Another Dual Boot Question

Gobble.D.Gook wrote:

> Hi,
>
> read the FAQ and am confused ?!?!
>
> I want to dual boot (in fact quad boot Vista / XP /XP/Linux, but we'll
> leave that for now) and have three primary partions, lets call them
> P1, P2 and P3). None are Hidden.
>
> I have Vista installed on P1, XP on P2 and XP on P3. Vista was the
> last to be installed, as recommended, but it did not find any legacy
> OS so no boot manager screen appears (is this because I set P1 active
> before installing?)
>
> If I set P1 active (using GDISK) Vista will boot.
> If I set P2 active, XP will boot.
> If I set P3 active, other XP will boot.
>
> OK, so now I want to use a boot manager, so I don't have to mess
> around.
>
> Following the MS instructions at
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win...19d4af778.mspx
>
> then I can set up BCD, but I fall at two hurdles.
>
> 1. I don't understand what fixntfs /lh does, let alone find it
> anywhere, and what OS am I meant to run it in?
>
> 2. Nowhere does it seem to allow you to point to P2 or P3 as the place
> where XP is.
>
> So when I choose XP, I just get a message about not finding ntloader.
>
> Also, I am assuming that I would have to use BCD to choose to boot to
> a 'legacy' OS - ie XP on P2, and the use the boot.ini in that to
> choose between P2 and P3. Is that the case
>
> Can anyone help out on how to set up this multiboot?

Gobble:

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of BootIt NG. Why get
yourself involved with the Vista boot manager mess if you don't need to?

David Wilkinson

And has the additional advantage of retaining Vista restore points.


"David Wilkinson" <no-reply@effisols.com> wrote in message
news:e0Drv2PCHHA.3836@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> Gobble.D.Gook wrote:
>

>> Hi, read the FAQ and am confused ?!?!
>>
>> I want to dual boot (in fact quad boot Vista / XP /XP/Linux, but we'll
>> leave that for now) and have three primary partions, lets call them
>> P1, P2 and P3). None are Hidden.
>>
>> I have Vista installed on P1, XP on P2 and XP on P3. Vista was the
>> last to be installed, as recommended, but it did not find any legacy
>> OS so no boot manager screen appears (is this because I set P1 active
>> before installing?)
>>
>> If I set P1 active (using GDISK) Vista will boot.
>> If I set P2 active, XP will boot.
>> If I set P3 active, other XP will boot.
>>
>> OK, so now I want to use a boot manager, so I don't have to mess
>> around.
>>
>> Following the MS instructions at
>> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win...19d4af778.mspx
>>
>> then I can set up BCD, but I fall at two hurdles.
>>
>> 1. I don't understand what fixntfs /lh does, let alone find it
>> anywhere, and what OS am I meant to run it in?
>>
>> 2. Nowhere does it seem to allow you to point to P2 or P3 as the place
>> where XP is.
>>
>> So when I choose XP, I just get a message about not finding ntloader.
>> Also, I am assuming that I would have to use BCD to choose to boot to
>> a 'legacy' OS - ie XP on P2, and the use the boot.ini in that to
>> choose between P2 and P3. Is that the case
>>
>> Can anyone help out on how to set up this multiboot?

>
> Gobble:
>
> Do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of BootIt NG. Why get yourself
> involved with the Vista boot manager mess if you don't need to?
>
> David Wilkinson

Well you've been told to get a few other boot managers, but I believe no one
has attempted to really answer your question. So yes I believe you're right.
When I made the partition active that I installed vista to, it made vista
believe it was the only active OS and you must switch partitions with
whatever you made the partition active with. When I installed vista from
another partition into a different partition that was not active vista found
the other OS (Windows Media Center for me,) and gave me a choice of which OS
to boot into.

--
David Hettel

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group for everyone
to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions addressed directly to me in
E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

DISCLAIMER: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, made in relation to the accuracy, reliability
or content of this post. The author shall not be liable for any direct,
indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of, or
inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this post and confers
no rights.



"Gobble.D.Gook" <Here@Now.Com> wrote in message
news:naoml2p4s77o4dp8ftinjem9ft6g27115h@4ax.com...

> Hi,
>
> read the FAQ and am confused ?!?!
>
> I want to dual boot (in fact quad boot Vista / XP /XP/Linux, but we'll
> leave that for now) and have three primary partions, lets call them
> P1, P2 and P3). None are Hidden.
>
> I have Vista installed on P1, XP on P2 and XP on P3. Vista was the
> last to be installed, as recommended, but it did not find any legacy
> OS so no boot manager screen appears (is this because I set P1 active
> before installing?)
>
> If I set P1 active (using GDISK) Vista will boot.
> If I set P2 active, XP will boot.
> If I set P3 active, other XP will boot.
>
> OK, so now I want to use a boot manager, so I don't have to mess
> around.
>
> Following the MS instructions at
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win...19d4af778.mspx
>
> then I can set up BCD, but I fall at two hurdles.
>
> 1. I don't understand what fixntfs /lh does, let alone find it
> anywhere, and what OS am I meant to run it in?
>
> 2. Nowhere does it seem to allow you to point to P2 or P3 as the place
> where XP is.
>
> So when I choose XP, I just get a message about not finding ntloader.
>
> Also, I am assuming that I would have to use BCD to choose to boot to
> a 'legacy' OS - ie XP on P2, and the use the boot.ini in that to
> choose between P2 and P3. Is that the case
>
> Can anyone help out on how to set up this multiboot?
>
> TIA

Been reading everything I can on dual booting XPPro & Vista and must say
that I am thoroughly confused.

