New drive, installing Vista

[Trotter]

Simple title, but a little misleading.

I finally got a new HD to replace the one that died. My plan is to partition it up a boot and dual boot XP and Vista. That's where this thread comes in.

My current drive has two partitions, one for XP and a blank one (intended for Vista, but that was before my second drive died). I am going to install on the new drive (newer, faster). I need to move XP to the new drive and install Vista as well.

What I need to know... What will be the best way to do this? I have Ghost and Partition Magic, so either is an option. Should I just transfer my current setup (resizing the partitions, of course), or what? No, I don't want to reinstall XP... went through that lately and don't want to have to reconstruct it again.

Anyway, give me a game plan.

 

[KSoD]

Re: New drive, insalling Vista

Well give me a idea of your current setup. What size is the new drive? What size are your current partitions? Do you plan on keeping all the installed stuff for Vista on that drive?

Best bet is 30-40GB Partition for XP, 50GB or more for Vista. I would say if you plan on keeping all sorts of isntalled stuff on it then about 70GB should so.

For transfer of XP use Ghost. Then install Vista. With XP you will have to redo teh boot.ini file as the transfer will not redo the boot for you. It will show the current drive and all that. You will have to change the disk() number in there to correctly associate with the new drive it is installed on.

 

[Trotter]

Re: New drive, insalling Vista

Current drive = 80 gig, split 40, 30-something

New drive = 250 gig. I am going to put XP and Vista on this drive, and maybe a partition each for programs. The 80 I will format and make a media storage disk. I am hoping to actually get my other 250 up, but I think it is dead dead.

 

[KSoD]

Well then i would say 40 for XP would be fine. As for Vista i would recommend around 50. Then make another 30GB for Apps that can be installed for both? Maybe?

Then use the rest for storage or whatever you so desire. But 40 - XP is good. 50 or more for Vista is good. Rest for storage.

 

[Trotter]

I'll probably go with 50/50/75/75, XP/Vista/XP usage/Vista usage. The 80 will be general stuff, like downloads and media that is available to both. Or not. I'll see when i finally install it.

 

[S0ULphIRE]

Just one note, i'd install vista first before ghosting xp across. purely because vista can be very temperamental, and my GOD they better release sp1 for it sooner than they plan too! then some script kiddie can download the sp and mod it to be 100% more efficient. . oy vey.

 

[Trotter]

Installing Vista and then ghosting XP would totally screw XP. I don't want to have to reinstall it as I just went through that fairly recently.

 

[S0ULphIRE]

Not in my experience it wouldn't. I have tried ghosting xp then ghosting vista, and vista REALLY screwed. and when I tried the other way round it worked fine. I'll do some more tests on that. nehuz

 

[KSoD]

Ghosting XP after Vista would mess up your bootloader which i have already mentioned. Ghosting before will have no effect. It would be just like installing XP before installing Vista.

 

[EricB]

number one rule to dual booting Windows OS. always install the older one first

trotter, I would leave the 80 alone. disconnect it first. put the 250 in. make a 50 gig partition for vista. I would make the other 200 gig a my document folder that both of them can use. install vista. when you are done put the other drive back. you can now load your Os without any bootloader. you hit f12 and pick which harddrive to boot or you go to your bios and set which harddrive to boot first.

this is my setup on my wife computer (it used to be my setup too). I just don't go to vista anymore