Windows Vista Forums

Installing VISTA on a Production Machine
  1. #1


    Todd Guest

    Installing VISTA on a Production Machine

    I am not a member of MSDN or Technet, so I am waiting for the public
    distribution.

    I don't have a machine that I can dedicate to VISTA, but I do have a spare
    hard drive. Just how evil and dangerous is VISTA?

    If I install it multi-boot on its own hard drive (N:\), will it reach out
    and corrupt Windows 2000 on the C:\ drive?

    Another alternative would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with Windows 2000
    installed, connect the spare hard drive, and install VISTA on the spare hard
    drive, but swapping hard drives a couple times a day would be a pain.

    Todd





      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  2. #2


    Andre Da Costa [Extended64] Guest

    Re: Installing VISTA on a Production Machine

    Its rough decision, and Vista is still rough around edges. Installing Vista
    in a dual boot configuration should pose no problems though, recommendation
    would be to launch setup from within Windows 2000, instead of booting from
    the disk. Select the N: partition during setup and it should install without
    any problems.

    I still find it risky using Vista on my production machine, thats why I
    "always backup my data" before doing any installation. Make sure you check
    that drive for any errors before installing.
    --
    --
    Andre
    Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com
    Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com
    Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
    http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta

    "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in message
    news:eF%23g6lagGHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    >I am not a member of MSDN or Technet, so I am waiting for the public
    > distribution.
    >
    > I don't have a machine that I can dedicate to VISTA, but I do have a spare
    > hard drive. Just how evil and dangerous is VISTA?
    >
    > If I install it multi-boot on its own hard drive (N:\), will it reach out
    > and corrupt Windows 2000 on the C:\ drive?
    >
    > Another alternative would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with Windows 2000
    > installed, connect the spare hard drive, and install VISTA on the spare
    > hard
    > drive, but swapping hard drives a couple times a day would be a pain.
    >
    > Todd
    >
    >




      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  3. #3


    Todd Guest

    Re: Installing VISTA on a Production Machine

    Thanks Andre

    I thought of something else after I posted.

    My desktop (Windows 2000 Pro) is on a LAN with my wife's desktop (Windows XP
    home), and our laptop (Windows XP Pro). The two desktops are cabled to the
    router and the laptop is wi-fi. Would they be at risk?

    My wife's computer has a relatively big hard drive which is where I put the
    back-ups from my desktop.

    Todd

    "Andre Da Costa [Extended64]" <andred25@hotmail.com> wrote in message
    news:OqxUmragGHA.5096@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    > Its rough decision, and Vista is still rough around edges. Installing

    Vista
    > in a dual boot configuration should pose no problems though,

    recommendation
    > would be to launch setup from within Windows 2000, instead of booting from
    > the disk. Select the N: partition during setup and it should install

    without
    > any problems.
    >
    > I still find it risky using Vista on my production machine, thats why I
    > "always backup my data" before doing any installation. Make sure you check
    > that drive for any errors before installing.
    > --
    > --
    > Andre
    > Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com
    > Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com
    > Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
    > http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta
    >
    > "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in message
    > news:eF%23g6lagGHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    > >I am not a member of MSDN or Technet, so I am waiting for the public
    > > distribution.
    > >
    > > I don't have a machine that I can dedicate to VISTA, but I do have a

    spare
    > > hard drive. Just how evil and dangerous is VISTA?
    > >
    > > If I install it multi-boot on its own hard drive (N:\), will it reach

    out
    > > and corrupt Windows 2000 on the C:\ drive?
    > >
    > > Another alternative would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with Windows

    2000
    > > installed, connect the spare hard drive, and install VISTA on the spare
    > > hard
    > > drive, but swapping hard drives a couple times a day would be a pain.
    > >
    > > Todd
    > >
    > >

    >
    >




      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  4. #4


    Roy Coorne Guest

    Re: Installing VISTA on a Production Machine

    Todd wrote:
    > I am not a member of MSDN or Technet, so I am waiting for the public
    > distribution.
    >
    > I don't have a machine that I can dedicate to VISTA, but I do have a spare
    > hard drive. Just how evil and dangerous is VISTA?
    >
    > If I install it multi-boot on its own hard drive (N:\), will it reach out
    > and corrupt Windows 2000 on the C:\ drive?
    >
    > Another alternative would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with Windows 2000
    > installed, connect the spare hard drive, and install VISTA on the spare hard
    > drive, but swapping hard drives a couple times a day would be a pain.
    >


    Another possibility would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with W2K
    installed, connect the spare HDD and install Win Vista on the spare
    HDD, and afterwards connect both HDDs and switch between the W2K disk
    and the the Win Vista disk in the BIOS boot setting.

