dual boot 2000/xp

[3d.]

i'm partitioning a new 120G HD. I have 2000 right now but plan on installing xp later.

1. If i install 2000 in my first partition, and create a second partition, leave it unformatted, will i be able to install xp on it later on?

2. Also i will create another partition for programs, and two more for data files. Now when i boot from a certain OS would certain files be available to me from the other OS partition? And will i be able to run programs from both of them, assuming the programs are compatible with both OS's?

3. Lastly, how much room should i allow for each OS?

Edit: also what's a swap file, and would i benefit from having one?

[not important]

1 yes
2 yes Boot from XP CD and it will format and install on the partition of choice.
3 I use 10GB for each OS, matter of preference.
I can't explain what a swap file is, but you do have one.

[Streams]

If you have not specified otherwise you will have a swap file.

[Force Flow]

I use 10-12GB for each O/S and have another partition for all of my progs and "stuff".

[edit]: As for sharing progs, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I keep most of the progs seperate.

[Floppyman]

On the swapfile, how much ram do you have? If you have enough, you probably won't even use it, and therefore I would not worry about it. HTH

[Tuf]

Yes you will have a swap file unless you disable it. Really it's not a good idea to diable it no matter how much RAM you have but some people do and I guess it works for them. But it can cause some programs to not work or to have problems if you if do disable it.

I found out the hard way that I couldn't even copy a floppy disk in a computer with XP Pro and a GB of RAM with the swap completely diabled. There is something about the way windows handles copying a floppy that requires a swap file. After a couple of hours of fighting it I found an article on the M$ site spelling it out.