Factory Vista/XPLite slimmed down os/recovery partition

(insert name)

i have a hp dv2620ea with vista ome premium. I want to dual boot this with an installation of a slimmed down XP.

If i do this, and decide at a later date to restore the image from the vista recovery partition it will wipe the xp one if i dont ghost, correct?

Would i need to have the drive as follows?

Logical unit 1 HPRECOVERY PARTITION currently d:/
Logical unit 2 Vista System Drive currently c:/
Logical unit 3 XP System Drive ????????????

and would the above allow files to be shared between windows installs?
or would i need

Logical unit 1 HPRECOVERY PARTITION currently d:/
Logical unit 2 Vista System Drive currently c:/
Logical unit 3 XP System Drive ????????????
Logical unit 4 File Storage ????????????


Is there going to be a problem with the bootloader? how can i resolve this? the xp disc i have is a cray modified build that runs to lke 3 gigs for a full install and has an altered setup. If i need to do anything durinig the set up would i need a normal xp disc too? or can i get a winPE boot disk - i think ms have one to download for making unattended installs

Is there any way of having th elaptop boot into vista by default after a say 15 second wait? so i can get xp just if i actively select it?

Fysh

You'll need to use the Vista bootloader to dual-boot Vista and XP, but it can be done.

You'll need to create a separate partition for XP but you don't have to have a fourth partition for shared data unless you need to share lots of files from Vista to XP and from XP to Vista. You can get at files within a partition with XP installed on it from a Vista installation without any hassle in my experience, but you may run into permissions issues getting at files on a Vista installation from XP.

In terms of the installation, it's easier to have XP installed first. With Vista installed first, you'll need to free up space for the new partition (which can be more tedious than you'd think). Once that's done, you'll need to create a new partition in the free space and install XP. Then you'll need to boot from Vista installation media (NOT your recovery partition) and use Startup Repair to fix the MBR. Once that's done, boot into Vista and modify BootMGR (either manually or using something like EasyBCD) to include XP in your startup options.

You can set a timeout on the OS choice list and set whichever entry you want as the default.

(insert name)

I have the recovery CDs burnt for the factory image so if i just wiped the laptop and decided to install xp and vista side by side still using the modded xp, which should i install first? and could i use my vista product key from the sticker with *any* vista dvd i download? If i was doing it from scratch like that should i go with a files partition, a vista partition and an xp one?

Overheal

you can load Vista and Windows 7 onto/from a USB key. Details herein

http://gizmodo.com/5523272/19-tips-every-windows-7-user-needs-to-know

Fysh

(insert name) wrote: »

I have the recovery CDs burnt for the factory image so if i just wiped the laptop and decided to install xp and vista side by side still using the modded xp, which should i install first?

and could i use my vista product key from the sticker with *any* vista dvd i download?

If i was doing it from scratch like that should i go with a files partition, a vista partition and an xp one?

It depends.

The recovery CDs you have may be full OEM installation media (ie you boot from them and run through a normal Vista install) or they might be imaging media (ie you boot from them and they automatically wipe your drive and copy across a clean Vista install, without allowing you any input into drive partitioning etc).

If you've got the first kind of media, you can wipe your disk and start from scratch (ie partition disk as desired, install XP, then install Vista, then sort out bootloader).

If you've got the second kind of media, you have to put Vista on first and work from there, which is a bit more involved and tedious. Nothing much you can do about it though.

As for product keys and "downloading" a Vista DVD, that's dodgy territory for several reasons. One is that you'll have an OEM product key, which will only work on OEM media. Another is that it will be locked to the edition of Vista originally supplied with your laptop. And last but not least is the risk of getting a compromised (ie laced with malware/trojans/keyloggers/whatever) version of installation media. It's safer and far less hasle to use original legitimate installation media.

The third partition is really up to you. If you want to have a partition where you can store files and access them from Vista or XP without hassle, it's the best way. But if you'll only ever be accessing files on your XP partition from Vista (and never the other way around) it may be pointless extra work.

(insert name)

Fysh wrote: »

It depends.

The recovery CDs you have may be full OEM installation media (ie you boot from them and run through a normal Vista install) or they might be imaging media (ie you boot from them and they automatically wipe your drive and copy across a clean Vista install, without allowing you any input into drive partitioning etc).

If you've got the first kind of media, you can wipe your disk and start from scratch (ie partition disk as desired, install XP, then install Vista, then sort out bootloader).

If you've got the second kind of media, you have to put Vista on first and work from there, which is a bit more involved and tedious. Nothing much you can do about it though.

