me an error saying I must unistall "Zune" in order to continue installation.

anyone got some pointers or tips?

18 July 2008, 2:05 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

KaceyLauinger (New user):

Crap...i just made a long comment but i dont think it went through cuz i didnt have an account just yet. SO here it is again...I work at a company called Harper Houf Peterson Righellis. We use many different softwares. I have a computer that is well equiped for basically anything. I am curious to know that if i complete these steps, then i will be able to swap back and forth between xp 32 bit and vista 64 bit at the boot screen? Which would allow me to run the software that corresponds to each opperating system? If so then that is exactly what i want, but i read and it says "...but dont want to get rid of xp just yet" this is true, i dont wanne get rid of xp just yet. Not untill the upgraded software that can only run on 32 bit xp comes out for 64 bit vista. Anyone out there that can comfirm for me?

23 July 2008, 7:31 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

KaceyLauinger (New user):

Another question...I have a five hundred gig harddrive that is brand new. If i were to load xp first and then us the GParted software to shrink the partition so there is enough room for vista...will the GParted cuz the five hundred in half or will it leave more on the xp side of the drive???

23 July 2008, 7:59 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Gregorius (New user):

Anybody know how to change the boot partition number in Vista?

in XP, I would change the following:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

(partition(3) to partition(4))

Basically, i currently have 2 partitions. Vista is on the last partition. I will be splitting my first partition into 2 (its currently all allocated to OSX, i want to split it so i can have some Fat32 space to share between Vista and OSx)... but once i split it, vista won't know where it is installed.. how can i tell it??

25 July 2008, 8:26 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Gregorius (New user):

25 July 2008, 8:37 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Gregorius (New user):

Does anybody know how to change the boot partition number in Vista? Seems it no longer has a boot.ini file, and i need to change the number as i'm adding a new partition before the vista partition, so need to tell vista where to boot from... anybody?

(Sorry for double post.. thought the first one hadn't worked)

25 July 2008, 8:37 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend