multiboot Vista-XP problem

[RHDftw]

I am having a huge problem here. I have 3 hard drives, each of them partitioned. I installed vista x64 on the first one, and it is working very well (its what i am using right now). However, when I go to install XP on the second hard drive, after the partition is formatted and the files are copied, and the computer has to reboot, it doesn't reboot. I even have my CD drive booting first. The first and second times i tried this I got some weird colors in places where it asks you to push a button to boot from the CD drive (I waited until it would normally pass the CD boot and move on to my hard drive). So I reset the computer because it was unresponsive, and pushing the button to boot from the CD led me to a fresh XP installation. If I didn't push the button the computer would be unresponsive again.

Taking out the disk, VISTA wouldn't boot because the boot file got messed up, but I fixed that. So on the THIRD time I pushed the button to boot from the CD (before it became unresponsive after the first reboot after copying the files) and it led me to another clean install of XP. I dunno what to do. Vista had no problem, it just rebooted from the CD when it needed to, I didn't have to push buttons or anything.

If it helps, I have my BIOS set so it boots the USB keyboard. I had to switch it because XP wouldn't boot without me pushing the button. I dunno whats up I need help. Thanks.

Essentially, I am not even getting the GUI part of XP installation. If that helps at all.

[EzyStvy]

You should always install the oldest OS first......But the following might help:

How to dual boot Vista and XP (with Vista installed first) -- the step-by-step guide
http://apcstart.com/5485/dualbooting_vista_and_xp

[RHDftw]

Yea, I have been following that guide. I have found some other people who have a similar/same problem here: http://www.techsupportforum.com/micr...i-portion.html

Specifically: "only instead of just staying at the boot screen, it rearranges some letters and numbers and highlights them in various colors." is exactly what happens to me. And I don't know how I would even boot the XP disk if I had the hard drives boot first.

[RHDftw]

To be even more specific, the GUI portion of the XP install does not boot up at all. Should I clear my hard drives (all of them) and start over? I am currently installing XP onto my 3rd hard drive instead?

I also have the oem version of vista, so will that mess things up if i clear the partition vista is on and re-install? or should i use something like norton ghost, whipe the hard drive partition, then reinstall from that?

Edit: I just tried an install onto the third HDD and that didnt work.

[glc]

I would do it right, start over, and install XP first.

[RHDftw]

Ok, so I removed the hard drive and XP installed. dunno why. but now XP only boots with a system disc (so this is my XP disc and my motherboard CD). I can't seem to figure out what the problem is. Is it the problem that Vista has in reverse?

[RHDftw]

I have tried messing with bootcfg /rebuild and fixmr but nothing works. I don't understand why my motherboard CD lets me boot into windows, too.