As for product keys and "downloading" a Vista DVD, that's dodgy territory for several reasons. One is that you'll have an OEM product key, which will only work on OEM media. Another is that it will be locked to the edition of Vista originally supplied with your laptop. And last but not least is the risk of getting a compromised (ie laced with malware/trojans/keyloggers/whatever) version of installation media. It's safer and far less hasle to use original legitimate installation media.

The third partition is really up to you. If you want to have a partition where you can store files and access them from Vista or XP without hassle, it's the best way. But if you'll only ever be accessing files on your XP partition from Vista (and never the other way around) it may be pointless extra work.

The recovery media is just an image. i find it hard to beleive that HP offer me no way of installing a clean ista install using my existing licence... Are all vista dvds not the same disc and the version installed is decided by the product key?

Fysh

(insert name) wrote: »

The recovery media is just an image. i find it hard to beleive that HP offer me no way of installing a clean ista install using my existing licence... Are all vista dvds not the same disc and the version installed is decided by the product key?

*sigh*

Find it hard to believe if you like. If you've got a recovery image, you can't do a custom clean install with it. You will likely also have problems using your OEM product key with a downloaded NaughtyWare version of the Vista install media because of how the keys are differentiated between OEM, Retail and Corporate version (which is separate again to the Edition you've got). And those problems are aside from the already-enumerated reasons why using a NaughtyWare version of Windows is risky.

There's more information from HP here and here. It would seem non-destructive recoveries are possible, but not custom reinstalls.

Of course, you don't have to believe me if you don't want to. I would suggest contacting HP if you're not convinced that my description of the situation is accurate.

(insert name)

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-compaq-voodoo-pc/120228-clean-vista-install-no-activation.html wrote:

There are many types of Vista discs out there, here is the "official" terminology of what they mean (each of these discs come in 2 versions, 32bit and 64bit):

• Anytime Upgrade Disc This disc contains all versions of Vista, unmodified as Microsoft is shipping it. It is sometimes included for free with your system, or can be purchased online for under $10. This purchase price does NOT include a license or serial number, it is only the installation media. It is intended so you can upgrade from one version of Vista to another by purchasing a license online. This is the type of disc you need to do a clean install.
• Recovery Disc These disc(s) contain an image of your computer as of when you got it. They can be used to restore your system to the EXACT state as when you first opened the box and turned it on for the first time. Vista is on these discs, but so is all the bloatware. The images are encrypted, and cannot be modified to be used for a clean install. It's best to burn these for yourself using the included recovery disc creation tools, but you can also usually buy them.
• Vista Retail Disc These discs are the ones you buy at the store in a shiny Vista box. They include a license and serial number for a particular version of Vista. The contents of the disc are IDENTICAL to the contents of the Anytime Upgrade Discs. These discs are expensive because you are buying a license along with them. You already have a license for Vista on your laptop, so there's no need to buy another one to do a clean install.
• OEM Vista Disc These discs sometimes get shipped with your system, and are IDENTICAL to the Vista Retail and Anytime Upgrade discs. The main difference here is in the licensing from the OEM (HP, Dell, etc...).
• CUSTOM OEM Vista Disc These seems to be showing up more recently, especially with Dell systems. Some OEMs ship Vista discs that have been modified to include changes such as forcing the disc to only install a certain Vista version, and also include integrated drivers. You can probably do a clean install with them, but you might need to modify the disc before you do it. See the next section for details.

Responses 12 & 13 here back me up too so less sighing
http://www.computing.net/answers/windows-vista/oem-vista-coa-product-key-question/6665.html

I was only asking so i could be sure...

I have the md5 checksum ( 8< snip 8< ) from the vista sp1 disc distributed by MSDN so considering my licence is legit what other problems could i encounter? I wouldn't mind having to ring microsoft to activate but obviously i'd prefer not to.

(i n)

Capt'n Midnight

supplying windows with media to reinstall sucks
back in the days of windows 95 some machines came with a sheet of labels had have to buy their own floppies and run a program to image them one by one , tedious , point is this sort of crack isn't new


some whole drive images, from sony / toshiba etc. can delete all your data, gone forever, unless you are skilled at data recover and even then it's not guaranteed.

Capt'n Midnight

contact HP to let them know how you feel about the image
the key word in the red text is the word sometimes


you could shrink down the Vista partitions, ( Linux live CD ) then installl XP and then use a Vista repair CD to fix the boot again

you may be able to make a Windows Vista Recovery Disc it's about 114-120 MB in size, could have sworn I downloaded from microsofts web site, it can be used to fix the boot again too