Are you really excited about the prospect of experimenting with the
new features in the Windows Vista operating system, but are not yet
ready to give up your existing Windows XP installation? For instance,
you may be on the fence, because you're not 100 percent sure that all
your existing hardware and software will work in Vista and you still
need them to get your work done.
If so, then you may be the
perfect candidate for a dual-boot configuration. With this type of
configuration, you can easily experiment with Windows Vista and still
use Windows XP. In other words, you get to have your cake and eat it
too.
In this article, I'll discuss some of the options you'll
need to consider as you begin thinking about and planning for adding
Windows Vista to your existing system in a dual-boot configuration. I’ll
then walk you step by step through the entire procedure.
The location options
In order to install
Windows Vista
in a dual-boot configuration along with Windows XP, you need to have
either a second partition on your existing hard disk or a second hard
disk in your system. To give yourself enough room to experiment, you
should have at least 20 GB and preferably 40 GB of space available on
either the second partition or on the second hard disk.
If you
don't have enough available space on your existing hard disk for a
second partition, then you'll need to connect a second hard disk to your
system. If you do have enough available space on your exiting hard disk
for a second partition, then you'll need to obtain a partitioning
software package. I recommend, Symantec’s Norton
PartitionMagic
only because I’ve used PartitionMagic for years. However, there are
other partitioning software packages that I’ve heard are just as good,
such as
Acronis Disk Director or
VCOM Partition Commander Professional.
Of course, detailed instructions on connecting a second hard disk or
partitioning
your existing hard disk are beyond the scope of this article. However,
in either case, the second hard disk or the second partition must be
formatted with NTFS before you begin the installation operation. If you
add a second partition to your existing hard disk via a partitioning
software package, you will be able to format it as NTFS at the same time
as you create the partition. If you're installing a second hard disk,
the easiest way to format it as NTFS is from within Windows XP’s Disk
Manager, which you can quickly access by pressing
[Windows]+R to access the Run dialog box and typing
diskmgmt.msc in the Open text box.
The installation options
You
can approach the dual-boot installation operation in one of two ways --
by cold booting from the Windows Vista DVD or by inserting the Windows
Vista DVD while Windows XP is running. As you can imagine, you'll
encounter slightly different introductory screens depending on which
approach you use, but once you get stared the operation is essentially
the same.
While both methods will produce the same result, I
prefer the cold booting from the DVD method. The main reason is that you
don't have to worry about any interference from
antivirus/antispyware/firewall software on your existing Windows XP
installation.
Performing the installation
Once you
have your second partition or second hard disk operational, just insert
your Windows Vista DVD, restart the system, and boot from the DVD. Once
the system boots from the DVD, Windows Vista’s Setup will begin loading
and will display the screen shown in
Figure A.
| Figure A: |
 |
| Windows Vista’s Setup will take a few moments to load files before the installation actually commences. |
In a few moments, you’ll see the screen that prompts you to choose the regional and language options, as shown in
Figure B. As you can see, the default settings are for U.S. and English and if that’s you, you can just click Next to move on.
| Figure B: |
 |
| The default settings on the regional and language screen are for the U.S. and English. |
On the next screen, you’ll be prompted to begin the installation procedure, as shown in
Figure C. To begin, just click the Install Now button
| Figure C: |
 |
| To get started, click the Install Now button. |
In the next screen, you’ll be prompted to type in your product key for activation, as shown in
Figure D.
By default, the Automatically Activate Windows When I’m online check
box is selected; however, you’ll notice that I’ve cleared it. The main
reason that I’ve done so here is that while writing this article, I’ve
experimented over and over with this installation procedure and want to
conserve on the number of times that I can legitimately activate this
copy of Windows Vista before Microsoft locks it down and requires me to
call in and manually request a new product key.
| Figure D: |
 |
| At this point in the installation, you’re prompted to type in your product key for activation. |
Now,
if you just want to temporarily install Vista in a dual-boot
configuration while you experiment, but plan on installing it as your
main operating system once you’re satisfied with the way that Vista
behaves with your hardware and software, you too may want to disable the
automatic activation routine. Even though you’ve disabled the automatic
activation routine, you can still install Windows Vista and use it as
you normally would for 30 days.
