Vista - Dual Boot Installation with Windows Vista and XP

Information

This will show you how to install Windows Vista and XP to dual boot with when you already have either Windows Vista or XP installed first.

NOTE

With a dual boot installaton, you will have two operating systems (OS) installed. When you start the computer, you will have the choice to choose which OS you would like to start up to. This method is the easiest way of doing a dual boot with these two operating systems.

Tip

To stop XP from deleting your Windows Vista System Restore Points everytime XP is started, then see System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete to hide Windows Vista from XP.

WARNING

Windows XP Minimum Hardware Requirements: NOTE: For more information on this, see: System requirements for Windows XP operating systems PC with 300 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor clock speed recommended; 233-MHz minimum required;* Intel Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processor recommended 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended (64 MB minimum supported; may limit performance and some features) 1.5 gigabyte (GB) of available hard disk space.* Super VGA (800 × 600) or higher resolution video adapter and monitor CD-ROM or DVD drive Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device Windows Vista Minimum Hardware Requirements: NOTE: For more information, see: Microsoft Windows Vista: Recommended System Requirements Vista Home Basic Processor: 1GHz (32 or 64 bit) System Memory (RAM): 512MB Hard Drive: 20GB with 15GB available for Vista Video Card: 32MB Memory and DirectX 9 Support DVD-ROM Drive Vista Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate Processor: 1GHz (32 or 64 bit) System Memory (RAM): 1GB Hard Drive: 40GB with 15GB available for Vista Video Card: 128MB Memory, DirectX 9 Support with: WDDM Driver, Pixel Shader 2.0, 32bits per pixel DVD-ROM Drive

• How to Do a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Do a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP
• How to Change the Default Boot Partition Settings in Vista
• How to Change the OS Name in Windows Boot Manager
• How to Stop System Restore Points from being Deleted in Vista when Dual Booting with XP
• How to Do a Clean Install with a Full Version of Vista
• How to Do a Clean Install of Vista with a Upgrade Version
• How to Create a Vista SP1 Slipstream Installation DVD
• How to Create a Bootable USB Flash Thumb Drive to Install Vista
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Vista

1. To Create a New Partition from the XP Hard Disk Drive -

A) With your Windows Vista installation disc boot into the Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options screen.
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.

B) In the command prompt, select and shrink the XP volume by how many MB (1024 MB = 1 GB) you want to have for this Windows Vista partition. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You would do steps 2 to 9 in METHOD TWO at that link. Windows Vista Home Basic will need a minimum of 20 GB (20480 MB), and Vista Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate will need a minimum of 40GB (40960 MB).

C) Click on the X at the top right corner to close the command prompt. (See screenshot above)

D) Click on the X at the top right corner to close System Recovery Options. (See screenshot below)

E) Go to step 3.

2. To Use a Separate Hard Disk Drive than the XP Drive -

A) Boot from your Vista installation disc.
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.

3. Click on the Install now button. (See screenshot below)

4. When you get to this point, select the partition (step 1) or hard drive to install Windows Vista on. (See screenshot below)

5. Finish installing your Upgrade Windows Vista or Full Windows Vista version.
NOTE: You would do the STEP TWO section at either link to finish installing Windows Vista.

6. When finished, restart the computer to have the option to boot from XP (Earlier Verision of Windows) or Windows Vista. (See screenshot below)

1. To Create a New Partition from the Windows 7 Hard Disk Drive -
NOTE: If you want to install XP on a separate hard drive instead, then skip this step and go to step 2.

A) In Windows Vista, select and shrink the Windows Vista volume in Disk Management by how many MB (1024 MB = 1 GB) you want to have for this XP partition. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: You would do all of STEP ONE and STEP TWO at that link.

2. Insert your XP installation disc, then restart the computer and press any key to boot from it when prompted. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.

3. From XP Setup, Press Enter. (See screenshot below)

4. Press F8. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: On some multimedia keyboards, you may need to press the F-Lock or Function key before pressing F8.

5. Select the new XP partition that you have just created in step 1 using the arrow keys and press Enter.

6. Finish installing XP.

7. In XP, download and install .Net Framework 2.0 and EasyBCD.
NOTE: Net Framework is required to run the free program EasyBCD.

8. Run EasyBCD.
NOTE: This is required to repair the Windows Vista boot file and add XP to the Windows Boot Manager list.

9. In EasyBCD, click on Add/Remove Entries (left side). (See screenshot below)

10. In the bottom right section under Add and Entry, select Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3 from the Type drop down menu, and type Microsoft Windows XP (name displayed in Windows Boot Manager) for the Name. If you have selected to use a separate hard drive to install XP on than Vista, then select the drive letter (ex: C: ) Vista is installed on from the Drive drop down menu. Click on the Add Entry button. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: You can type whatever name you would like to have displayed in the Windows Boot Manager for XP though.

11. You will now notice that this has added Microsoft Windows XP to the upper right section. Click on the Save button. (See screenshot below)

12. In EasyBCD, click on Manage Bootloader (left side). (See screenshot below)

13. In the upper right section under Bootloader Installer Options, select (dot) Reinstall the Vista Bootloader, then click on the Write MBR button. (See screenshot above)

14. Close EasyBCD.

15. Restart the computer to have the option to boot from XP or Windows Vista. (See screenshot below)