How to dual boot XP and Vista, on a system with Vista pre loaded and no Vista DVD.

Here you will get a step-by-step walk through for dual booting your computer.
I typed the instructions out as I did the steps and it worked flawlessly.

My out of the box system is as follows...

Acer AM100-E120B
1GB DDR2
160GB (Sata) 2 partitions
C: local disk (80GB)
D: DATA (80GB)
(Not including hidden recovery partition that became visible while in the XP recovery console)
DVD Super/Multi Burner (Sata)

**** Update **** I have done this on 3 computers and counting perfectly now, and am planning to do this with my laptop soon.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience ;)
• Windows XP cd (SP2 Preferrably)
• Legit XP Key
• EasyBCD
• Belarc Advisor(recommended)
• VISTA DVD IS NOT REQUIRED
• Zip file with 1 folder and 3 specific files in it.
• Copy of my instructions :)
• Step 9 has the link to the necessary files.

1. Back up your computer if possible if you are really worried about it.
   I personally didn't back anything up.
   There was nothing on the computer to be worried about at this point since it just came out of the box.
   But it is still highly recommended.

2. Start your computer and let it boot, set Vista up however you like.
   Navigate your way to the site containing your drivers.
   In my case it was www.acer.ca

3. Download all appropriate drivers for XP & Vista
   Sometimes the sites list many different drivers for one device.
   For example...
   Video Driver
   nVidia, Ati, etc.
   
   I personally downloaded all the drivers available...

4. Copy all the drivers into a folder on the C: drive for easy access when the time comes.

5. I then used the tool from Belarc to show me everything currently installed, from hardware drivers, to serial numbers for Vista, Office, and others. Print the results for later use.
   Use this information to install the right drivers into XP when the time comes.

6. Download the program called EasyBCD by NeoSmart Technologies (Google it).
   Save it to the Drivers folder in a folder called Software.
   
   **NOTE: You WILL be able to access the VISTA partition and files while in Windows XP.

7. Renamed drive (C:) from Local Disk or whatever windows had named it to "Vista"
   
   In my case another partition already existed as DATA (D:) as well as the C: drive now labeled Vista.

8. Renamed the D: Data partition it to "XP SP2"
   
   **Note: This will be erased during steps further down)
   But makes things a bit clearer for the moment.

9. Download my ZIP file that contains 3 important files inside a folder, you will most likely need them to repair the XP boot up process during this entire process.
   Save the ZIP file in to the XP WINDOWS folder.
   Extract the files into the Windows folder of the XP installation.
   All these files can be found at my site.
   http://tutorials.rolladome.com
   
   **Note: They have to be in this folder as you may not be able to access any other folders outside of the Windows folder while using the XP repair tool.

10. Insert XP Home SP2 cd or any other flavour of windows you prefer or have.
    Make sure your computer is set to boot from the XP CD.

11. Reboot the computer and choose to Install Windows XP rather than Repair.

12. Delete the DATA (Possibly labelled XP) partition by selecting it and pressing D.
    ** DO NOT SELECT THE DRIVE LABELLED VISTA OR WHATEVER DRIVE VISTA IS INSTALLED ON USUALLY IS C:**

13. Press L on the keyboard to confirm the deletion.
    Select the unpartitioned space.
    Choose Install, with Quick format.
    Windows continues to install.
    Computer reboots.
    XP loads no problem and continues installation.

14. You can follow my XP installation with some tips and tricks to make windows work smoother for you.
    Or you can skip the XP instructions if you would like and continue the process at Step 24

15. Click Customize
    In the regional settings tab
    Chose English (Canada) for my language settings.
    Changed location to Canada from United States
    In the Languages tab
    Clicked on Details
    Then clicked on Add
    Pressed E on the keyboard 3 times to choose English (Canada) for the keyboard type.
    Leave the dropdown menu below that as "US"
    In the top dropdown selection box I chose the newly added English (Canada) setting for my keyboard,
    In the box below, I clicked on English (United States) and then clicked Remove from the options on the right.
    Click Apply
    Click OK to the warning
    Click OK to accept the changes
    Click on the Advanced tab at the top.
    Double click the language selection English (United States) and press E on the keyboard three (3) times to choose "English (Canada)" as the default settings.
    Click OK
    Did not change any settings in the Details section.
    Click Next to continue
    Enter client name and organization
    Click Next
    Enter your XP key.
    Click Next
    Name the computer
    Click Next
    Set date and time.
    Click Next
    Couple minutes later you will be asked to set the network settings.
    I Left the network settings as Typical.
    Wait for the install to continue copying files.
    XP will restart.
    When it reboots you may be asked to accept the Display Settings changes by clicking OK
    Then click OK to accept the changes if you can read the text and see the countdown timer.
    Click Next
    I chose the Green Shield (Help protect my PC by turning on Automatic updates now)
    Click Next
    Enter the users' names that will be using this computer.
    Click Next
    Click Finish
    Choose a name and login.

