Dual Booting XP and Vista

godtabh

A family member is getting a laptop for Christmas. They never used a computer up about 2 months ago but seem fairly cool.

Thing is we arent sure if they are using Vista or XP so we also got an XP disk that we want to dual boot if thats the actual operating system being used.

How do you do this? And can you set say vista to both first and change it so XP boots if this is the preferred operating system?

Mac daddy

I suggest you read this article on how to do and follow it exactly if you have never done it before.
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_vista_and_xp_with_vista_installed_first__the_stepbystep_guide.htm

Secondly
If you are going to go down this road make sure you install Vista SP1 on the system before you install easybcd on the system.
Failing to do this you won't be able to install any services packs on your Vista system, and that's a right pain in the arse first came across this november 2007.
http://apcmag.com/vista_sp1_wont_install_on_dualboot_systems_microsoft.htm
https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/2008-July/013704.html

And yes you can set the timeouts and preffered OS to boot first using easybdc.

godtabh

Mac daddy wrote: »

I suggest you read this article on how to do and follow it exactly if you have never done it before.
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_vista_and_xp_with_vista_installed_first__the_stepbystep_guide.htm

Secondly
If you are going to go down this road make sure you install Vista SP1 on the system before you install easybcd on the system.
Failing to do this you won't be able to install any services packs on your Vista system, and that's a right pain in the arse first came across this november 2007.
http://apcmag.com/vista_sp1_wont_install_on_dualboot_systems_microsoft.htm
https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/2008-July/013704.html

And yes you can set the timeouts and preffered OS to boot first using easybdc.

Nice one. Will have a look at this later when I get home

Capt'n Midnight

kearnsr wrote:

so we also got an XP disk that we want to dual boot if thats the actual operating system being used.

Don't forget that you need two windows licenses if you want to dual boot Vista and XP.

godtabh

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Don't forget that you need two windows licenses if you want to dual boot Vista and XP.

Thats cool. Have the orignal vista that came with the laptop and got a xp one at cost from a cousin