Windows Vista: Problem installing both Windows vista and XP Pro Please help

by ramakrishna_a2000 - 3/26/07 10:39 AM

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Problem installing both Windows vista and XP Pro Please help

by ramakrishna_a2000 - 3/26/07 10:39 AM

I have Sony Vaio with Windows Vista Home premium preloaded. I have Vista Recovery Disks and a retail version of Windows XP Pro.
I need both of them to be installed.

1. I created and new partition and formatted the entire drive.
2. Installed Windows XP Pro (works fine)
3. Installed windows Vista using recovery disks and that deleted my
previous version of Windows XP Pro.

How Can I install both ?

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Post 2 of 4

Yes, but it takes some extra work...

by John.Wilkinson

- 3/26/07 10:55 AM In reply to: Problem installing both Windows vista and XP Pro Please help by ramakrishna_a2000

The OEM recovery systems are almost always designed to reformat the entire hard drive and install, wiping out any preconceived notions of dual-booting. There is only one way you can get it to work:

1.) Install Vista, letting it wipe the drive clean.
2.) Use partitioning software to split the partition in two and create a space for XP.
3.) Install XP to that newly created partition.
4.) Click here and follow the instructions to repair the Vista boot loader, which is wiped out when you install Windows XP after Vista.

For partitioning options, Partition Magic is the popular choice but GParted is a free alternative that comes highly recommended.

It will take a little more work, but it can certainly be done, and at no additional charge.

Good luck.
John

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Post 3 of 4

I already made a partition

by ramakrishna_a2000 - 3/26/07 10:11 PM In reply to: Yes, but it takes some extra work... by John.Wilkinson

Thanks for your response.
I already made a partition using Disk Management in Computer Management and tried to install windows xp pro, but was not successful.

Please suggest.

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