Reinstall XP in a dual boot situation

>
>
> "Mike" wrote:
>

> > I have a single hard drive in dual boot configuration with XP Pro on C: and
> > Vista RC2 on D: All works great and (touch wood) have had no problems
> > whatsoever! Now, I know I can re-install RC2 without any problem... BUT how
> > about re-installing XP on then primary? This will obviously overwrite
> > "something" and loose the dual-boot! IS there a way round this without
> > having start over and re-install both O/S's?
> > The "something" is a technical term for "I don't know what it overwrites,
> > but I know it overwrites something". Bootstrap?" Sorry, but I'm dual-boot
> > virgin!!
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Mike L
> >

>
> That "something" is called "Master Boot Record" it holds all the information
> about how the disc is broken up and what is on the disc and where. you are
> correct if you re-install XP you will have to fix the MBR because the XP boot
> loader will not know what Vista is. this is the reason Vista (or any newer
> version of MS) should always be installed last. so what will happen? when you
> install XP it will wright the MBR to the drive and will not include Vista (it
> may also damege Vista).
> however it may be possible to re-install Vista's NTLDR (the boot loader) by
> booting the computer with the Vista DVD. then when the screen that says
> "begin install" comes up look at the bottom left of the screen and choose
> "repair" from that point just follow the prompts and it should leave you with
> Vista back as the one in control and have a boot entry for XP.

> Thanks for the correct terminology Alejo.
>
> I think I follow... I still have a lot to learn. I think what I may do is
> to try this idea whilst both installations are in a "NEW" state... ie nothing
> to loose apart from time! I have plenty of that!
>
> Many thanks for your help.
>
> Mike L
>
>
> "Alejo" wrote:
>

> >
> >
> > "Mike" wrote:
> >

> > > I have a single hard drive in dual boot configuration with XP Pro on C: and
> > > Vista RC2 on D: All works great and (touch wood) have had no problems
> > > whatsoever! Now, I know I can re-install RC2 without any problem... BUT how
> > > about re-installing XP on then primary? This will obviously overwrite
> > > "something" and loose the dual-boot! IS there a way round this without
> > > having start over and re-install both O/S's?
> > > The "something" is a technical term for "I don't know what it overwrites,
> > > but I know it overwrites something". Bootstrap?" Sorry, but I'm dual-boot
> > > virgin!!
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Mike L
> > >

> >
> > That "something" is called "Master Boot Record" it holds all the information
> > about how the disc is broken up and what is on the disc and where. you are
> > correct if you re-install XP you will have to fix the MBR because the XP boot
> > loader will not know what Vista is. this is the reason Vista (or any newer
> > version of MS) should always be installed last. so what will happen? when you
> > install XP it will wright the MBR to the drive and will not include Vista (it
> > may also damege Vista).
> > however it may be possible to re-install Vista's NTLDR (the boot loader) by
> > booting the computer with the Vista DVD. then when the screen that says
> > "begin install" comes up look at the bottom left of the screen and choose
> > "repair" from that point just follow the prompts and it should leave you with
> > Vista back as the one in control and have a boot entry for XP.

> Take it slowly Mike! 2 days ago a virus got through Avast on the XP
> partition
> of my dual Vista/XP system. I reformatted the XP partition without
> thinking
> enough about it and found I couldn't boot to Vista. Reason the Vista boot
> information had been on the XP partition (don't ask me why it does that!).
> Then I found I couldn't install XP because - although I had reformatted
> it -
> it came up with a 'disk error' although there was nothing wrong with the
> disk. The 'disk error' was something generated by Vista. The only solution
> was to reformat the whole drive and create new partitions. After that I
> was
> able to reload both XP and Vista. The maddening bit was that I hada 3rd
> partition with lots of data on it which I lost. Colin
>
> "Mike" wrote:
>

>> Thanks for the correct terminology Alejo.
>>
>> I think I follow... I still have a lot to learn. I think what I may do
>> is
>> to try this idea whilst both installations are in a "NEW" state... ie
>> nothing
>> to loose apart from time! I have plenty of that!
>>
>> Many thanks for your help.
>>
>> Mike L
>>
>>
>> "Alejo" wrote:
>>

