How to dual boot your Vista PC with Windows XP

Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:31PM EDT

See Comments (18)

Another big question from readers as a follow-up to last week's XP end-of-life post: How do I set up my Vista PC for dual booting with Windows XP?

For starters, it's true that some new computers will not be able to run Windows XP. The issue is one of drivers and mainly affects laptops: Some vendors have jumped so wholly to Vista that they're no longer making XP hardware drivers for their equipment. There's no real way around this, so check to make sure you can get all the drivers you need for your computer before you embark on the road to try setting up two operating systems on your machine. (You'll need them anyway.)

Also, be aware that configuring your machine to run Vista and XP side by side isn't the easiest thing in the world. It is certainly not overwhelmingly difficult, but if you aren't completely comfortable installing Windows on a bare machine, you should avoid this process. Find a friend to help you if you need it.

OK, so you're determined to dual boot. Here's how to do it.

1. Repartition - You need to make two partitions on your hard drive. One for Vista, one for XP. The Vista install DVD includes an app called DiskPart that lets you do this, or try GParted, which is a little friendlier but requires a little more effort on your part. Split your hard drive into two chunks, and make sure each is big enough for each OS (at least 20GB). Format the partition as NTFS. You can also use a second hard drive if you're on a desktop.

2. Check Your BIOS - If you're using a SATA hard drive (the standard for a couple of years now), you'll need to tweak your BIOS so XP, which came out well before SATA did, can see it. Just go into your computer's setup app and hunt around for the options for your hard drive, often under "AHCI." You want "compatibility," "AHCI off," or "IDE emulation" mode... something along those lines. Don't worry, this won't impact Vista at all.

3. Boot from an XP Disc - Now you can just follow the usual installation procedure. Just make sure you're installing on the correct drive: Vista will be on the C drive. Your new partition will be E, F, or another drive letter.

4. Repair the MBR - Installing XP after Vista prevents Vista from loading properly because it overwrites a critical file. Repair the Master Boot Record by booting from a Vista DVD and selecting "Repair your computer," then "Startup Repair."

5. Install a Boot Manager - After all this, you'll boot into Vista. You now need a boot manager to deal with the two OSes. Install EasyBCD (download at that link), run it, and click "Add/Remove Entries." Change the drive to whatever you used in step 3, and change its type to "Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3." Click Add Entry then Save. Any other boot manager will work, but EasyBCD is free.

When you reboot you'll now get to choose which OS to go into.

Good luck! (If you need more help, just search the web for "dual boot Vista XP" and you'll find even more tutorials. Everyone's instructions are a little different, so keep that in mind.)

Comments on How to dual boot your Vista PC with Windows XP

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  • 6 Posted by dcsoccer25 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    I can learn to use Vista fine, but when I upgrade, it'll be to Vista 64-bit which is incapable of running apps with 16-bit code. Now, most applications don't run 16-bit code, but several have installers that use it. If the installer can't run it's code, you get the idea. It's useful for people who have some of these programs.

  • 7 Posted by jbk_3 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    I john Vista neep a 512mb. Ram Or.2gb ram.? xp 129mb ram to work.

  • 8 Posted by jlodman on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    Ubuntu is a beginners Linux, load Debian or Suse and get the real power of Linux.

  • 9 Posted by jd_1876 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    Or you can get a Mac. iLife '08, Leopard, and built in drivers.

  • 10 Posted by agustin2489 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    It's also a very good idea to backup your drives. Just a thought since if you mess up, it would never be a good thing in this sort of situation.

  • 11 Posted by lava.lamp on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    My laptop came loaded with vista, so I have no vista disk for step 4. Should I just use the recovery disks, which contain more than just the vista OS?

  • 12 Posted by lava.lamp on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    My laptop came loaded with vista, so I have no vista disk for step 4. Should I just use the recovery disks, which contain more than just the vista OS?

  • 13 Posted by moghazali on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    Hi Chris, 1. In continuation of the first comment, can you please write something on how to have dual boot when XP is already installed on a machine and now we want to install Vista. Is there some special procedure or it works just the same as it works with 2000/XP/2003 setups? 2. A few of my friends recently got laptops those came pre-loaded with Vista where OS is installed on the first partition and the second partition is holding some special contents which are marked as the Rescue Disk etc. In such cases if we want to install XP, would the same procedure that you wrote in the article work? Your answers would be of great assistance.

  • 14 Posted by kwikcheezewu on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    If you were to make at least 2 partitions and install XP first onto C: and then Vista onto D: you won't have the MBR problem. That's what I did and I had no problem and didn't have to download a boot manager. Hey moghazali, That "Rescue Disk" partition stores the files for the OS which the laptop didn't include a OS disk. That is used if you need to restore the OS to the factory settings just in case. I do that around once a year almost like a reformat of the OS just to clean it out and keep it running smoothly. Definitely do not mess with that partition even though the manufacturer usually keeps it from being altered. On my HP laptop I can't even view the files in that partition. It just shows a lock symbol and telling me that it should not be altered.

  • 15 Posted by pathlighter25 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:01PM EDT Report Abuse

    Amen to Leopard, which I actually like better than Vista, but I do work with both. Debian and Suse are definitely more bang for the buck, as far as Linux goes. But for the basic consumer (college student,etc.) Vista is fairly easy to use. In spite of what some may say, it's also more user friendly than Mac.

  • 16 Posted by jsgetbusylgz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    Im in the same predicament as lava.lamp. If a laptop came pre-loaded with Vista and has a recovery disk, is it possible maybe to take the partition C and split a partition off of that so that you would have 3 partitions?(One partition of vista installed, one partition to install xp on, and one partition already on the hard drive,in my case, labeled as DATA that as far as I can see doesn't have anything in it[i think its meant for the user to install applications because the hard drive is split evenly between both partitions with 51.9GB each]) I mean so long as there's space left over on C, which I have 22.3GB free and probably can free up some space by removing applications, shouldn't I be able to split off another partition from C using DiskPart or Gparted and leave the partition DATA as is? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. And ok,theres slight possibility that theres something within DATA cause it shows 51.8 out of 51.9GB free, but it doesn't show ANYTHING within the partition when I look in Computer, and I don't think a whole recovery backup of Vista could fit into 0.1GB. My guess is it's some sort of file created that doesn't show up in Computer to allow the partition to work. Do you think then it'd possibly be a good idea to install XP on that partition?

  • 17 Posted by hermito_as on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    Hello! God bless you my friend. I need your help. I want to dual both my laptop Toshiba Satellite A200 PSAE3E, OS=Vista. There are 3 available Bios Applications download; XP, VISTA, WIN, which will i choose? Or i just use my current Bios? Thank you. I hope for your response.

  • 18 Posted by crazyshivacbe on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    Hello! I need your help. I want to dual boot (Vista and XP ) or XP only. my laptop Toshiba Satellite A200 PSAE3E, pre loaded OS=Vista. i dont have any Bios Applications. i tryed some bios app. but it wont help me. How can i download the currect Bios. Can u show the link plz. I hope for your response.

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