If you want to keep Vista in a
dual-boot configuration, you can activate your license online anytime
you want. If you decide to make Vista your main operating system, you
can repartition your hard disk, reinstall Vista on the main partition
and activate the new installation in the process.
If you decide to disable the automatic activation routine, you’ll see a confirmation dialog box, as shown in
Figure E, which contains a harsh warning and prompts you to reconsider. You can just click No to continue.
| Figure E: |
 |
| Even
though this dialog box contains a harsh warning, Microsoft wouldn’t
have made automatic activation a choice if opting out was really
dangerous. |
Because, I
didn’t enter in a product key, Setup doesn’t know what edition I’ve
purchased and prompts me to select one of the seven editions on this
disk, as shown in
Figure F. Since, I'm working with the Ultimate edition, I selected that edition, checked the box, and clicked Next.
| Figure F: |
 |
| When
you don’t enter a product key, Setup doesn’t know what edition you have
a license for and so prompts you to select one of the seven editions |
On the next page (
Figure G),
you’ll see the Microsoft Software License Terms and are prompted to
read through them. However, unless you’re very curious you can just
select the I Accept The License Terms check box and click Next.
| Figure G: |
 |
| Unless you’re very curious, you can just click through the license terms screen. |
If
you’re booting from the DVD, when you get to the Which Type Of
Installation Do You Want page, the only option is Custom (advanced) as
shown in
Figure H. To move on, just click the Custom icon.
| Figure H: |
 |
| When you boot from the Windows Vista DVD, the only installation type that is available is the Custom (advanced). |
When
you arrive at the Where Do You Want To Install Windows? page, you’ll
see your second partition or second drive. I created a second partition
on which to install Windows Vista, so my page looked like the one in
Figure I.
| Figure I: |
 |
| I created a second partition on a 160 GB hard disk on which to install Windows Vista. |
Once
the select a partition or disk and click Next, the rest of the
installation will continue as it normally would. As such, I won’t follow
the installation procedure any further in this article.
Windows Boot Manager
Once the installation is complete, you'll see the Windows Boot Manager screen, as shown in
Figure K.
As you can see, booting either Windows XP (listed as an Earlier Version
of Windows) or Windows Vista is a simple menu choice. This menu will
appear on the screen for 30 seconds before Windows Boot Manager launches
the default operating system, which is Windows Vista.
| Figure J: |
 |
| The Windows Boot Manager allows you to select which operating system you want to boot. |
The Activation countdown
Since
I described installing Windows Vista without activating it for testing
purposes, I wanted to point out that the Windows Vista will indeed keep
track of your 30 day trial on the System screen, as shown in
Figure K. In addition, it will regularly display
| Figure K: |
 |
| If
you decide not to activate during your dual-boot installation, you can
keep track of how many days you have until you must activate on the
System page. |
Configuring Windows Boot Manager
As
I mentioned, the Windows Boot Manager menu will appear on the screen
for 30 seconds before Windows Boot Manager launches the default
operating system -- Windows Vista. However, if you wish to adjust the
countdown or change the default operating system, you can do so from
within Windows Vista.
Once you've booted into Windows Vista,
press [Windows]+[Break] to access the System page. Next, click the
Advance System Setting link in the Tasks pane and confirm though the UAC
prompt. When you see the System Properties dialog box, click Settings
in the Startup and Recovery panel. You’ll then see the Startup and
Recovery dialog box, as shown in
Figure L.
| Figure L: |
 |
| You
can use the controls in the Startup and Recovery dialog box change the
default operating system and the number of seconds that the Windows Boot
Manager menu will appear on the screen. |
In
the System Startup pane, you can change the Default Operating System
setting from the drop down list as well as use the spin buttons to
adjust, up or down, the number of seconds to display the menu before
launching the default operating system.
Conclusion
Installing
Windows Vista in a dual-boot configuration along side Windows XP is a
great way to experiment with the new operating system until you get
comfortable with it. In this article, I’ve shown you how to how to
create a Windows Vista dual-boot configuration.
