Hello...

I want to install Vista on our primary system.

When we installed Windows XP, we had two HDDs and three partion:
1) 200GB SATA Disk: 40GB patrion; Windows and programs installed there, 160GB partion; stuff there
2) 40GB IDE Disk: 40GB partion; (Almost (read below)) nothing on the harddrive. Hope it will have Vista in one day

Now, I'm not sure how the drives were setup, but I guess that the SATA one is the Master and the IDE is the Slave. (Like I said, I guess...)

Now, windows XP installation, for some reason, it decided to put boot.ini in my E: drive (40 gb ide drive)
I don't know why it would do this, but anyway, it did it. (of course, the IDE could be the master and the SATA the slave, but as I said im not sure...)

Now, here's my problem: What will vista do with boot.ini when I install it (Vista) into that hdd?
Will it delete it making it impossible to boot into windows XP? (unless I re-create boot.ini myself)
I also heard that Vista uses a new boot manager, and that's what is also worrying me a bit...

I want to be able to boot with windows XP too, because it's my mother's computer mostly, and she doesn't really want to use Vista

Can I also set "Earlier Version of Windows"  (aka XP) be the default choise at the boot manager and set the timeout to something like 2-5 seconds, so she won't accidently boot into vista?


Thanks

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Originally posted by Mike
Can I also set "Earlier Version of Windows"  (aka XP) be the default choise at the boot manager and set the timeout to something like 2-5 seconds, so she won't accidently boot into vista?

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Yes you can,

you just choose what OS and how long etc...

Ahmad you dont really need that program,
Its already in vista

quote:

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Originally posted by Ahmad

quote:

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Originally posted by Mike
Can I also set "Earlier Version of Windows"  (aka XP) be the default choise at the boot manager and set the timeout to something like 2-5 seconds, so she won't accidently boot into vista?

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Yes you can. If you don't know how to use the new boot manager then you can use this little program to customize the boot for you:

http://www.pro-networks.org/vistabootpro/

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quote:

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Originally posted by Mike
Thanks
Looks like a very nice tool.

What about the boot.ini question?
Maybe I can readd the entry to the new vista boot manager with that tool?
But what should the syntax be?

Oh, and another question: Will the drive letters in the Windows XP OS change?
They will probably for Vista, but what about XP?

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In WinXP I have three harddrives: C:, F:, G:. G: is my Vista drive. C: is my XP drive. In Vista, G: is C: and C: became something else, but it's still the same in XP. This is because the OS always sets the drive it's installed on to C: (AFAIK).

EDIT: Nathan, where can I find those settings?

Do the following...
Control Panel -> System -> On the left hand side click "advanced Syystem Properties" -> Advanced (tab) -> Startup & Recovey -> Settings.
There you go

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Originally posted by Vilkku
This is because the OS always sets the drive it's installed on to C: (AFAIK).

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Is here and my C:\ is the smalest drive