VISTA+VISTA on 2 sep. HDs

Hello,

To safeguard from many initial Vista problems I chose to use 2 separate HDs. One has XP PRO and the other VISTA HP. VISTA was a clean install.

On system boot I am presented with what seems to be a Windows native boot menue (black screen, white writing). I have a choise from the menue - VISTA or XP. I set this configuration up myself but now do not remember how I did it, fool that I am should have made notes . The only thing I remember is that I used some sort of a free tool and setup was painless. I should add that since then, about a year or more now, I had zero problems. So much more I wish I kept notes

Anyhow. I am hoping you can help . I wish to take XP PRO off and install VISTA in palce of XP PRO without removing or damaging already existing VISTA installation (on the other HD). I know, I know you wander why...hehe. I play MS FSX a lot and it is a resource hog, but with DX 10 support . Difference in graphic, even in limited preview set up for now is huge. I want to give it its own private HD so that there is absolute minimum of interference from other software, processes, tasks, etc. Here are my questions:

1. Is this possible, to have two VISTAs running on same PC but on two different HDs?

2. Can I use EasyBCD to change my set up, or do I need to do it with the utility that was used to make the set up originally?

3. If #1 and #2 are OK, how do I do this? Do I need to unplug the VISTA drive and boot into XP PRO drive, reformat it, load VISTA on it and then plug back in the VISTA drive I unlplugged? How do I edit the menue choices?

I imagine this has been alerady asked but I was not able to find VISTA+VISTA, I saw many XP+VISTA threads.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Hiya Molson, welcome to NST.

This shouldn't pose a problem, and it's quite straight-forward.
Just follow our guide on installing Windows Vista, and when you're prompted to select a drive choose the one where XP is currently installed (make sure to hit the "format" option).

Once setup completes, most likely Vista will have detected your older Vista install and added an entry to the menu automagically. If it didn't - just install EasyBCD on the new Vista install, and use it to add your old Vista entry to the menu.

Good luck!

Thanks a million for quick reply. Much obliged. Will report back with how it goes.

Addendum:


EASY BCD IS NOT WORKING
I have EBCD installed under Vista (First Sata drive, first partition). I installed Unbuntu on my second SATA drive. When I start Easy it does not recognize the Ubuntu install. In fact, Easy is not starting. The computer boots into Vista. When I try to install Neo-Grub it gives me an error "unhandeled exception has ocurred". I get the same error when I try to add Linux and point Easy to the second Sata drive (which it is showing in the drop down).

I thought EasyBDC would be a panacea. So far it has done nothing to solve my problem. I simply want to boot using Easy and have the option to see all my Operating Systems and choose.

Kushy have you bothered to read the documentation on this?

Ubuntu - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

A Ubuntu specific entry in the Wiki which should solve any case you have in getting a dual boot working. EasyBCD does work to add Ubuntu as i have done it.

Ubuntu installed fine and the GRUB is working is working fine. It gives me the choice of choosing Vista or Ubuntu. But where is EasyBCD in all this? I do not need EasyBCD any more. Because once I chose Vista from my Ubuntu's GRUB menu, Vista starts just fine.

Yes but with EasyBCD you can remove GRUB and have only the BCD choose your OS. This is most effective when you boot Multiple Windows OS. Cause then the GRUB would take you to the Windows boot menu which would be pointless to have to go thru 2 boot menus to select your OS.

If you are only running Ubuntu and Vista then yes you can just leave GRUB on to dual boot. That is fine. But no reason to make comments about a applicaiton that serves a great purpose for those of us that do use it. Just because it doesnt serve your purpose a you do not mind GRUB is fine. But overall teh application has helped thousands.

The problem is that if you had Vista RTM and upgraded to SP1, chances are, you'd lose the GRUB boot menu.

Reinstalling Vista, installing a new version of Windows, repairing an install, etc - all of them wipe out GRUB without asking for your permission or consent first. Since Ubuntu gives you a choice of installing GRUB or not, it's the logical decision to use Vista's (like it or not) instead of Linux's bootloader.