>> >
>> >
>> > "Mike" wrote:
>> >
>> > > I have a single hard drive in dual boot configuration with XP Pro on
>> > > C: and
>> > > Vista RC2 on D: All works great and (touch wood) have had no
>> > > problems
>> > > whatsoever! Now, I know I can re-install RC2 without any problem...
>> > > BUT how
>> > > about re-installing XP on then primary? This will obviously
>> > > overwrite
>> > > "something" and loose the dual-boot! IS there a way round this
>> > > without
>> > > having start over and re-install both O/S's?
>> > > The "something" is a technical term for "I don't know what it
>> > > overwrites,
>> > > but I know it overwrites something". Bootstrap?" Sorry, but I'm
>> > > dual-boot
>> > > virgin!!
>> > >
>> > > Thanks,
>> > >
>> > > Mike L
>> > >
>> >
>> > That "something" is called "Master Boot Record" it holds all the
>> > information
>> > about how the disc is broken up and what is on the disc and where. you
>> > are
>> > correct if you re-install XP you will have to fix the MBR because the
>> > XP boot
>> > loader will not know what Vista is. this is the reason Vista (or any
>> > newer
>> > version of MS) should always be installed last. so what will happen?
>> > when you
>> > install XP it will wright the MBR to the drive and will not include
>> > Vista (it
>> > may also damege Vista).
>> > however it may be possible to re-install Vista's NTLDR (the boot
>> > loader) by
>> > booting the computer with the Vista DVD. then when the screen that says
>> > "begin install" comes up look at the bottom left of the screen and
>> > choose
>> > "repair" from that point just follow the prompts and it should leave
>> > you with
>> > Vista back as the one in control and have a boot entry for XP.

> How did you loose data from the third partition? Unless you 'physically'
> formatted it yourself, neither XP or Vista would have made any alterations
> to it. I have five partitions on my drives and have never lost one simply by
> installing XP or Vista and i'm using a triple boot system, XP Home, XP pro
> and Vista.
>
> --
> John Barnett MVP
> Associate Expert
> http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
> http://vistasupport.mvps.org
>
> The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
> kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
> reliability or content of this mail/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
> mail/post..
>
>
> "Spirefm" <Spirefm@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:CADDB6F5-F398-4C4F-A55B-FDAF735AA7EE@microsoft.com...

> > Take it slowly Mike! 2 days ago a virus got through Avast on the XP
> > partition
> > of my dual Vista/XP system. I reformatted the XP partition without
> > thinking
> > enough about it and found I couldn't boot to Vista. Reason the Vista boot
> > information had been on the XP partition (don't ask me why it does that!).
> > Then I found I couldn't install XP because - although I had reformatted
> > it -
> > it came up with a 'disk error' although there was nothing wrong with the
> > disk. The 'disk error' was something generated by Vista. The only solution
> > was to reformat the whole drive and create new partitions. After that I
> > was
> > able to reload both XP and Vista. The maddening bit was that I hada 3rd
> > partition with lots of data on it which I lost. Colin
> >
> > "Mike" wrote:
> >

