vista upgrade to separate hard drive

[Loafer]

Could someone clear this up for me ?

I got the 'free' vista upgrade disc when i bought win xp earlier this year.
I want to install vista onto a second hdd and keep my original XP on the first drive. What i'm not sure of is whether installing Vista from the DVD on boot-up (using the workaround) will automatically overwrite/remove XP or at least make XP unusable due to the license issue ??
What I want to achieve is a dual boot XP/Vista from this upgrade disc - is it possible ?

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[raybay]

Is this a Dell 6400/1505 or other brand and model.
If the vista disc was provided by Dell, Sony, HP, Toshiba, eMachines, IBM or Compaq, it will only work on that motherboard, but you can use a different hard drive to install... It will ask for your original WXP disc...
Be aware, the manufacturer and Microsoft are way ahead of you, and they will absolutely not allow you to use both installs... either one or the other... but not both, unless you are smarter than the average bear.

 

[Loafer]

It's a home-build system and the original XP was an OEM version, which came with the upgrade Vista edition. I keep reading that people have successfully used the workaround to install a clean vista upgrade, and that they have a dual boot, it's just I don't want to negate my XP install by accident. If it's not possible I'll just purchase a Vista OEM version instead.

 

[raybay]

My guess (I do not know) that both discs are designed to work with only that motherboard. It would be interesting to find out, however. We would love to see you try it. Normally, there is a "tattoo" embedded in an EEPROM on the motherboard, and both windows discs must be able to find that EEPROM in order to boot up and install.
When you read this stuff about a work around for a clean VISTA upgrade, try to find out more. We people who own repair shops would love to know, just for the capability of repairing our client's machines.
Just in case you do not know, the VISTA OEM edition is severely handicapped in what it can later do in repairs, etc. It is designed to install, and reinstall windows on a new machine. The full version, VISTA Premium, Retail Box Edition, despite its very high cost, gives you tools for later use that you cannot get otherwise. It is being sold quite cheaply right now because of low interest.

 

[Loafer]

To be honest I might just wait awhile, I'm in no rush to have Vista (it's just i've got it and wanted to see what it's like). I don't want to muck up my XP install just to satisfy my curiosity - was hoping someone else had already done it . If I can't resist it, which is quite possible, I'll let you know.

 

[SNGX1275]

Well, I've installed VHP from the OEM upgrade that I got when purchasing XP MCE earlier in the year. However, I did not keep the dual boot. If I had the time I'd try and do what you are thinking. Since I don't really have the time to try it for you here is a rough outline of what I would do:

1. Install XP (you've already done this).
2. Disconnect XP HD, insert 2nd hd, set it to master if necessary.
3. Install Vista, do not provide key.
4. Insert Vista disk after Vista is installed, run installer, provide key you were given with disk. (I think this is how its done, there are websites and a post here somewhere with directions).
5. Get all the updates from windowsupdate.
6. Learn about pointing the XP bootloader to Vista, or learn about pointing the Vista bootloader to XP.
7. Connect back up the XP disk as master or slave as necessary and based on what you decided in step 6.
8. What you did in step 7 probably requires a fixmbr or something.
9. Dual Boot.

I think it is pretty close so with a bit of research on your own or help from people here it should work.

 

[Loafer]

Thanks for the detailed reply. Same problem for me -time.
I thought of doing it along the lines you outlined but thought the drive letter assignment might be a problem. Guess that what you meant by your points 6-8. I'll look into it further and come back when I know one way or the other.

 

[SNGX1275]

I don't think drive letters will be a problem. Vista has a completely different bootloader than XP/2000, I don't know anything about it but I've seen a site about it, if I get time I'll google it up for you (out of town on buisness starting this weekend). The site had a program so you didn't have to do some text based configuration, it made Vista bootloader editing very simple if I recall correctly.

If you must do it by XP, you might only have to edit the boot.ini to point it at the Vista drive.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

So it would be like rdisk(1) or something.

I guess alternatively you could use a 3rd party bootloader and avoid all that mess.

 

[Loafer]

Ok done a bit of research...(if you can call trawling through random forum posts research) and it seems that it is relatively simple to have both installed on a dual boot even using the Vista upgrade disc. The problem seems to be if you want to remove one of the OS's. I'll give it a go soon once I've backed everything up.

 

[SNGX1275]

Well if you remove Vista I know for sure its easy, at the very worst you'd just have to do a repair install of XP.

Edit: EasyBCD is what I was thinking of for editing the Vista bootloader.

 

[raybay]

Yep, you can install them in various ways on that motherboard... but you cannot move the drive to another motherboard... both discs are tattooed to that EEPROM on that board.

 

[SNGX1275]

I have the impression that he isn't dealing with a restore OEM disk. He's dealing with a purchasable to anyone OEM disk like the 2 I have bought from newegg.com. They are not made for any specific computer.

 

[raybay]

It all depends.
He calls the VISTA a "free VISTA upgrade disc."
In my experience, all of those were sent out with motherboards, or after the motherboard, to allow the customer to upgrade from WXP to VISTA. We have seen a large number of them in our shop, and the ones we have seen are NOT OEM discs, but true upgrades to the motherboard in question, very similar to the Dell and HP upgrades. In those cases, the VISTA disk either detects the specific WXP install or a tattoo on the new motherboard, and will not install without one or the other... depending on what "free VISTA Upgrade disc they received. All the ones we have seen were only workable on a specific motherboard, and were NOT OEM discs.
His system may differ, but I felt it important to warn him of the possibility.
I would be extremely suprised to learn that upgrade disc would work on any system after detecting an WXP install, but as we know, some do.

 

[Loafer]

Hello again,
Just to clear this up - I bought a copy of XP media centre OEM and received a 'voucher' to send off for a free (well £10 P+P) copy of Vista Home Premium. The way I look at it is - that I was really buying a copy of Vista but Microsoft were kind enough to send me a free copy XP until any compatibility issues are sorted out with Vista
Neither of these are tied to the motherboard. But thanks raybay for the warning. Still haven't tried it yet, but will do one day soon

Update: (I know it's been awhile...but just to be tidy

I successfully and easily installed Vista Home Premium as a clean install on a separate hard drive using an upgrade vista OEM disc. Using the custom install route and installing vista as an upgrade over itself.
No problems at all.
Now got a dual boot XP/Vista.

I'm really posting this so if someone searches then it's here.

Well one more post just to get to 20...........well it's my thread.

oi !!
Don't make me keep posting useless replies.
Just trying to get my average up to 5 posts per year.