DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

Dual Boot...XP & Vista??

15 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/dual-boot-xp-vista.64035/

S
SUKHI99 Original post #1
Jul 28, 2007 at 7:00 AM
Hi! friends,
plz help me dual booting XP & Vista.my problem is that whenever i hv to reinstall XP due to any reason,next time vista is not detected in xp boot.
then i hv to install vista all again. plz anyone help me in dual booting both OS.so i should not install vista again:confused:
shantanu
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:26 AM
well take a look at this tutorial of mine.. maybe you could do something with this..

tutorial said:
Hello To all ,

i was just thinking that many users are trying to install XP after they installed Vista,but both OS dont detect each other in dual boot,

so here is a Tutorial to do so,

Conditions: you have installed Vista and now you want Xp in the second boot, and when you do so , your Vista isnt detected anymore, so now you either format your Drives and install again, or you repair Vista and thats ok,

But you can run both in Dual boot without formatting,

As vista is installed, you install Windows Xp in X:> (X is the drive of your Choice) (may be D: , E: etc)

now your comp. restarts in XP without showing Vista, dont worry just restart your COmp. and boot from VIsta CD/DVD whatever you have, repair your installation and now your VISTA boots up, without Showing Xp, but nothing to worry,

Just Place your Vista DVD/CD int he drive in VISTA and now go to start menu, all programs , accessories , right click on command prompt

and click on run as administrator

now type these commands :

Use Bootsect.exe to restore the Windows Vista MBR and the boot code that transfers control to the Windows Boot Manager program. To do this, type the following command at a command prompt:
Drive:\boot\ Bootsect.exe –NT60 All

In this command, Drive is the drive where the Windows Vista installation media is located.
Use Bcdedit.exe to manually create an entry in the BCD Boot.ini file for the earlier version of the Windows operating system. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt.

Note In these commands, Drive is the drive where Windows Vista is installed.

Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit –create {ntldr} –d “Description for earlier Windows version”

Note In this command, Description for earlier Windows version can be any text that you want. For example, Description for earlier Windows version can be "Windows XP” or “Windows Server 2003." Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit –set {ntldr} device partition=x:

Note In this command, x: is the drive letter for the active partition.
Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit –set {ntldr} path \ntldrDrive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit –displayorder {ntldr} –addlast

Restart the computer.


and you are done...

maybe this could help you...

if you have any query on this then ask it no probs ..?? :p
Vishal Gupta
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:30 AM
Whenever u install Xp and the Vista is overwritten, then just boot using Vista Setup DVD and select "Repair Windows" option from the wizard and it'll repair the Vista Boot loader and u'll be ale to dual-boot. ;)
shantanu
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:33 AM
^^ but if you install XP and then vista.. so this problem never occurs.. of dual boot , it detects it automatically.. but when Vista is installed before Xp this problem comes. if you repair Vista boot then your XP does not work.... i am pretty sure about this.. so i think only repair boot wont work :D:D:p
Vishal Gupta
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:34 AM
Nope. I hv used it many times. ;)
shantanu
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:38 AM
what ?? means you install XP after VISTA and it dual boots automatically.. ? is that what you mean.. ?
Vishal Gupta
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:40 AM
lol. What I meant is whenever I install XP after Vista and Vista boot loader is overwritten, I just repair the boot loader using Vista DVD. :)
shantanu
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:42 AM
ok ! and it automatically detects XP as well in boot loader config..?. sorry man if i am annoying you.. but i wanted to be clear...
Vishal Gupta
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:43 AM
No problem buddy. :)
Yes. It automatically detect XP boot loader and I'm able to dual-boot. ;)
shantanu
shantanu #10
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:48 AM
great ! even M$ didnt had this technique... great going...

i think over twenty times i had installed Xp over Vista and not even a single time , after repairing the boot loader by booting with Vista DVD... my Xp was shown.. that is why M$ issued the tutorial for installing Xp after Vista in Dual boot.. coz if you install XP after Vista.. the boot loader config of VIsta is in C or any root drive where you installed it.. not in the root drive where you install XP.. so XP cannot ever come automatically in the boot loader... if you install it after Vista and you repair the boot loader ...

i am pretty sure.. coz the tutorial i have given is M$ approved.. :D:D and even many members here know that this cant be done just by repairing the loader.. :)
Vishal Gupta
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:52 AM
Now I got the actual thing!

Since I installed Vista in C: drive and XP in D: drive, thats why Vista was able to detect XP while repairing its boot loader coz XP boot file and Vista boot files both were in C: drive. :D
shantanu
shantanu #12
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:57 AM
well in my case too.. Vista in C: and Xp in D: , but no luck for that.. i had to run through the step by step proces.. :D:D

well hey i am nt MR. Vista you are buddy! :p (jokes apart)

the thing i am trying to clear is that.. as you also know that Vista does not runs on boot.ini, but on a boot loader.. and we have to make a manual entry in it to allocate the boot of XP to it.. ..

well i cant say what was your case,, everything is possible in computers isnt it?

good discussion.. might help many here :D:D:D:D
Vishal Gupta
Jul 29, 2007 at 2:59 AM
Thats really strange why it worked for me? ;)
shantanu
shantanu #14
Jul 29, 2007 at 3:00 AM
maybe coz you are MR. vista.. :D:D lolzzzzz
Vishal Gupta
Jul 29, 2007 at 3:02 AM
lolz. :D
Currently I'm only using Vista but in future if I need to install XP again, then I'll double check all these things. :)