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General discussion

Dual Booting Windows Vista and Windows XP

Aug 10, 2007 4:00AM PDT

I think this is a topic for a separate discussion altogether though I've been active on the forums about Windows Vista through this topic:

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-4_102-0.html?forumID=133&threadID=259474&messageID=2557700

Anyway, after all that I've gathered from the forums, I find that installing Windows XP Professional on my Dell XPS M1330. Specifically, it is the fact that I can't get any audio output among other issues. What landed the killer blow was the apathy of the Dell technical support staff regarding support for Windows XP.

So I think it is in my best interest (as well as everyone who's facing the same issues) to retain the existing Windows Vista installation that comes with the laptop, and install Windows XP Professional on a separate partition (so that at least one way or the other, all the features of the product can be utilized).

I have never dual booted two Windows OSes before, so I do require guidance on how to go about doing this. I have already gathered all information about installing Windows XP Professional from previous discussions with moderator Grif Thomas (*bows*). Now I need to know how to make the two coexist peacefully.

Thanks a ton for the help extended!

Discussion is locked

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(EDIT)
Aug 10, 2007 4:02AM PDT

Anyway, after all that I've gathered from the forums, I find that installing Windows XP Professional on my Dell XPS M1330 is potentially a highly cumbersome process.

<Apologies for the omission>

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Don't be afraid.
Aug 10, 2007 5:46AM PDT

It is really easy to do what you want to do.

Read down the list below for my post on buying a Gateway MT6840 and putting XP and Vista on it.

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Go here.
Aug 10, 2007 6:01AM PDT
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It is great...
Aug 10, 2007 7:31AM PDT

that you could accomplish this easily for your Gateway MT6840.

However, I think when it comes to my particular notebook, the Dell XPSM1330, issues like support for Windows XP drivers is trickier. The tech support claims that this laptop is built only to run Vista, so that makes matters worse. But that is not the point of this thread. I can live with the problems posed by Win XP as long as I have Win Vista undisturbed.

There are a few niggles I have with doing it your way:
1.) Can't I install Windows XP professional without completely nuking the hard drive? Like create a partition for it alongside the existing Vista and recovery partitions and install XP professional on there?
2.) I don't have an external floppy drive Sad

Thanks for your inputs on this. Any more insights on this from the others?

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Do yourself a favor.
Aug 10, 2007 8:56AM PDT

Do yourself a favor, go to the Dell web site and download all the drivers for XP support BEFORE you proceed forward.

It is easy and the tech you talked to is out to lunch. Go to their web site and see for yourself that support for your PC is there for XP.

Here is your drivers page on Dell. Put your serial number in and go to town.


http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&cat=sup&k=Dell+XPS+M1330&qmp=12&p=1&subcat=dyd&rf=all&nk=f&sort=K&snpsd=A&ira=False&~srd=False&ipsys=False&advsrch=False

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Oh, I forgot.
Aug 10, 2007 9:03AM PDT

The general public is getting a SNOW job by Microsoft and the retailer's they supply.

The story the tech gave you that you can't run XP on your computer is an out right lie.

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You're right...
Aug 10, 2007 9:15AM PDT

Microsoft has been sloppy (to say the least) in handling the transition from XP to Vista, and the brunt is being borne by people like me. *sigh*

I have already downloaded the windows xp drivers meant for my model...they aren't a complete set BTW.

For example, I need a modded driver to use my video card (The GeForce 8400M GS).

Also, there's no audio driver to go with this laptop's audio controller for the XP platform.

There's no initiative to correct this either from Dell or from the manufacturers of the hardware (I tried contacting SigmaTel, the audio folks, and they washed their hands off it as well).

All I want is for XP and Vista to run peacefully side by side (I can take the quirks that XP will throw).

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Video Driver from here.
Aug 10, 2007 9:37AM PDT

nVideo.com
They will have what you need.

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I spelled it wrong.
Aug 10, 2007 9:41AM PDT
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Sigmatel Drivers.
Aug 10, 2007 9:43AM PDT
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Thunderhead1, XP Generally Needs To Be Installed FIRST
Aug 10, 2007 10:11AM PDT

...in a dual boot setup.. XP should installed first, including all the appropriate drivers, then Vista can be installed in the second partition... Doing it the other way around will normally cause issues.

And as we discussed in your other thread, the only difficulty you've got is finding the correct drivers for your audio. (So far, everything else looks right.) Still, we've provided enough links to drivers that it should work out fine either way.. Installing XP by itself, or dual booting..

Still, you'll need to wait till you have the computer before you can be sure of which devices are installed..

Hope this helps.

Grif

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I found the right audio driver...
Aug 10, 2007 3:32PM PDT

believe it or not!

The Dell team hasn't validated it, but here is the link for it for everyone's benefit: http://ftp.us.dell.com/audio/R158235.EXE

Now there are only a couple of issues on Win XP concerning some Dell applications. One of them is that I can't use the fingerprint reader that comes with my model because there's no compatible software for windows XP Sad. However, it is not too big a loss on the face of it.

