Pclinuxos, Vista and add XP Pro

P

phenix

Distinguished Member
Thanks for any help.
The system I have now is working fine with Vista and Pclinuxos.
The wife wants me to put Windows XP Pro on my puter as hers is
getting old and she can't see past XP. She hates Vista and I am NOT getting Windows 7.

Setup: hd #1 has Vista on it. HD #2 has Pclinuxos on it.
I have repartitioned hd #1 to give a place for Windows XP.
Vista is in the 1st partition and XP would be in the 2nd partition on HD #1.
Pclinuxos has control of the MBR and works fine that way.
Would like to keep it that way if possible.
I have backed up the puter as I am expecting no end of problems with this.
In fact I don't think Easybcd will let me keep grub and Pclinuxos in command.
 
Last edited:
It's nothing to do with EasyBCD.
If you install any version of Windows it will take over the boot process unless it sees a compatible Windows is already in charge. In that case it will add itself as a dual-boot option. MS has yet to acknowledge rival OSs even exist.
Linux will do likewise, except that it does give a (hidden) option to leave the existing boot process alone. When you installed it on your Vista PC, it took over the boot process.
It does at least dual-boot any Windows it finds, so in that respect it's more considerate than MS, but you will find that installing a Service Pack on Vista is likely to grab control back without giving you an option to boot Linux.
If you install XP, it will not see any compatible systems (it's not forward compatible). It will take over the MBR and you will not be able to boot either Vista or Linux until you put control back with one of them.
Make up your mind which one you want to be in control.
For Vista, follow the instructions to reinstate bootmgr, then add an entry to the BCD for LInux.
For Linux, you'll need to reinstall grub from a booted live distro.
 
I thank you for you answer.
I installed Pclinuxos from a download on the web.
So I don't think I have a live booted distro.
Have no idea how to get one.
 
Just burn the Linux ISO download to a CD, and one of the options is to boot it directly without needing to install the OS to a HDD.
 
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