    (That's what I did/do with WinXP on a 120.0 GB disk and with Win98SE
    on a 1.1 GB disk - just for fun;-)

    Roy



      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  5. #5


    Andre Da Costa [Extended64] Guest

    Re: Installing VISTA on a Production Machine

    No, it won't affect the other desktops. Is the Windows 2000 Pro machine a
    Gateway to the Internet for the other machines? If so, make sure you back up
    any necessary settings before installing, just in case (God forbids)
    anything goes wrong. As Todd mentioned, you will get a new bootloader on C
    that will be permanent unless you format and reinstall Windows 2000 or XP on
    that system, but its not a problem. You can use VistaBootPRO to manage and
    edit the Windows Vista Boot Manager and make specific entries your default
    OS on boot up.

    http://www.vistabootpro.org/
    --
    --
    Andre
    Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com
    Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com
    Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
    http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta

    "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in message
    news:urxo%23ObgGHA.5104@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
    > Thanks Andre
    >
    > I thought of something else after I posted.
    >
    > My desktop (Windows 2000 Pro) is on a LAN with my wife's desktop (Windows
    > XP
    > home), and our laptop (Windows XP Pro). The two desktops are cabled to
    > the
    > router and the laptop is wi-fi. Would they be at risk?
    >
    > My wife's computer has a relatively big hard drive which is where I put
    > the
    > back-ups from my desktop.
    >
    > Todd
    >
    > "Andre Da Costa [Extended64]" <andred25@hotmail.com> wrote in message
    > news:OqxUmragGHA.5096@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    >> Its rough decision, and Vista is still rough around edges. Installing

    > Vista
    >> in a dual boot configuration should pose no problems though,

    > recommendation
    >> would be to launch setup from within Windows 2000, instead of booting
    >> from
    >> the disk. Select the N: partition during setup and it should install

    > without
    >> any problems.
    >>
    >> I still find it risky using Vista on my production machine, thats why I
    >> "always backup my data" before doing any installation. Make sure you
    >> check
    >> that drive for any errors before installing.
    >> --
    >> --
    >> Andre
    >> Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com
    >> Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com
    >> Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
    >> http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta
    >>
    >> "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in message
    >> news:eF%23g6lagGHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    >> >I am not a member of MSDN or Technet, so I am waiting for the public
    >> > distribution.
    >> >
    >> > I don't have a machine that I can dedicate to VISTA, but I do have a

    > spare
    >> > hard drive. Just how evil and dangerous is VISTA?
    >> >
    >> > If I install it multi-boot on its own hard drive (N:\), will it reach

    > out
    >> > and corrupt Windows 2000 on the C:\ drive?
    >> >
    >> > Another alternative would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with Windows

    > 2000
    >> > installed, connect the spare hard drive, and install VISTA on the spare
    >> > hard
    >> > drive, but swapping hard drives a couple times a day would be a pain.
    >> >
    >> > Todd
    >> >
    >> >

    >>
    >>

    >
    >




      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  6. #6


    darius Guest

    Re: Installing VISTA on a Production Machine

    "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in
    news:eF#g6lagGHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

    > I am not a member of MSDN or Technet, so I am waiting for the public
    > distribution.
    >
    > I don't have a machine that I can dedicate to VISTA, but I do have a
    > spare hard drive. Just how evil and dangerous is VISTA?
    >
    > If I install it multi-boot on its own hard drive (N:\), will it
    > reach out and corrupt Windows 2000 on the C:\ drive?
    >
    > Another alternative would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with
    > Windows 2000 installed, connect the spare hard drive, and install
    > VISTA on the spare hard drive, but swapping hard drives a couple
    > times a day would be a pain.
    >
    > Todd
    >
    >


    Vista will put its own boot loader on the C:\ drive. If you decide you
    no longer want Vista, you can either just live with having a foreign boot
    loader or try to restore the XP boot loader (and run the risk of messing
    something up). Back up!

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  7. #7


    Norm Guest

    Re: Installing VISTA on a Production Machine

    You can also use another boot loader program. I use BootIt NG and it works
    fine.

    When you install Vista it will rewrite the MBR and load the Vista boot
    loader. When I am finished installing Vista I re-activate BootIt and have my
    original boot loader back, listing all 8 operating systems I use.

