I bought a new Dell w/Vista. Can I install my HDD w/XP on it in the new Dell....

[bookysocks]

And Dual - Boot?

Or just pull data off the XP drive to transfer to the new Dell w/Vista?

[not important]

You can install XP after Vista and dual boot.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...ista-computer/

[bookysocks]

Originally Posted by not important You can install XP after Vista and dual boot. http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...ista-computer/

Ya but...Can I throw the old drive in there next to the new drive and dual boot w/out problems?

[pam123]

Originally Posted by bookysocks Ya but...Can I throw the old drive in there next to the new drive and dual boot w/out problems?

No. What you can do is pull data off of it.

In your case I would get an external case for the drive and when I'd finished transferring the data I needed off of it I would format it and use it for back up/temporary storage.

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by bookysocks Ya but...Can I throw the old drive in there next to the new drive and dual boot w/out problems?

Not without a repair install of XP. That hdd is going to look for the hardware/drivers for the box it came out of. When it sees new hardware it will most likely bsod. There's a way to move it without a repair install listed in out Tips and Tricks area. You'll need to download the XP drivers before hand and have them available on a disk or flash drive.

[bookysocks]

Thanks guys.

So what I'll do is, install a full version of WinXP Pro on my drive w/Vista using this link or the link from here and
I'll be able to dual boot. Then I'll put the SATA drive from the old computer
in my "Black X" drive dock and transfer any data I have to the new drive.

Is there a tutorial on PC Mech explaining how to install WinXP Pro on a disk w/Vista to
dual boot?

[shadowpr]

I don't think there is, but those links you have should provide you with all the steps needed.

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by bookysocks Thanks guys. So what I'll do is, install a full version of WinXP Pro on my drive w/Vista using this link or the link from here and I'll be able to dual boot. Then I'll put the SATA drive from the old computer in my "Black X" drive dock and transfer any data I have to the new drive. Is there a tutorial on PC Mech explaining how to install WinXP Pro on a disk w/Vista to dual boot?

You're going to have a problem doing it that way. In order to establish a proper boot mgr you need to install operatings systems using the oldest system first. That means you would need to do a clean install of XP first then follow up with a Vista install. Doing them in reverse is going to create major issues.

[bookysocks]

Originally Posted by Panama Red You're going to have a problem doing it that way. In order to establish a proper boot mgr you need to install operatings systems using the oldest system first. That means you would need to do a clean install of XP first then follow up with a Vista install. Doing them in reverse is going to create major issues.

Can you be more specific as to what "major issues" I may run into? I do see some issues in the comments following the How-to articles I linked to. I can resolve quite a bit.

[Panama Red]

I'm going to retract my statement after reading that link from not important in better detail. Looks like someone has simplified the process a bit by creating VistaBootPro. I've never used it but I may be tempted to give it a try myself. Note the number of folks who had problems with adding XP because they didn't know about needing SATA drivers for their hdd/controller. The rest looked to be inexperienced folks who didn't know how to boot from the CD.

[bookysocks]

Originally Posted by Panama Red I'm going to retract my statement after reading that link from not important in better detail. Looks like someone has simplified the process a bit by creating VistaBootPro. I've never used it but I may be tempted to give it a try myself. Note the number of folks who had problems with adding XP because they didn't know about needing SATA drivers for their hdd/controller. The rest looked to be inexperienced folks who didn't know how to boot from the CD.

Cool.

So looking at the how-to from my links you think it's very doable to throw XP on a drive w/Vista and dual boot?

I have a few more computers around the house I can use to pull drivers if I need them.

[not important]

It does work Red.....I've done it twice (tried it on one of my boxes before attempting it on a customers.. ) with no problems.

[pam123]

Originally Posted by not important It does work Red.....I've done it twice (tried it on one of my boxes before attempting it on a customers.. ) with no problems.

I'll have to try it out as well.

[bookysocks]

I'm gonna do it. It better work because it's my wife's computer and she will kill me if I break it.

[bookysocks]

Well that mostly worked.
I got the computer to dual boot but WinXP doesn't recognize my NIC (well the motherboard NIC) so I can't log on to Microsoft to register Win XP w/in 30 days.

[not important]

Did you install the drivers in the XP install?