Access windows Vista/XP from Windows 10

[jediwomble]

I have just built a new PC with a clean install of Windows 10. I would like to be able to occasionally access my old operating systems (Vista & XP) from my new PC.

Windows 10 is on a new SSD. Vista and XP are on separate partitions on an old HDD with a dual-boot in place which I have installed in the new PC.

I don't really want to set up a tripple-boot on start up as I will mostly just use Windows 10 and only rarely use Vista & XP and could do without the extra screen every time I log in.

I have tried booting from the BIOS directly to the old HDD. This brings up the dual-boot screen but on choosing either the Vista or XP options I get a BSOD and the computer reboots and goes straight to the Windows 10 loading sequence.

Is anyone familiar with this situation? What are my options (if any)?

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

 

[USAFRet]

Why do you need to access the old OS's?
Do you need the data, or the actual OS?

 

[nukemaster]

Did you change any bios settings when installing 10? One common cause of issues with an old OS is changing the SATA mode(IDE -> AHCI or AHCI to IDE) in the bios. The second is erasing the boot loader(The reason I have operating systems on different drives.).

Normally you can just add an entry to the boot loader to select other operating systems.

 

[Rookie_MIB]

Virtualize it. That's what I run some of my old 'xp only' stuff with.

1) download and install oracle's 'virtualbox'.
2) create your virtual operating area.
3) install windows xp, and the other programs you might want/need to run. There are also utilities to convert an OS installation into a virtual installation.

I've been doing this with some legacy stuff that never recieved updates past winXP for our payroll system here at work. The old computer finally died, and XP wouldn't work on the new hardware. So - with it running as a virtual machine (windows within windows is a way to look at it) there's no need to dual boot. Plus, if you need to switch your real hardware, because virtualbox presents a consistent 'virtual hardware platform', moving winXP means copying a single (but rather large) file from one HDD to another. Plus you can backup your virtualized OS easily by cloning it to an external HDD, making snapshots, etc.

Also, just as a note to your original problem, part of it could be the whole UEFI/LegacyBIOS vs MBR/GPT boot drive problem.

 

[jediwomble]

doublepost

 

[jediwomble]

Why do you need to access the old OS's?
Do you need the data, or the actual OS?

The OS. Data is not an issue.

 

[USAFRet]

Why do you need to access the old OS's?
Do you need the data, or the actual OS?

The OS. Data is not an issue.

Run it in a VM.
I do when needed.

 

[jediwomble]

Why do you need to access the old OS's?
Do you need the data, or the actual OS?

The OS. Data is not an issue.

Run it in a VM.
I do when needed.

Thanks very much. I think these answers have pointed me in the right direction.