    Norm
    "darius" <noone@here.invalid> wrote in message
    news:44138120846.8554256396.38864@msnews.microsoft.com...
    > "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in
    > news:eF#g6lagGHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    >
    >> I am not a member of MSDN or Technet, so I am waiting for the public
    >> distribution.
    >>
    >> I don't have a machine that I can dedicate to VISTA, but I do have a
    >> spare hard drive. Just how evil and dangerous is VISTA?
    >>
    >> If I install it multi-boot on its own hard drive (N:\), will it
    >> reach out and corrupt Windows 2000 on the C:\ drive?
    >>
    >> Another alternative would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with
    >> Windows 2000 installed, connect the spare hard drive, and install
    >> VISTA on the spare hard drive, but swapping hard drives a couple
    >> times a day would be a pain.
    >>
    >> Todd
    >>
    >>

    >
    > Vista will put its own boot loader on the C:\ drive. If you decide you
    > no longer want Vista, you can either just live with having a foreign boot
    > loader or try to restore the XP boot loader (and run the risk of messing
    > something up). Back up!




      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  8. #8


    Colin Barnhorst Guest

    Re: Installing VISTA on a Production Machine

    Just be aware that no one is going to encourage you to do this. Microsoft
    does not give online or phone support for recovering from disasters caused
    by mounting and operating a beta operating system on your computer.

    Multibooting with Vista is different from multibooting with earlier editions
    of Windows.

    I suggest that you buy a large capacity external hard drive and back up your
    production machine on it. That way you have your system backed up to medium
    completely outside the machine and can recover from a disaster more easily.

    Murphy was a beta tester.

    "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in message
    news:eF%23g6lagGHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    >I am not a member of MSDN or Technet, so I am waiting for the public
    > distribution.
    >
    > I don't have a machine that I can dedicate to VISTA, but I do have a spare
    > hard drive. Just how evil and dangerous is VISTA?
    >
    > If I install it multi-boot on its own hard drive (N:\), will it reach out
    > and corrupt Windows 2000 on the C:\ drive?
    >
    > Another alternative would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with Windows 2000
    > installed, connect the spare hard drive, and install VISTA on the spare
    > hard
    > drive, but swapping hard drives a couple times a day would be a pain.
    >
    > Todd
    >
    >




      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  9. #9


    Colin Barnhorst Guest

    Re: Installing VISTA on a Production Machine

    VistaBootPro is the classic example of why Microsoft should do a GUI version
    of BCDedit and why those of us who have been screaming about the need for it
    were 100% right.

    "Andre Da Costa [Extended64]" <andred25@hotmail.com> wrote in message
    news:uJOvIvbgGHA.1520@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
    > No, it won't affect the other desktops. Is the Windows 2000 Pro machine a
    > Gateway to the Internet for the other machines? If so, make sure you back
    > up any necessary settings before installing, just in case (God forbids)
    > anything goes wrong. As Todd mentioned, you will get a new bootloader on C
    > that will be permanent unless you format and reinstall Windows 2000 or XP
    > on that system, but its not a problem. You can use VistaBootPRO to manage
    > and edit the Windows Vista Boot Manager and make specific entries your
    > default OS on boot up.
    >
    > http://www.vistabootpro.org/
    > --
    > --
    > Andre
    > Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com
    > Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com
    > Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
    > http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta
    >
    > "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in message
    > news:urxo%23ObgGHA.5104@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
    >> Thanks Andre
    >>
    >> I thought of something else after I posted.
    >>
    >> My desktop (Windows 2000 Pro) is on a LAN with my wife's desktop (Windows
    >> XP
    >> home), and our laptop (Windows XP Pro). The two desktops are cabled to
    >> the
    >> router and the laptop is wi-fi. Would they be at risk?
    >>
    >> My wife's computer has a relatively big hard drive which is where I put
    >> the
    >> back-ups from my desktop.
    >>
    >> Todd
    >>
    >> "Andre Da Costa [Extended64]" <andred25@hotmail.com> wrote in message
    >> news:OqxUmragGHA.5096@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    >>> Its rough decision, and Vista is still rough around edges. Installing

    >> Vista
    >>> in a dual boot configuration should pose no problems though,

    >> recommendation
    >>> would be to launch setup from within Windows 2000, instead of booting
    >>> from
    >>> the disk. Select the N: partition during setup and it should install

    >> without
    >>> any problems.
    >>>
    >>> I still find it risky using Vista on my production machine, thats why I
    >>> "always backup my data" before doing any installation. Make sure you
    >>> check
    >>> that drive for any errors before installing.
    >>> --
    >>> --
    >>> Andre
    >>> Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com
    >>> Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com
    >>> Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
    >>> http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta
    >>>
    >>> "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in message
    >>> news:eF%23g6lagGHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    >>> >I am not a member of MSDN or Technet, so I am waiting for the public
    >>> > distribution.
    >>> >
    >>> > I don't have a machine that I can dedicate to VISTA, but I do have a

