No one should use Vista on their only computer. They may want to do it very
much so they can see what Vista is like, but it is a mistake because however
small the risk might appear to be it is a severe problem if things go wrong.

I have had some builds of Vista work fine in a multi-boot scenario and a few
other builds that messed up the computer. In one case I had to reinstall XP
Pro x64 to get a working system back.

It depends somewhat on the hardware. It also depends on what the user does
in response to apparent problems. This newsgroup has had postings from
users in these situations from the time beta 2 released.

There is no theoretical. You are multi-booting on a production machine.
You might take precautions not to lose your data and what you do is your own
business, but I am not going to advise any user to ignore Microsoft's
advisories and go right ahead and risk valuable files just for the
gratification of seeing what Vista is like. I suggest, as fellow MVP's that
we just not do that.

The only really safe way to check out Vista on a production machine is to
install it on Virtual Server. Certainly, there is no expense in doing so.

"John Barnett MVP" <freelanceit@mvps.org.NOSPAM> wrote in message
news:eiOZpVTxGHA.5056@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> Colin it doesn't work 'sometimes' it works every single time and has done
> since the first build of Vista that testers received. I can understand
> your concern but not everyone has two or three machines. I would hazard a
> guess that 'most' public beta testers are using Vista on a single machine.
> While Microsoft do not actively suggest using it on production machine
> most of the Microsoft develops are using ti in every day situations
> instead of XP - in other words on production machines rather than test
> machines. I have only one PC therefore my only option is to triple boot,
> so, theoretically i am using a production machine. Fortunately each and
> every partition is imaged so that, should anything go wrong, all
> partitions can be re-imaged and normal service can be resumed.
>
> --
> John Barnett MVP
> Associate Expert
> http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
>
> The information in this mail 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. 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..
>
> "Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst(remove)@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:eYn8YINxGHA.4872@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> Just because it works sometimes does not mean it is safe all the time.
>> It is beta. MS advises not to install on a production or primary home
>> computer and they do not qualify that advice with "except on separate
>> partitions." With good reasons.
>>
>> I triple boot also; XP Pro x64 and both Vistas. But on a test box.
>>
>> Knowing what I do about what booting into XP does to Vista shadow copies,
>> previous versions of files, and system restore points, I have no
>> intention of multi-booting Vista gold with XP. I don't care for third
>> party boot managers that can hide Vista from XP nor do I want to use
>> bitlocker on my desktop at home. When Vista releases it will be Vista on
>> one machine and XP on another. All the way.
>>
>> "John Barnett MVP" <freelanceit@mvps.org.NOSPAM> wrote in message
>> news:eyAHwLJxGHA.4256@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>> Colin, I have a triple boot system, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Pro and
>>> Vista and i have removed Vista without any issue. All i did was booted
>>> into Vista and then run Vistaboot Pro (obviously the original poster
>>> will need to download a copy of Vistaboot pro) I then got Vistaboot pro
>>> to remove the Vista bootloader so that when i rebooted the pc my boot
>>> menu only contained Windows XP Home and XP Pro. After that i simply
>>> deleted the Vista partition. Afterwards everything seemsed to run okay
>>> both on XP Home and XP Pro.
>>>
>>> --
>>> John Barnett MVP
>>> Associate Expert
>>> http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
>>>
>>> The information in this mail 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. 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..
>>>
>>> "Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst(remove)@msn.com> wrote in message
>>> news:OX1Xen9wGHA.1808@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>>> You cannot return to XP without a complete fresh installation of XP.
>>>>
>>>> Do not install Vista on a production or primary home computer. Only
>>>> install it on a box you can safely dedicate to testing.
>>>>
>>>> If you do install it on a computer that has files important to you only
>>>> do so by ensuring that the hard drive you install Vista on is disabled
>>>> when you want to use XP. You can do this through the BIOS or by
>>>> physically changing out drives.
>>>>
>>>> Even in a dual boot scenario it is possible to lose the XP installation
>>>> and your files while using Vista.
>>>>
>>>> This is beta software. I would not even do it when the release
>>>> candidate comes out sometime around the second week of September.
>>>>
>>>> "jim_from_il" <jimfromil@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:63A86CFF-5460-4C4A-9D32-7219BF5EE438@microsoft.com...
>>>>> What are the steps needed to 1) uninstall and/or delete Vista
>>>>> partition, 2)
>>>>> safely return to XP 3) any changes needed to recognize only XP (no
>>>>> boot
>>>>> menu)? I may or may not do this, as my wife doesn't like the
>>>>> non-functionality of certain tasks within Vista. I would (and most
>>>>> likely
>>>>> will) like to wait until RC-1 comes out to see if that makes life a
>>>>> bit
>>>>> easier. I hear it's suppose to come out after Labor Day weekend.
>>>>> Appreciate
>>>>> your advise.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>

