How to Dual-Boot Window's XP & Window's Vista

[iLL-ViZi0N]

Okay, well some of you want to know if you're laptop's/driver's run better on xp rather then vista. I wanted to know the same, since i knew how to dual-boot for about a year now i decided to share it with everyone else. Please keep in mind i didnt fully make this, i typed it, but i remember i learned how from some website i dont quite remember with one though.

Item's needed

- Vista Boot Pro

- Easy BCD

- .Net Framework 2.0

- Window's Installer 3.0

- Window's XP Installation disk

- Window's Vista Installation disk, or Windows Recovery environment *

* might not be required might be, some laptops have diffrent MBR registry's then other's.

-- You might want to put the 5 Thing's you DOWNLOADED on a flash drive, disk, etc. Either way you can access them from Window's XP by browsing threw Vista's Hard Drive, but it's easier to store them.

The guide itself

1. Since you're in Window's Vista, hit start then right click my computer, and hit manage.

2. Hit disk management, and highlight you're default window's partition. Right click on it and hit shrink. Shrink it down for a new partition for window's XP. ( 5Gb just to test driver's and all, and about 20Gb to actually play and use Window's XP thouroughly )

3. Make sure you fully went threw with shrinking. Then Pop-In you're Window's XP Disk and restart you're computer.

4. Go into you're Bios ( Settings, Startup, Whatever f2 is on you're computer ) And go to boot order. Make sure you're CD Drive/DVD Drive is first in that order, or at least before you're hard drive.

5. Press any key to continue, let it load, and when it gets to the Choose where to install screen, highlight ( With up && Down key's ) The select partition that you made with the shrunken space from Window's Vista. ( NOTE: Make sure it says unpartition space, otherwise you're more then likely over writting vista, or you're recovery partition.

6. Let it format Quickly, or even the default format. and it will install.

7. After it install's it will restart on it's own and go into the real installation. Follow the menu's and all that, this should take about 30-40 Minute's.

8. After that, let Window's XP start for the first time. Now once at you're desktop. Navigate to where Window's installer 3.0 is. Install it and Restart ( If required ).

9. After that's finished, install .NET Framework 2.0. No restart required.

10. Then, install Vista Boot Pro. And run.

- Click on 'System Bootloader' tab on the top.

- Highlight 'Window's Vista Bootloader' and 'All Drives' , Click install bootloader ( Button is on the bottom, make sure you're resolution is higher then 800*600, or else you wont be able to see the button :) )

- Once the popup comes up click 'Ok' then click the 'Diagnostics' tab on the top of the program. Click 'Run Diagnostics'

- It will bring you to manage OS Entry's, Click apply update's. Restart you're computer. ( NOTE: If you have an acer it will say Windows Recovery Environment, because we have Acer eRecovery. )

11. It will then either run Window's Vista, If so skip to step 13, or show an error , go to stop 12.

12. Since there's an error with startup issue's, Start Windows Recovery Environment ( From Startup List ) or Pop in you're Vista Installation disk and boot off of that. If you used Window's Vista installation disk, Choose you're language, and hit repair computer. Now, this brings you to the same menu that the Windows Recovery Environment would. Highlight the Window's Vista Installation and hit next, choose startup repair. It will then repair you're MBR and let you boot into Vista.

13. Now let Window's Vista startup. Once at you're desktop, Navigate and Start EASYBcd Installation.

13A. Start the program, and go to Add/Remove Entry's. ( If you can already boot into Vista && XP Dont do this )

14. Change the tab to Window's XP for type, and type in the name you want.

15. Click save on the top right. Click it twice, for security. Then go to tool's and hit restart.

16. Now, you can boot into Window's Vista, and Window's XP.

ACER USER'S ONLY

Cheap hack lets you run Acer eRecovery threw the MBR Boot list. In case Alt-F10 doesn't Work.

1. From Window's Vista, start easy BCD, go to Add/Remove Entry's.

2. Highlight linux then check the box named 'GRUB isnt installed into the boot sector' Then click add entry.

3. Go to the neogrub tab on the bottom, where it say's Windows, Macintosh, Etc ... Hit Remove.

4. Go to the Linux Tab. Leave type as Grub, UNCHECK 'GRUB isnt installed into the bootsector'. Now under drive choose the drive that says Partition 0 ( ??? ) XX.XX Gb. ( Usualy 10GB )

5. Hit Add entry, click save on the top right. Restart and it will be in the bootlist, To boot into Acer eRecovery.

Credit's

Me - For Writing this guide.

Neosmart Technologies - For Easy BCD

VistaBootPro.Org - For Making VistaBoot Pro

Microsoft - For not being Stupid for once and blocking another thing user's can do.

Sorry, Didnt quite know where to put it. Lol ..

Edited July 10, 2008 by iLL-ViZi0N

[ACP0WER]

thx man i followed ur guide and now i can boot xp and vista on my laptop :)

cheers :)

[radixxx]

Respect for the inserted work, thank you for this post - very well as to help others

:) :)