The only thing I'm worried about is - what if I want to get back to Windows Vista? How do you take backups of your recovery partition? If you leave the recovery partition intact do you still need to back it up? (You're only going to install XP by wiping Vista's partition, correct?)

Thanks for the help!

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VISTA
Aug 10, 2007 9:44PM PDT

You must have a VISTA DVD that came with your purchase.

You can't restore you PC with a VISTA operating system without it.

Don't let who ever you bought the computer from sell you a computer without a reinstallation DVD if the entire hard drive needs erased which includes the "recovery partition."

I can tell you how to save the "recovery partition" but will NOT do so unless you assure me you have a DVD that you can reinstall VISTA if you decide you want it later.

Remember, you paid for it so the option to use it later when maybe it is better because of additional changes that can be downloaded from Microsoft should ALWAYS we at your discretion.

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The GATEWAY 6840
Aug 10, 2007 9:48PM PDT

The Gateway 6840 came with a recovery disk labeled "use to reinstall the original operating system".

After I deleted the recovery partition and Vista operating systems I put it in the DVD drive and it booted to Vista install.

All it was was a Vista DVD.

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These Vista recovery DVD's.
Aug 10, 2007 9:57PM PDT

These Vista recovery DVD's are not the same as the old HP or Gateway recovery CD's that were really great because you could erase the entire hard drive and use them and they not only reinstalled the operating system but also the recovery partition.

I do know the Gateway recovery DVD only restored the Vista operating system and I suspect the others are the same.

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Here is how I do it.
Aug 10, 2007 11:10PM PDT

Thunderhead

If it bothers you to delete the recovery partition you can save it to a disk.


You can?t use Partition Magic in VISTA.

You can?t use PowerQuest Drive Image 7.0 in VISTA.

You MUST have a recovery DVD that came with the computer so if you want to reinstall VISTA you just put the DVD drive and boot to it.

DON?T GO ANY FURTHER UNLESS YOU HAVE A VISTA DVD AS A RECOVERY DISK.

PLUS you need an external hard drive plugged in and turned on at step 6.


HERE IS HOW IT MUST BE DONE MY WAY.

1. I would put the XP CD in the drive and boot to ?press any key to boot from CD?.

2. When it loads and gives you options, choose delete the? VISTA? operating system.

3. Put the Windows XP in and boot and install on the unformatted space left from deleting the Vista operating system.

4. Install Partition Magic.

5. Install Microsoft NetFramework 1.1

6. Install PowerQuest Drive Image 7.0

7. Boot

8. Open a partition on an external hard drive and create a new folder and label it {?recovery disk ,partition 1?} you must label it the correct partition NUMBER that it is found on the hard drive reading the drive from left to right.

8. Open PowerQuest Drive Image 7.0 and choose ?back up a drive?.

9. Choose the ?recovery partition?.

10. Make the target the folder you just created in the external hard drive.

11. When it is finished you now have a recovery partition saved on your external hard drive.

12. Click next and it will save the ?drive image? of the recovery partition into the folder labeled {?recovery disk ,partition 1?}. It will only take a minute or two since it is very small partition.

13. At this point you could restore the computer to its original condition.

14. If you had an old computer to practice on you would do this to restore it to the condition it was in when you bought it. Find an old computer and practice this stuff, it is really easy.

15. Erase the hard drive.

16. Boot to Windows XP and do steps 3,4,5,6,7.

Step three will only be one big unformatted hard drive whereas in the original step 3 above the hard drive still had partition one as the recovery partition.

17. Open partition magic and create a new primary partition and make it about size of the original recovery partition{make is 20 MB?s bigger} and make it a fat file system.

18. Now open PowerQuest Drive Image 7.0 and select ?restore a drive? and restore the saved ?recovery partition? in your external hard drive to the primary partition you just created in step 17.

19. Now put the Vista DVD in the drive and boot.

20.When Windows asks you what you want to do , DELETE the Windows XP operating system you were just using and install VISTA on the unformatted space and your computer is back to the way it was>>>>>> WHEN YOU BOUGHT IT.>>>>>>>>>

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POST a picture for me.
Aug 10, 2007 11:42PM PDT

POST a picture for me on this board of your hard drive before you do anything to it. Here is how.
Open computer management and take a picture of your hard drive
Here is how.

Here are the steps to post a picture on the internet .Takes three minutes.
1. Post the picture on your desktop.
2. Click on print screen key. It is the key to the right of F12.
3. Click on paint. Paint is found under Start, programs, accessories, paint. Right click on it and "pin to start menu".
4. Click on edit and click on "paste".
5. Click on file and "save as" and change to JPEG format so it is in KB's and not MB's.
6. Save it to the desktop.
7. Open image shack and click on browse. http://imageshack.us/
8. Click on desktop because that is where you saved the picture.
9. Click on the picture and it loads on image shack. Click "host it'.
10. When image shack loads it is small. Click on it and make it big.
11. Right click on it and get the URL or copy the url from the address bar if it is visible. Either one will work because they are the same.
12. Save it to bookmarks and post the url in your notes for reference .
'
Here is what one of my computers looks like and is what I want you to post.