>>
>>

>
>

Ko
Your advice Type X:\boot\bootsect /nt52 c:
sounds good. Do you type this into the run command box?

What does this command do??

I have a Sony laptop that the install did NOT finish, but I can dual boot.
Want to delete Vista safely.

I notice I now have two new folders
$Upgrade.~OS and
$WINDOWS.~LS


I also do NOT have system restore, even though I set a restore point before
installing Vista.


bob

"ko van Zeeland" wrote:

> > What are the steps needed to 1) uninstall and/or delete Vista
> > partition, 2) safely return to XP 3) any changes needed to recognize
> > only XP (no boot menu)? I may or may not do this, as my wife doesn't
> > like the non-functionality of certain tasks within Vista. I would
> > (and most likely will) like to wait until RC-1 comes out to see if
> > that makes life a bit easier. I hear it's suppose to come out after
> > Labor Day weekend. Appreciate your advise.
> >

>
> Just boot to XP on the first partition of the drive.
> Insert the DVD from Vista.
> Be aware you need to have admin rights on XP also!
> Type X:\boot\bootsect /nt52 c:
>
> Where X is the driveletter from your DVD drive.
>
> Reboot you should not have the option to boot to Vista anymore.
>
> You dan may delete all the *.bak files from the root and delete the hidden
> system folder Boot from the first partition.
>
> Noe you can format the partition Vista is on and use that for anything you
> like!
>
>
> ko van Zeeland
>
>
>

It rewrite the standard XP bootsect and the link to the bootmanager back
to the Main bootsector where now the Vista settings are.

It take's the settings from the saved boot options stored in the boot folder.

It remove Vista's boot manager and restore the standard bootmanager from XP.


Those two extra folders $etc are the folders the upgrade has stored all
the settings in to be able to transfer those to Vista.
If you have restored the bootsector from XP and the booting goes well with
no errors, you are able to take full ownership of those folders and delete
them also, they are not needed anymore.

The restore point is definitive deleted because Vista and XP have differend
settings for those and they cannot be trusted anymore so therefore deleted.

I do use those options (bootsect) to setup a full clean install on my testmachine
XP first partition and Vista on the next partitions <GG>, you get an error
because the bootsect was in use, but is will be written and after a restart
Vista is gone as an option to boot.

ko van Zeeland

> Ko
> Your advice Type X:\boot\bootsect /nt52 c:
> sounds good. Do you type this into the run command box?
> What does this command do??
>
> I have a Sony laptop that the install did NOT finish, but I can dual
> boot. Want to delete Vista safely.
>
> I notice I now have two new folders
> $Upgrade.~OS and
> $WINDOWS.~LS
> I also do NOT have system restore, even though I set a restore point
> before installing Vista.
>
> bob
>
> "ko van Zeeland" wrote:
>

>>> What are the steps needed to 1) uninstall and/or delete Vista
>>> partition, 2) safely return to XP 3) any changes needed to
>>> recognize only XP (no boot menu)? I may or may not do this, as my
>>> wife doesn't like the non-functionality of certain tasks within
>>> Vista. I would (and most likely will) like to wait until RC-1 comes
>>> out to see if that makes life a bit easier. I hear it's suppose to
>>> come out after Labor Day weekend. Appreciate your advise.
>>>

>> Just boot to XP on the first partition of the drive.
>> Insert the DVD from Vista.
>> Be aware you need to have admin rights on XP also!
>> Type X:\boot\bootsect /nt52 c:
>> Where X is the driveletter from your DVD drive.
>>
>> Reboot you should not have the option to boot to Vista anymore.
>>
>> You dan may delete all the *.bak files from the root and delete the
>> hidden system folder Boot from the first partition.
>>
>> Noe you can format the partition Vista is on and use that for
>> anything you like!
>>
>> ko van Zeeland
>>