Dual Boot with Vista and XP

Question

I have dell vostro 1500 with vista installed. I would like to install XP as another OS. can i do this without losing anything from the Vista installation.

Also, how do i delete the partitions that dell created and making 1 bigger partition.

MoneyGuyBK · Answer

to delete that partition go to computer, right click and click manage. once you get rid of it, you will not be able to restore back to factory.   for dual boot, search for VistaBootPro     Peace

Mary G · Answer

Don't be too quick to delete the recovery partition. You cannot easily add it to your boot partition. Laptops are not good candidates for dual booting, IMO. It's better suited to desktops with additional separate hard drives. Read more about Dual booting here. Research this further at the Vista Help site before you do anything.

tradervics · Answer

I have a Vostro 1500 dual booting XP and Vista.

My advice to you is to do a low-level format of your HD, and then install Vista from scratch and then XP (or vice versa). That is what I eventually did after learning the hard way that the MediaDirect button (the little button with the house on it next to the on/off button) acts as a self-destruct button and rewrites the partition table if you deign to do anything as crazy as mess with the out-of-the-box partition structure (like, eg, if you wish to set-up dual booting).

A positive side benefit is that that is also the easiest way to remove all the extranious **censored** on your HD.

Jayce106 · Answer

Will Dual booting void my warranty?

Malmus · Answer

Dual Booting shouldnt affect your warranty , the only thing i can think off is that if you get any problem Dell support might ask you the wipe the system clean and install the OS that was shipped with your computer.

/Rickard

mfinnan101 · Answer

It's like: No, my hard drive is fine! Okay I'm taking the hard drive out of the computer so.........

mfinnan101 · Answer

Dell's solution to a lot of things is to reformat the hard drive. 'Hmmm, so let's start by refromatting the hard drive' was what I was told on numerous occasions.

Malmus · Answer

Yea , that is what i have heard aswell . Kinda anoying that the soultion to everything starts with a reinstalltion of the OS .

pepper7144 · Answer

I have a Vostro 1700 set up as dual boot Vista over XP Pro but I had the hard drive formatted from the factory with 2 primary partitions. Their is a way to divide the Vista partition without trashing the Dell specific partitions, I think I have read folks have used "acronis" I think it is to add partitions leaving the others fully functional. If that fails then this proceedure I got from these forums:

To format dell hard drives correctly:

i.e. boot from the MD cd and make your partition(s) then install vista. MD automatically makes its needed partition in addition to the one or two the user wants. only after vista is installed that you run the md cd and install mediadirect from within vista. Drivers get installed in the following order: Chipset Driver, Video Driver, Network Adapter Driver, Sound Adapter Driver, Modem Driver, and anything else in the order you choose. The only file that gets installed ahead of the chipset driver is that for Notebook System Software (usually located in System Utilities) if it exists for your computer; not all laptops require it.

the MD cd is the Media Direct cd, you would have to copy the Dell restore partition externally to restore it.

Another problem you will have is with "system restore" Vista and XP overwrites each others 'restore' files or so I read.

The other major problem is XP does NOT have SATA drivers so the instalation disk wont see your Hard Drive. There is a procedure to "add drivers " to your copy of XP called "slipstreaming". At least the Vostro 1500 has all the XP drivers listed be sure to get them on cd with everything else before you trash your present setup, it may take longer than you expect. Oh yea I didnt mention you have to pony up for your very own copy of XP to do this, ya might as well get the SP2 version.

Here is a link to an article on what you are about to try: http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/view/web/10/ this link alows you download a .pdf of the complete process.

GOOD LUCK

philc1210 · Answer

Thanks for all the advise people.

I am still slightly confused, on my laptop Dell have given me 4 partitions. As i understand the setup, only one is used for backup, (which i dont want to remove) im not sure what the other 2 are for.

If this is correct can i delete the 2 unknown partitions combine the volumes and then use the total of the two for the XP part of the dual boot.

If i am correct with what i said could someone explain how this can be done

All comments appreciated

Windows General

Dual Boot with Vista and XP

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