Basically, this is the situation - I am constructing a new system. I have
XPPro and Vista Home Premium - both OEM versions.

I want to set it up this way

1 - 320G SATA HD - 3 partitions - 80G XP Pro - 80G Vista - 160G Programs

2 - 74G SATA Raptors in RAID 0 for gaming and graphics

1 - 500G SATA hd as backup

1 - SATA DVD Burner

Considering that I have the OEM versions( purchased legitimately) that look
for a blank disk will that cause me problems after I have installed one OS?

Would it be possible to set up the dual boot so the current system drive is
always "C" and program drive is "D", if so, how?

What would be the best procedure to follow for dual boot installation -XP
first or Vista?

Since programs will be installed on the 3rd partition, how can I install
them so that each OS sees them correctly?


Thanx,

Vic Baron


--
There are 10 kinds of people - those who understand binary and those who
don't

"Vic Baron" <vgbaron@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uGrRRkQ2HHA.4400@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> Been reading everything I can on dual booting XPPro & Vista and must say
> that I am thoroughly confused.
>
> Basically, this is the situation - I am constructing a new system. I have
> XPPro and Vista Home Premium - both OEM versions.
>
> I want to set it up this way
>
> 1 - 320G SATA HD - 3 partitions - 80G XP Pro - 80G Vista - 160G Programs
>
> 2 - 74G SATA Raptors in RAID 0 for gaming and graphics
>
> 1 - 500G SATA hd as backup
>
> 1 - SATA DVD Burner
>
> Considering that I have the OEM versions( purchased legitimately) that
> look for a blank disk will that cause me problems after I have installed
> one OS?

Blank partition, not disk. No problem

>
> Would it be possible to set up the dual boot so the current system drive
> is always "C" and program drive is "D", if so, how?

Make your XP (make active) and Vista drives primary partition and the
Programs drive a logical drive within an extended partition. Easiest way is
install XP first (which you should do anyway) then Vista. Make sure your
320G sata drive is first in boot priority when you do this, that way XP will
be your system drive in both systems and you can then re-letter all your
other drives as you want them, and both XP and Vista will be C.

>
> What would be the best procedure to follow for dual boot installation -XP
> first or Vista?

See above.

>
> Since programs will be installed on the 3rd partition, how can I install
> them so that each OS sees them correctly?

They have to be installed from the system you are going to use them on, and
if both systems, you need to install them to the same directory from both
systems.

>
>
> Thanx,
>
> Vic Baron
>
>
> --
> There are 10 kinds of people - those who understand binary and those who
> don't
>

Thank you John. That's what I needed to know!

Vic




"John Barnes" <jbarnes@email.net> wrote in message
news:ucpe4JR2HHA.1184@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>
> "Vic Baron" <vgbaron@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:uGrRRkQ2HHA.4400@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>> Been reading everything I can on dual booting XPPro & Vista and must say
>> that I am thoroughly confused.
>>
>> Basically, this is the situation - I am constructing a new system. I have
>> XPPro and Vista Home Premium - both OEM versions.
>>
>> I want to set it up this way
>>
>> 1 - 320G SATA HD - 3 partitions - 80G XP Pro - 80G Vista - 160G Programs
>>
>> 2 - 74G SATA Raptors in RAID 0 for gaming and graphics
>>
>> 1 - 500G SATA hd as backup
>>
>> 1 - SATA DVD Burner
>>
>> Considering that I have the OEM versions( purchased legitimately) that
>> look for a blank disk will that cause me problems after I have installed
>> one OS?

>
> Blank partition, not disk. No problem

>>
>> Would it be possible to set up the dual boot so the current system drive
>> is always "C" and program drive is "D", if so, how?

>
> Make your XP (make active) and Vista drives primary partition and the
> Programs drive a logical drive within an extended partition. Easiest way
> is install XP first (which you should do anyway) then Vista. Make sure
> your 320G sata drive is first in boot priority when you do this, that way
> XP will be your system drive in both systems and you can then re-letter
> all your other drives as you want them, and both XP and Vista will be C.

>>
>> What would be the best procedure to follow for dual boot installation -XP
>> first or Vista?

>
> See above.

>>
>> Since programs will be installed on the 3rd partition, how can I install
>> them so that each OS sees them correctly?

>
> They have to be installed from the system you are going to use them on,
> and if both systems, you need to install them to the same directory from
> both systems.

>>
>>
>> Thanx,
>>
>> Vic Baron
>>
>>
>> --
>> There are 10 kinds of people - those who understand binary and those who
>> don't
>>

>