> >> Thanks for the correct terminology Alejo.
> >>
> >> I think I follow... I still have a lot to learn. I think what I may do
> >> is
> >> to try this idea whilst both installations are in a "NEW" state... ie
> >> nothing
> >> to loose apart from time! I have plenty of that!
> >>
> >> Many thanks for your help.
> >>
> >> Mike L
> >>
> >>
> >> "Alejo" wrote:
> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "Mike" wrote:
> >> >
> >> > > I have a single hard drive in dual boot configuration with XP Pro on
> >> > > C: and
> >> > > Vista RC2 on D: All works great and (touch wood) have had no
> >> > > problems
> >> > > whatsoever! Now, I know I can re-install RC2 without any problem...
> >> > > BUT how
> >> > > about re-installing XP on then primary? This will obviously
> >> > > overwrite
> >> > > "something" and loose the dual-boot! IS there a way round this
> >> > > without
> >> > > having start over and re-install both O/S's?
> >> > > The "something" is a technical term for "I don't know what it
> >> > > overwrites,
> >> > > but I know it overwrites something". Bootstrap?" Sorry, but I'm
> >> > > dual-boot
> >> > > virgin!!
> >> > >
> >> > > Thanks,
> >> > >
> >> > > Mike L
> >> > >
> >> >
> >> > That "something" is called "Master Boot Record" it holds all the
> >> > information
> >> > about how the disc is broken up and what is on the disc and where. you
> >> > are
> >> > correct if you re-install XP you will have to fix the MBR because the
> >> > XP boot
> >> > loader will not know what Vista is. this is the reason Vista (or any
> >> > newer
> >> > version of MS) should always be installed last. so what will happen?
> >> > when you
> >> > install XP it will wright the MBR to the drive and will not include
> >> > Vista (it
> >> > may also damege Vista).
> >> > however it may be possible to re-install Vista's NTLDR (the boot
> >> > loader) by
> >> > booting the computer with the Vista DVD. then when the screen that says
> >> > "begin install" comes up look at the bottom left of the screen and
> >> > choose
> >> > "repair" from that point just follow the prompts and it should leave
> >> > you with
> >> > Vista back as the one in control and have a boot entry for XP.

>
>
>

> Take it slowly Mike! 2 days ago a virus got through Avast on the XP partition
> of my dual Vista/XP system. I reformatted the XP partition without thinking
> enough about it and found I couldn't boot to Vista. Reason the Vista boot
> information had been on the XP partition (don't ask me why it does that!).
> Then I found I couldn't install XP because - although I had reformatted it -
> it came up with a 'disk error' although there was nothing wrong with the
> disk. The 'disk error' was something generated by Vista. The only solution
> was to reformat the whole drive and create new partitions. After that I was
> able to reload both XP and Vista. The maddening bit was that I hada 3rd
> partition with lots of data on it which I lost. Colin
>
> "Mike" wrote:
>

> > Thanks for the correct terminology Alejo.
> >
> > I think I follow... I still have a lot to learn. I think what I may do is
> > to try this idea whilst both installations are in a "NEW" state... ie nothing
> > to loose apart from time! I have plenty of that!
> >
> > Many thanks for your help.
> >
> > Mike L
> >
> >
> > "Alejo" wrote:
> >

> > >
> > >
> > > "Mike" wrote:
> > >
> > > > I have a single hard drive in dual boot configuration with XP Pro on C: and
> > > > Vista RC2 on D: All works great and (touch wood) have had no problems
> > > > whatsoever! Now, I know I can re-install RC2 without any problem... BUT how
> > > > about re-installing XP on then primary? This will obviously overwrite
> > > > "something" and loose the dual-boot! IS there a way round this without
> > > > having start over and re-install both O/S's?
> > > > The "something" is a technical term for "I don't know what it overwrites,
> > > > but I know it overwrites something". Bootstrap?" Sorry, but I'm dual-boot
> > > > virgin!!
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > >
> > > > Mike L
> > > >
> > >
> > > That "something" is called "Master Boot Record" it holds all the information
> > > about how the disc is broken up and what is on the disc and where. you are
> > > correct if you re-install XP you will have to fix the MBR because the XP boot
> > > loader will not know what Vista is. this is the reason Vista (or any newer
> > > version of MS) should always be installed last. so what will happen? when you
> > > install XP it will wright the MBR to the drive and will not include Vista (it
> > > may also damege Vista).
> > > however it may be possible to re-install Vista's NTLDR (the boot loader) by
> > > booting the computer with the Vista DVD. then when the screen that says
> > > "begin install" comes up look at the bottom left of the screen and choose
> > > "repair" from that point just follow the prompts and it should leave you with
> > > Vista back as the one in control and have a boot entry for XP.