[carpenma]

Hi everybody! I just joined the forums here earlier today and specifically to ask these questions. Around Christmas last year I purchased a laptop with windows Vista Home Premium installed on it. It didn't take long for lack of compatability with many of my favorite applications to drive me over the edge. I didn't want to uninstall Vista (I mean it IS the newest version!) but I couldn't stand not being able to run my apps. Then, when I heard about dual boot I knew that was for me. I have a copy of XP Home and Media Center from two older computers. I would rather not have to partition my hard drive in fear of losing my data and there isa lot of it to have to back up. So, questions:

1. My computer has two hard drives (or at least two show in my computer) does this mean that there are actually two physical drives in the computer or was "C" just partitioned?

2. If I partition my hard drive do I lose all my data?

3. Is there a way to install the next operating system without wiping my hard drive?

4. If I install XP after Vista (Vista is already installed and I don't want to take the risk of having a laptop without an OS) is it very hard to get everythng in order again because I'm told you should install them the other way around.

Thank you all I can't wait to be able to have the computability of XP and the sleek looks of Vista all in one box!

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Howdy and welcome to CTH:

Well, going to make your decision very easy for you.

It would be illegal and against Microsofts EULA to use either of those two XP cd's on your new system.

Those XP cd's are OEM and are forever married to the system they came with even if that system is buried in a landfill.

Odds are, they are Recovery/Restore cd's as well which means they wouldn't even work to install with on your new system.

If you want XP now, you get to go out and buy a brand new version of XP.

Murray

[Murray S.]

Howdy and welcome to CTH:

Well, going to make your decision very easy for you.

It would be illegal and against Microsofts EULA to use either of those two XP cd's on your new system.

Those XP cd's are OEM and are forever married to the system they came with even if that system is buried in a landfill.

Odds are, they are Recovery/Restore cd's as well which means they wouldn't even work to install with on your new system.

If you want XP now, you get to go out and buy a brand new version of XP.

Murray

[pip22]

And don't spend too long thinking about it, carpenma. XP won't be available as a standalone retail product for very much longer!

[carpenma]

O.K. But once I buy XP what would the answers to the questions be?

[Murray S.]

1: Odds are you have one hdd which is partitioned into a c: drive ans a d: (recovery) partition.

2: There is always the chance you could lose data. That's why we always say "backup, backup, backup". Copy everything you need to a cd-rw or to a USB flash drive.

3: Yes. You will need to partition your c: drive into two or more partitions. Really depends on the size of the c: partition.

4: You will need to use the VistaBootPro to reset your boot.ini file to get the dual boot option.

Murray

[carpenma]

Thanks . Oh yeah, one more thing, how much does XP Home go for right now? Thanks again.

Edited by carpenma, 23 February 2008 - 10:50 PM.

[Murray S.]

All I can suggest is to check around. Prices vary a bit from store to store.

Murray