    >> spare
    >>> > hard drive. Just how evil and dangerous is VISTA?
    >>> >
    >>> > If I install it multi-boot on its own hard drive (N:\), will it reach

    >> out
    >>> > and corrupt Windows 2000 on the C:\ drive?
    >>> >
    >>> > Another alternative would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with Windows

    >> 2000
    >>> > installed, connect the spare hard drive, and install VISTA on the
    >>> > spare
    >>> > hard
    >>> > drive, but swapping hard drives a couple times a day would be a pain.
    >>> >
    >>> > Todd
    >>> >
    >>> >
    >>>
    >>>

    >>
    >>

    >
    >




      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  10. #10


    Andre Da Costa [Extended64] Guest

    Re: Installing VISTA on a Production Machine

    I hoping they just license it and include it in the final version.
    --
    --
    Andre
    Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com
    Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com
    Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
    http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta

    "Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst(remove)@msn.com> wrote in message
    news:%23Y8vV6cgGHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    > VistaBootPro is the classic example of why Microsoft should do a GUI
    > version of BCDedit and why those of us who have been screaming about the
    > need for it were 100% right.
    >
    > "Andre Da Costa [Extended64]" <andred25@hotmail.com> wrote in message
    > news:uJOvIvbgGHA.1520@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
    >> No, it won't affect the other desktops. Is the Windows 2000 Pro machine a
    >> Gateway to the Internet for the other machines? If so, make sure you back
    >> up any necessary settings before installing, just in case (God forbids)
    >> anything goes wrong. As Todd mentioned, you will get a new bootloader on
    >> C that will be permanent unless you format and reinstall Windows 2000 or
    >> XP on that system, but its not a problem. You can use VistaBootPRO to
    >> manage and edit the Windows Vista Boot Manager and make specific entries
    >> your default OS on boot up.
    >>
    >> http://www.vistabootpro.org/
    >> --
    >> --
    >> Andre
    >> Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com
    >> Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com
    >> Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
    >> http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta
    >>
    >> "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in message
    >> news:urxo%23ObgGHA.5104@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
    >>> Thanks Andre
    >>>
    >>> I thought of something else after I posted.
    >>>
    >>> My desktop (Windows 2000 Pro) is on a LAN with my wife's desktop
    >>> (Windows XP
    >>> home), and our laptop (Windows XP Pro). The two desktops are cabled to
    >>> the
    >>> router and the laptop is wi-fi. Would they be at risk?
    >>>
    >>> My wife's computer has a relatively big hard drive which is where I put
    >>> the
    >>> back-ups from my desktop.
    >>>
    >>> Todd
    >>>
    >>> "Andre Da Costa [Extended64]" <andred25@hotmail.com> wrote in message
    >>> news:OqxUmragGHA.5096@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    >>>> Its rough decision, and Vista is still rough around edges. Installing
    >>> Vista
    >>>> in a dual boot configuration should pose no problems though,
    >>> recommendation
    >>>> would be to launch setup from within Windows 2000, instead of booting
    >>>> from
    >>>> the disk. Select the N: partition during setup and it should install
    >>> without
    >>>> any problems.
    >>>>
    >>>> I still find it risky using Vista on my production machine, thats why I
    >>>> "always backup my data" before doing any installation. Make sure you
    >>>> check
    >>>> that drive for any errors before installing.
    >>>> --
    >>>> --
    >>>> Andre
    >>>> Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com
    >>>> Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com
    >>>> Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
    >>>> http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta
    >>>>
    >>>> "Todd" <Noname@NoSpam.invalid> wrote in message
    >>>> news:eF%23g6lagGHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
    >>>> >I am not a member of MSDN or Technet, so I am waiting for the public
    >>>> > distribution.
    >>>> >
    >>>> > I don't have a machine that I can dedicate to VISTA, but I do have a
    >>> spare
    >>>> > hard drive. Just how evil and dangerous is VISTA?
    >>>> >
    >>>> > If I install it multi-boot on its own hard drive (N:\), will it reach
    >>> out
    >>>> > and corrupt Windows 2000 on the C:\ drive?
    >>>> >
    >>>> > Another alternative would be to disconnect the C:\ drive with Windows
    >>> 2000
    >>>> > installed, connect the spare hard drive, and install VISTA on the
    >>>> > spare
    >>>> > hard
    >>>> > drive, but swapping hard drives a couple times a day would be a pain.
    >>>> >
    >>>> > Todd
    >>>> >
    >>>> >
    >>>>
    >>>>
    >>>
    >>>

    >>
    >>

    >
    >




      My System SpecsSystem Spec

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