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Installing multiple Windows versions

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9 replies

by firefox5000

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Hi

Im interested in dualboot systems.
I have 2 harddrives. One has XP home and the other has windows server 2003. On the harddrive where the server is installed, I plan to install Windows Vista. There is enough with unpartioned space to create a partion so that is no problem.
Will this work, that is will all three os work with out errors?

9 replies

by older mycroft

Dual booting with 2 hard drives is fine. Triple booting with 3 hard drives, fine.

But 2 operating systems separated by something as flimsy as a partition can be problematic as soon as you invoke UPDATES. Luck will be your guide until it gives wrong directions and the update goes awry.

Have you considered what programs may prove to be incompatible with Vista unless you install Vista-compatible drivers - then what happens to XP's compatibility?

Just my opinion mind. ;)

by nepenthe0

I concur with the last posting - you are inviting real problems. I followed Greg Shultz' instructions to the letter, and configured the boot screen so that XP Pro was 'default'. Alas, as I tweaked the Vista installation, I found that updates and program installations corrupted XP Pro. Until Greg Shultz addresses this kind of glitch in a future forum, I suggest that you avoid the pain I experienced and simply select a preferred OS. Rick/Portland, OR

by firefox5000

Hi

So if Vista is set as default in a multiboot system with xp pro, xp home ,it should work properly after installing updates like sp 1 and other.
I am forced to manually select for example Xp home during startup to avoid corruption in it?

by firefox5000

Hi

If I have 3 harddrives, not partions, and then install different windows versions on all of them, corruption should not occour?
Also I can choose which version to set as default with out corruption?

by older mycroft

That concept is beyond me.

That's like going for a walk wearing two pair of shoes, the outer pair a few sizes bigger than the inner pair.

Anyway your original post stated : "[i]I have 2 harddrives. One has XP home and the other has windows server 2003.[/i]"

So how is XP Pro suddenly part of the equation?

by older mycroft

Although you have the inherent safety of each OS being installed on its own hard drive, the combination of systems that will exist ALL have to utilise the same path to reach the outside world.

So, for updates alone the task is tripled in terms of application and of time taken to achieve. DON'T FORGET that updates usually require a reboot for complete installation.

What happens when the system reboots into the WRONG operating system?

You may also have interoperability between hard drives, unless you intend to mount a fourth volume for programs only.

I much prefer an operating system for the task at hand suitably installed and updated on the machine that it was intended for.

It may seem a silly question to you, but why not have a different machine for each system? By investing in a couple of KVMs all three systems could share the same monitor. That way any possibility of cross-contamination is avoided.

On a network, your Updates would be a helluva lot simpler and quicker too! :)

by firefox5000

I have removed windows server 2003 because of some problems with my antivirus and hardware. It did not work.

I will make everything clear.

For the moment I have xp home edition( swedish version) on one harddrive and xp professional (english version) on the second harddrive. I need xp pro because some of my programs are heavy calulation programs like MathLab and they consume a lot of power.

For now everything works perfect, regarding the dualboot, I can install updates and boot into wrong os if I want.It still works excellent.

Now I have a HP Personal Media drive , 160 GB NFTS system, and I plug it into my pc via USB 2.0 .

Now I want to install Vista business(english version) on it. I dont want to upgrade from XP Professional to Vista Business because of the risk of incompbility between vista and some of my programs.

The question is will this work?
If this works then I have to modify Vista:s bootsetup using EasyBCD.

When the boot menu appears I should have 3 menus. 2 of them will show Earlier windows version and the other vista. How can distinguish between the the two earlier versions? They have the same menu name, or do they not?

After fixing this is it possible for me to set one of the xp versions as default or do I have to keep Vista as default to avoid corruption because of future updates?

I hope this wasnt to much....

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