Windows Vista Dual Boot XP+Vista Ultimate 64bit

Hi all,

In the next couple of days i will go to my PC store and pick up a copy of Vista Ultimate 64bit.

I have been preparing my computer for the upgrade this morning, simply by cleaning some of the stuff up on XP, Backing it up etc. ready to partition my hard drive.

Then it occurred to me that i might not need another partition. I have read about some people who have installed Vista and XP on the same partition, and this would be ideal for me because I dont want to loose all my iTunes gear, games, Movies Programes etc.

Please tell me that it is possible to Dual boot on the same partition.
My hard drive is set up into 2 partitions. C and E (i lost D after a slight problem with XP not booting up)

Hold on, that reminds me, I DID install 2 copys of XP on a single partition so maybe it will work?

Sorry if i dont make any sense, I've been looking for an answer all morning, and the answers I got weren't too clear.

Forgot to mention that it is XP Pro SP2
1 more Question:
Will i need to install 2 copies of FRAPS, iTunes, Counter Strike: Source (Steam)etc?
Thanks in advance

 

OK thanks for that, I will be using Vista mostly just to have a play around with it and using DirectX 10 for Crysis etc.

Installing iTunes for both systems isn't so bad after all, as i really only need one copy of my songs, and I only have 1.8gb of apps installed on XP.

I do not however, wish to partition my HD into 3, each partition would be too small for 250GB (too small already if you ask me ;D).

After a while I decided that I really wouldnt need all of my apps which i have installed on XP, as Vista Ultimate already has many features that cover this. Ill probably only install My Firewall and maybe WoW for now. I have 86gb free on that partition so it wouldn't be too bad...

So basically, my System would be set out like so...
C:/ (116gb) 29GB Free
Apps for XP / Downloads / Music

D:/ (8gb)
Apps for Vista

E:/ (116gb) 86GB Free
Games XP, Vista / Vista, XP Install

I just plugged in an old IDE for the extra space (D:/). Still not sure if it's better off putting Vista Apps on D:/ or E:/

Any suggestions or problems here that you guys can see and I cant?


Also, what will happen to my Boot.ini? Will Vista change it for me or will i have to change it manually?

 

Hi Pete,

Yes, they can see each other's files. This on a 32-bit copy of Vista, if that makes a difference.

 

So with 64bit I can see my other files? Or is it with 32bit that i can see my other files?

 

Hello Magia,

The only way I can answer is that nowhere have I read that 64 bit Vista wouldn't be able to see XP's NTFS formatted data and vice versa. I can't answer from personal experience though.

To underscore Pete's point, I wouldn't attempt that, Do it on a seperate partition. Anything going wrong or undoing it would put the XP installation at risk.

Another option would be to add another internal hard drive with two partitions, which is the way I'm dual booting XP/vista.

Quite aside from dual booting, it's extra storage and is of value in that sense.


Another question occurs, why 64 bit Vista?

 

I'm planning on getting some more RAM, and i have heard that 32bit doesnt detect more than 3 gb.

Also, i want 64bit because i dont want to spend extra money on upgrading later if need be.

Thanks I'll keep that in mind.

I dont really care if my XP install goes bad because i will still have my data from my Other partition. Same thing happened when my XP failed to boot up. I installed another copy of XP, booted from that, and removed my old version of it without changing anything on my Data Partition. If worst comes to worst, I will probbly have to install Windows+Games from scatch, no biggie. There is only about 40 gig all up i think

 

TBH, The RAM isnt for Vista, It's for new realease games. Crysis, CoD4, QuakeWars ET, all require a bit of RAM. I really just want Vista from DX 10

Oh and also, I forgot to mention that i will be getting my ram in a few hrs and i'm getting Vista from the same store, therefore they guy said he'll give me a discount, seeing as ive used up over a grand on a 8800GTX and a 850w PSU at the same store. He only has Ultimate 64bit, so it does turn out cheaper than getting 32bit later on and all...if that made any sense.. it's 1 AM here in Aus

I'm all set, I've downloaded the drivers, patches and updates for games. I just need to go pick my copy of Vista up

Im just a lil confused...is x86 meaning 32bit?

I'm off to bed, when i get up ill go get my RAM and Vista and see how it all goes...

Reply back soon

 

This will be interesting to hear how it turns out. You mentioned Wow and my son complained about the lag in wow on vista, so he continues to use xp.
Good luck.

 

Well, this is my first post in Vista

I actually decided to free up a bit of space and put 7 gig of data i rarely use on my d:/ drive. Ill burn that to disk soon, and then I will move some more stuff to that disk.

By doing this i freed up a bit more room to install Vista on....wait for it.....my .....C:/ Drive!

The Vista was surprisingly easy and was expecting more advanced options so i didnt want to risk my XP install....for now...

anyways, i wish to thank you for your support once again, everytime i post here, i get fantastic responses.

Thanks guys

Whoops, I forgot to ask.. How do i change the timeout in boot.ini for Vista? it said something about bcdedit and i tried to run it in CMD prompt but either couldnt find it, or i didnt do something right.

Is there another way? maybe Tweak Vi? (TweakUI for vista )

 

I think i have found why you made this statement.
When I installed Vista, it created it's own Program files folder in the C:/Drive, same place as the XP install.

For a moment i was afraid that all of my programs from XP had been deleted, but funnily enough, they all worked. I right clicked->Properties->Find Target and boom, told me where the programs were stored. Every single one of them worked.

They were stored in a newly created folder (Vista created it before installation) called Windows.old. Everything that was thought to be replaced was put into that folder and seems to be edited somehow so apps still work.

Now as i recall, before the Installation, Vista told me that any files that if i overwrite any XP files, it would in fact, place them in this new folder (Windows.old). So therefore, I strongly believe that it is possible to install 2 different Operating Systems on the same partition.

My Memory usage was at 70% (my RAM didn't arrive yet ) so ill have to wait for it a bit longer.

However, comparing it to 32bit XP, it is much faster at browsing through files. I'm not sure if this is because my system is 64-bit and Vista is too, or just how Vista was designed. TBH, i thought vista was going to be much slower.


Well if you want any more info, i'll be happy to share it

 

Well, i managed to set the timeout to 5 seconds simply by using BCDedit, but running the CMD prompt as admin...only thing i didnt try.

Anyways as for how WoW runs. i didnt have to install it again, i simply cran the .exe from it's install directory. After playing for a bit, i checked out my FPS, on 70 it's locked on 70 (frame limiter for WoW i believe) and on Vista it was around 50-65, depending on where i was in the game. this is all on Max settings and 1600x1200 res

After playing for a while, i looked im the games folder which is in the start menu and saw that Windows detected it and made it's own shortcut.

Considering i dont have my other gig of RAM yet, i say it's doing well. I alt-tabbed out of WoW and saw that my memory usage was 90%. I'm sure that another gig of RAM will help a whole heap there.

Well, if you're curious and want to know more, and have questions, just ask

thanks again PeteC and charlesvar

 

Dual Boot?

You have Vista and XP installed on the C: drive? Or did you just upgrade your xp to Vista?

 

Congratulations Magia, glad it worked for you

As an FYI for others, when Vista installs on any partition even if other than C, it becomes the C partition as far as Vista is concerned.

This Laptop came installed with XP MCE on Disk 0 Partiton C. I installed Vista on Disk 1 Partition D.

In Vista from where I ran this Disk Management, Vista is on Disk 1 Partition C and XP is Disk 0 Partition D.

When looking from XP, Vista is on Partition D.

 

Dual Boot?

Yes charles, but he mentions having a Windows.old. My understanding is that is only created during and upgrade.