HDD and partitions

[Tareq]

Hello there,

I have many problems with my PC's [Windows based] and i really got tired of trying to fix it and format it and then fix the errors and viruses and many things.
Now i will talk about one PC, i took it to a computer store, and asked them to insert new HDD [500GB] new, so after that i installed Windows XP myself, and it is still no much software on it, but i really want to make partitions on that HDD, so what is the best way? should i use a software like partition magic or whatever or i should reformat it again and partition it from beginning? I was thinking to devidie my HDD to 3 partitions, one for WinXP, one for Win vista, and one just spare for backup some files if needed [i have some external HDDs that i can connect to save files], so any recommendations?
I have a question: if i will partition my HDD to 3 partitions, can i put WinXP on C: and Windows Vista on D:? as i really want Windows XP to be the main windows, and i want to switch between them if i want.
Another question: Do you recommend me to devide that new 500GB HDD to only 2 partitions and i just keep those external HDD for anything backup and saving files? or it is good to have another partition just in case? And why my PC can't recognize all my external HDD as i have some working fine like my WD MyBook but another HDD can't be recognized even i go to Disk managment part and i can't see any new HDD connected so i can rename it or manage it to work, whatsthe problem? I will try to keep my new HDD PC clean as possible [i will not conect to internet most of the time] so what can you advise me about partitions issues?

[digirebelva]

I havent tried doing that with vista..technically I believe it should work. Not runnig Vista myself so you should check to see which one needs to be loaded first (XP or Vista) If you are not going to be storing files on the 3rd partition then I would load the os's, and what ever else you want on a clean install and then image the partitions & save the image on the third partition..so if either one screws up you can simply re-apply the image to that partition saving a ton of time.

As far as the partitions are concerned I would format, partition and then install.

[Zepher]

XP needs to be loaded first.

[rcfury]

If you want to use xp as your main operating system and vista for something else.. Why wont you just use a virtual machine? If something happends IE virus or something just kill the Virtual machine and reload it. I have 3 virtual machines on my box, Windows, LInux, and Mac OS-X. Once i have everything setup i just save the virtual machine on a disk just in case. Easy...

For partitioning your drive.. Well how is it set up already? Is your drive one big partition? If not just get into the Disk management and create another primary partition within windows. If the disk is already carved as one big disk then you would need partition magic to take the unused portion of the partition and seperate it into another drive.

[Moppie]

Install Vista first.

Then press the windows button and type "computer management"
Press enter.

Now use that to set up as many separate partitions as you like on your disk, then format them.

Then install windows XP on of those new partitions (it only needs 4GB).
This will damage the vista MBR, and the computer won't boot to the drive with vista installed on it.
So reboot and use your vista install disc to repair vista.

Now you can boot to vista, but not to XP, so get easyBCD, and use it to edit the Vista BMR so you can dual boot XP as well. Download from here: http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

[Tareq]

WOW, those posts above can't help me much, each has their own answer, hmmmmmm, seems i will wait a little to finalize my decisions.
For now, that PC has only one HDD with one drive big partition, it asked me when i format it first time and installed XP if i want to partition, but i was not sure how it will partitions it for me so i said no and keep only one main partition and i have XP on it already now, so i think i have either to use partition magic to creates another partitions and do whatever i can do, or i have to format it again and do partition prior of XP installation, really now confused as i am not sure how to format my HDD again, i want to go to format completely [and just repair XP which is not complete fresh format] and just install it XP on older one even with format HDD but not deleting many files or problems [that what happen to my wife PC as i formatted XP and reinstalled it 2 times and still the old failure problem occur].
In addition, i was going to do partition so i can install XP first on C and then Vista second on any other partition, but now there is coming virtual machine idea, is that virtual machine will keep all installed and saved software on it? or it will reset the data everytime i turn on my PC and use it?

[Zepher]

Install Vista first.

Then press the windows button and type "computer management"
Press enter.

Now use that to set up as many separate partitions as you like on your disk, then format them.

Then install windows XP on of those new partitions (it only needs 4GB).
This will damage the vista MBR, and the computer won't boot to the drive with vista installed on it.
So reboot and use your vista install disc to repair vista.

Now you can boot to vista, but not to XP, so get easyBCD, and use it to edit the Vista BMR so you can dual boot XP as well. Download from here: http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

Why not install XP first. Partition the drive during install.
then install Vista on the other partition and then be done with it.
There will be a Boot Selection screen to choose which OS you want.

[Bobster]

the MBR should be fixed as soon as you start booting from the DVD.. least thats the way it used to be with XP and 2000/ 98 and NT4 used to install XP, then install 2K, but the MBR was broken so, used to throw the XP disc in the drive, boot and as soon as it starts copying stuff, thats it, reboot and ur away..

[Moppie]

I spent 12 hours trying to set up a dual boot with Vista and XP.

It doesn't work, because Vista uses a different MBR format to all previous generations of windows.

I don't think it is critical to instal Vista first, however it is easier, as the tools with in Vista to partition and format a drive about much better than those in XP. They are more user friendly, faster, and don't have to preformed during the installation.

Having used XP since it was released, and now having used Vista for over a year, I can honestly say I will never go back to XP.
Vista is faster, smoother, and just nicer to work with.
Like everything new it takes a little getting used to of course.

I would only revert to XP to run something that is totally uncompatiable with Vista. I originally did the dual boot for this reason, but have since found several easy ways to run the software I need under Vista.
Currently only a very small number of very specialised devices and programs will not run on Vista.
There are probably more from the win2000 era that won't run on XP.