16. **XP TIP**
    Right click the question mark icon by the system tray clock
    Choose Settings
    Click on Language Bar at the bottom in the Preferences section.
    Uncheck the top checkbox.
    Click OK
    Click OK
    Click the Take the windows tour bubble that appears.
    Then click Cancel and it won't appear anymore.
    Click the activation link if appears.
    Choose to activate over the internet (top option)
    Click Next
    Choose to No to not register with Microsoft at this time.
    Click next
    
    (a) If your network card installed automatically it will successfully activate at this time.
    You may be shown a screen with a checkmark in the Automatically Detect Settings box.
    Leave this and click Next.
    Install your drivers as necessary if Windows was activated successfully.
    
    (b) If your network was not setup properly during install you will see a screen that shows that you were unable to establish a connection to the activation server. Click Remind me later if you get this.
    Then install the network driver immediately.

17. **XP TIP**
    This one turns off the features that some people find annoying. They will get in your way if you tap the shift key to many times playing various games, or pressing the CTRL key too many times during various games.
    NOTE: You will have to do this in each user profile you created.
    
    Press SHIFT key on the keyboard 3 or 5 times.
    You will hear an annoying beep then a window will appear.
    Click Settings.
    Click settings on the top option.
    Uncheck the Use Shortcut box (top), and Click OK
    Click settings on the middle option.
    Uncheck the Use Shortcut box (top), and Click OK
    Click settings on the bottom option.
    Uncheck the Use Shortcut box (Only option available), and Click OK
    Click Apply then OK

18. **XP TIP**
    Right click the Desktop and choose Properties...
    Click the Desktop Tab
    Choose Customize Desktop at the bottom.
    I usually check off everything except the My Network Places box.
    I turn off the Run Desktop Clean up wizard every 60 days by clearing the check box at the bottom.
    Click OK
    Click Apply
    Click OK
    
    I personally move the My Computer link to the top and then the My Documents to below the My Computer link. Windows 95 set it that way by default.

19. **XP SPEED TIP*
    To speed windows up considerably without any loss in functionality, I turn off the fade in and out effects and shadows of windows menus and other aspects.
    
    Right click My Computer.
    Choose Properties.
    Click the Advanced Tab
    Click the top Settings Button in the Performance section.
    Choose adjust for best performance.
    Then scroll to the bottom of the list below and check off the bottom 3 options skip 2 then check off the next box. You should have the following items checked off...
    In order from the bottom upwards.
    • Use visual styles on windows and buttons.
    • Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop.
    • Use common tasks in folders.
    SKIP 2
    • Smooth edges of screen fonts.
    Click Apply
    Click Ok

20. **XP NOTE**
    Right click My Computer
    Click on Properties
    Click the Hardware Tab
    Click Device Manager at the top
    Check to see if you have any items with round yellow circles with black exclamation marks attached to any devices, if you don't see any right away you should be good to go and can start installing your favourite programs.
    If you do see any yellow exclamations you will need the drivers for those devices before they will work.
    Sometimes the problem devices are obvious, such as Ethernet Adapter is your LAN or NETWORK card. That's an easy one, Some might say PCI DEVICE. That is not so obvious. Using the list printed from BELARC earlier on, you should be able to eventually get all the drivers installed perfectly.

21. **XP NOTE**
    I use a tool by Doug Knox to disable and uninstall WINDOWS MESSENGER.
    (Windows Messenger is no longer supported anymore)
    Install the newer Windows Live Messenger http://messenger.msn.ca or .com
    Uninstall MSN Explorer from the Windows Components section in the Add or Remove Programs.

22. Run Windows Updates
    Click GO for Microsoft Update.
    Click the Start Now button.
    Click Continue
    **NOTE**
    You may find that you have about 150+ updates to install, a couple of reboots and sometimes many hours later you will have completed the updates.

23. I install Mozilla Firefox as a replacement to Internet Explorer after all the updates have been installed.
    Install your choice of Firewall and Antivirus software.
    END OF XP INSTALLATION

24. Dual Booting Configuration...
    
    For precautionary measures we should have already copied 3 important files to a folder inside your XP windows folder. If you haven't done so already, follow the steps below, otherwise continue on to the next step.
    Download the ZIP file, place it in the XP WINDOWS folder.
    Right click the ZIP file and choose Extract All.
    This will create a folder in the WINDOWS folder called XPFIX.
    These files may need to be copied back on to the XP partition afterwards if you get the missing NTLDR error. Instructions for copying the files back are below the next steps where they fit in better.