Partition Magic looks like this:

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/3723/partitionaef3.jpg

Disk Management looks like this:

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/6052/partitionbct8.jpg

When they open click on them and they get clear and focused.

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YankeesNYwins...
Aug 11, 2007 1:43AM PDT

thanks for your generous efforts to extend all the support you can possibly give.

I have not received my order yet, but I'm sure my notebook will ship with a genuine Windows Vista DVD. It will also come pre-formatted with the Vista OS installed and recovery partitions as well, along with the appropriate CDs/DVDs.

To reiterate, what I want to do is get rid of Vista and install Windows XP on the notebook. My concern with this is that I will not be able to install Vista back smoothly again.

Now, based on what you said, I have gauged the following:
a.) If I get disks which can restore the operating system as well as the recovery partition (i.e. bring the comp back to its factory state), I needn't worry...right? (But from what you said about old recovery CDs/DVDs, I guess that's not very likely).
b.) I can take a backup of my recovery partition (How do I do this? Is it as simple as buring the contents of the partition to disks?)
c.) I get rid of the recovery partition during the XP installation and restore it by the method you suggested.

Is there any way by which I can install windows XP on the partition on which Vista is currenly present, and not disturb the recovery partition at all? Or do I have to get rid of it to get XP installed?

Am I assessing my options correctly?

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In any case...
Aug 11, 2007 1:50AM PDT

I will be doing this in about a week's time from now, so I'll certainly get back here for more guidance. By then, the notebook should have shipped and I will be in a better position to post stuff about my progress.

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However...
Aug 11, 2007 1:52AM PDT

for the moment, I'd like some support on whether at all I can leave the original recovery partition undisturbed...and if not, how do I take a backup of it, in more detail.

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Go here.
Aug 11, 2007 1:55AM PDT
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Alright...
Aug 11, 2007 2:22AM PDT

that sucks, because I could use your guidance through this (I am paranoid almost about all this because my academic term starts rolling on the 20th and I need to get all this done by then...).

In any case, thanks for your efforts and I hope this goes off without any major blemishes.

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This tells you how to do it.
Aug 11, 2007 2:31AM PDT
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Thanks for the link...
Aug 11, 2007 2:54AM PDT

but that article assumes Windows XP is already installed, whereas I'm doing the reverse here.

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Vista
Aug 11, 2007 3:35AM PDT

Vista let's you partition the hard drive.

Partition it and boot from the XP CD and install on the partition you created.

If you want to dual boot than there are choices.

Go to this site and learn how.

http://www.pro-networks.org/forum/index.php?sid=7c6005a7895cc2ce41a3ca58863bfc8c

Or do what I do which I outlined specifically on this forum several times. I use Boot Magic. But you can't use it until you install XP.

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Thanks...
Aug 11, 2007 7:14PM PDT

right now I'm in favour of removing Vista, because most problems associated with it have been solved for my notebook and I won't be using it much if I have XP Professional installed (for academic reasons).

Now I just want to make sure I can get back to Vista whenever I want. So I want to preserve my recovery partitions and have a setup where if I want to install Vista, I can simply pop in the DVD which came along with my notebook.

Will installing XP over Vista affect the recovery partition (or other partitions) in any way? If so, how can I back it up?

Thanks again.

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XPS M1330 Audio Driver
Nov 8, 2007 6:46AM PST

I've just downgraded a XPS M1330 for a client, to fully working and blindingly fast, most of the 1330 drivers are available for download from Dell, but the Audio has a little twist in that you need to get the driver for the Vostro 1500, strange such a high end machine having the same Audio as a budget machine, or is it vice versa

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Making one computer.
Mar 24, 2012 8:12AM PDT

I have something a little diferent. I have 2 computers: one with Vista and nvida video and the other with XP Pro with ati video. How can I take the XP pro hard drive out and put it into the Vista computer so I can dual boot them and get rid of the other computer?

handimn1

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Simple answer
Mar 24, 2012 8:12PM PDT

You can't, sadly.

That XP hard drive is wholly dependant on the hardware it is installed in and cannot be moved to another computer. The boot sector won't work, the hardware drivers for motherboard/chipset, video car, soundcard and other hardware won't work on a different computer. And also, even if you could solve those without reinstalling XP with the hard drive connected to the Vista computer, Windows Activation will fail because of all the hardware changes. Activation has sharp teeth and is for the one computer only and is not transferable.

So sorry, you are stuck with the two systems if you want to continue using both Vista and XP.

Mark