How do i install xp on a hard drive when vista is alleady installed on the other

jase38

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Aug 29, 2009
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hi i have a dell xps which has 2 500g hard drives running in raid 0 , vista is the op system
i have 5 yr old packard bell pc which i have taken the hard drive out and fitted it into the xps
i want to install xp onto this hard drive
how do i do it ?
i have already tried dissconnected to two main drives and leaving to old packard bell one connected , placed my copy of xp into a drive , changed the boot seq and all i get is the blue error screen
when i connect the two main drives and boot as normal with vista i have no problems , in my computor i see the old hard drive and i can sellect it so my pc is recognising it
i dont like vista what i am after is installing xp on this old drive (which it will all ready have on but i want to reinstall it) and i will use xp as my main op system , after i install and update to service pack 3 iv been told is will reconise to 2 500g hard drives as its own
can anyone tell me how or why i cant install it to the old hard drive
thanks jason
 

BonitaSZ

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they say you can't put xp on top of vista. your computer system is set up with vista it would have to be a totally clean slate and then complete new install of windows xp.
 

btk1w1

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You can install XP after Vista with a dual boot.

There's no need to disconnect drives. You can make XP the default boot option.

You will need XP install disk and Vista install disk.

The method linked below requires that you repair the Vista boot-loader as XP will over write it.

Once both operating systems are installed the fix takes around 5 minutes.

(The tutorial method shows installing to separate partition, the method is exactly the same for separate HDD. There will be no need to shrink or extend partitions)

http://www.syschat.com/dual-boot-vista-xp-vista-already-1946.html
 

BonitaSZ

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Question to btk1w1 :hello: Will the person have to reinstall windows xp? Wish I would have known this be4 ty for info. Just totally took vista out of two pc's and installed xp. It worked but had to change a lot ((drivers, etc.) and it required purchasing xp. Oh well live and learn. :D
By the way love your picture

Bonnie
 

btk1w1

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Hi Bonnie,

If someone installs XP after a pre-existing Vista install, they will find that XP is the only bootable OS.

As long as the partition / drive Vista was on remains intact the boot-loader can be overwritten with the Vista one and then modified to include XP as either the default or secondary boot option.

Basically all your Vista programs and data will remain intact as long as the XP install is elsewhere.

There is one thing that needs to be researched though. You have to reconfigure the system restore function with a dual boot with Vista. It is an easy fix though.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926185

I hope this answers your question.

Thanks for the pic compliment. Just as well it's not the one on my drivers license... lol. I have slightly more hair on that one.