25. Copy the folder that has your hardware drivers for XP from your VISTA drive, on to the XP drive somewhere easily accessible.
    **NOTE**
    You can leave them right where they are if you would like as you can access the Vista drive from your XP installation.

26. Open My Computer and rename the drive most likely named Local Disk that now has XP installed on it as XP SP2 or whatever you like.
    **NOTE** You should see the drive we labeled VISTA earlier there as well.

27. Install EasyBCD (downloaded and stored on the VISTA partition earlier and should be in the Drivers folder you just copied to the XP drive.)
    You may get an error while installing EasyBCD on the fresh installation of XP.
    Click through the errors.
    Leave the top 2 options selected.
    Click Install
    Click Next
    Click Close.

28. **CRITICAL STEP**
    Once EasyBCD loads you can probably see the installation of Vista already in the list.
    Click Add / Remove Entries.
    Choose XP from the type dropdown menu.
    Add the letters XP to the end of the Microsoft Windows on the line below.
    Or rename it to whatever you want.
    Click Add Entry.
    Click Change Settings from the left-hand menu.
    Choose your default Operating System from the top dropdown menu.
    Choose Microsoft Windows XP from the dropdown menu below the default O/S.
    Change the drive letter to the drive that the XP installation is on.
    Click Save Settings
    Click Manage Bootloader from the left-hand menu.
    Reinstall the Vista Bootloader should already be selected.
    Click Write MBR
    Close EasyBCD
    Restart the computer.

29. **WARNING**
    If you choose XP at this point you will most likely get the missing NTLDR error and will be returned to the previous menu with the two Operating Systems listed if you press any key.
    Select Vista and press enter.
    Vista should load properly.

30. Restart computer with XP CD in drive
    Boot from the XP cd.
    Press R on the keyboard when prompted to load the recovery console.
    Select the drive letter that you installed XP on to.
    **NOTE**
    In my case I have 4 windows listed,
    Enter your admin password if you entered one.
    (XP PRO usually asks for one during setup)
    Mine was blank and I just hit Enter.

31. While at the command line of the windows repair tool, type the following lines including the single space after the word Copy and after the filenames.
    Use the backslash and not the forward slash.
    Press enter after each line.
    
    CD xpfix
    Copy boot.ini \
    Copy ntdetect.com \
    Copy ntldr \

32. Remove the XP cd.
    Type EXIT, and then press Enter.
    The computer will reboot automatically.
    
    This process copies the 3 files back to the root directory of your XP installation that get corrupted by this process.

33. Choose Microsoft Windows XP on reboot from the boot options and confirm that this fixed the problem.
    XP should load just fine.
    Reboot and boot into Vista.
    
    That's it!!!

34. This process has worked on this system flawlessly. Of course not all computers will have the Data partition and you may need to use the Partition tool in Vista to "Shrink" your existing partition to create some empty partition space for XP to claim during the install. Same process as described above minus the deleting partition bit.
    
    I have used bits and pieces of other instructions and they seem to work but weren't as specific as this.
    The other instructions were a bit confusing when it came to repairing the bootloader and were incomplete when it came to fixing the NTLDR issue. This process was completed with a PRELOADED VISTA installation. No VISTA cd's required. Only required my legal XP CD with serial key, and the couple programs listed above.
    
    Enjoy your dual booting system.
    
    Any questions or comments, feel free to contact me.
    
    Glen Higman

Tips & Warnings

• I have noticed that you can access all your VISTA and XP files while in XP, BUT you can ONLY access your VISTA drive files while in VISTA. Has something to do with not having permissions. (UAC). XP does not use this form of security and you are fully able to wander through your VISTA drive and folders no problem.
• Notes of interest found on the net... by: zyklor - October 13, 2007 12:53 I have had Vista and XP setup for dual boot for some time now. I love having this option but I do have a warning for anyone considering this. If you dual boot XP with Vista then you will not be able to use System Restore. I don't recall the details of why this happens but I did confirm that is does. When you boot into XP, it will erase all Restore Points in Vista. It has something to do with how the file system works and how the OS recognizes a hard drive. I didn't check but I think Vista does the same to XP Restore Points. You may want to research this before you dual boot.

[oldroadrunner]

on 9/8/2008 Everything went well up to step 27 but then EasyBCD just refuses to run after apparently installing OK. ( I downloaded it again and re-installed it!). The only thing that I didnt bother with was the Windows updates. Presumably this shouldnt matter? When I boot up it goes straight into XP and everything is fine but I cant get it to boot using Vista.The hard drive apparently cant 'see' Vista when it boots.The original Vista C: drive is visible when I boot up into XP. HELP!! How do I get the option of booting with Vista? Presumably something to do with EasyBCD problem.Many Thanks.