Vista - dual boot to single boot

I have a multi-boot, multi hard drive computer. The active partition is on a disk with Windows XP x64 installed, and the boot manager will let me run either XP x64 or Vista. Vista is installed an a second disk. I am about to build a new computer, and I would like to remove the XP disk from this system, and be able to boot the Vista installation from the remaining disk in the system. What do I need to do to make this happen?

One easy way is to use Vista Disk Management to shrink the Vista partiton and create another of 16 - 20gb.

Mark the Vista partition active.

Disconnect XP drive.

Install Vista from dvd to new partition (takes about 20 mins.)

Boot into original Vista partition, go to msconfig, click the Boot tab, highlight the original Vista partition and set as default. Highlight the new Vista partition and Delete.

You can now delete the new Vista partition from Disk Management.

In Bios, make sure the Vista drive is first in the boot order.

Reattach XP drive.

You will then boot into Vista on startup - you can delete the Xp partition if you wish.

Hope it helps.

Wow. That sounds like it should work fine, and what a pain! An easier method would be good. Thanks for the solution.

It is the easiest way - should be done in less that 1/2 hr.

Saves copying boot files and using the command prompt.

Since you are going to be using the hd containing XP on another machine - you don't need to reattach it to this one, of course, so you can skip that step.

Have fun.