Fast Help Please about Windows Vista

[peti1212]

Hey Guys,

I need to install Windows Vista Ultimate on my computer system right now, and I do not have another hard drive I could install it on. The thing is that I have a bunch of big files on my hard drive that I cannot burn to a dvd and I don't have access right now to another hard drive where I could copy them. Could I still come back to Windows XP Pro, if I install Vista on the same hard drive as well? I don't have pratitions. Thanks for the help.

peti1212

[tyle6]

You should be given the option to install it in a seperate directory. it will move Xp to a windows.old folder and all the files should be fine. Just make sure you dont format the drive during the install:)

[peti1212]

Yep, I know about this, thanks for the help Tyle, but what I was wondering was if I will be able to go back to my Windows XP, like as if you had a partition and you can pick which Windows you want to go to. I know this won't be possible to sellect, but I know there is a way to edit the start up file I am just not sure if it is possible.

[tyle6]

I imagine with a good boot loader you should be able to still boot the XP.... Not positve though... I know you can access all the contents of that OS from vista but thats all i have true expiernce with.
I imagine though, with a good bootloader you can still load XP. I installed vista on a seperate drive and never kept the XP as the boot drive. so when i pulled the vista drive out the XP drive wouldn't boot. had no bootsector on that drive.....
I ended up being able to boot that drive with a ubuntu disk though.
soooo, aslong as vista doesn't mess the XP reg. up I imagine it should be fully bootable with a bootloader.

But again, does vista not allow you the option to still boot XP when you install vista in a sep. dir.?

[werty316]

Get Hiren't BootCD and make another partition and install Vista on the newly created partition.

[darkorb]

Yea make another partitions, install vista on it and then copy ur files over and delete the other one.

[peti1212]

Will I be able to make a partition when I already have files on the hard drive? i don't think so. I only have one hard drive at the moment and that's why I am having problems.

[werty316]

Question, why not just transfer any files you want to keep to the HD in your dad's computer?

Only thing you need when making more than one partition on a HD is free space so if your HD has some free space then you can make a 2nd partition on the same HD.

As long as the files you want to keep aren't in the "Windows", "Program Files", or "Documents and Settings" directories then you can install XP/Vista without the files being deleted from your HD. This method may be a bit crude but its a way to keep any wanted files on your HD without them getting deleted when installing an OS.

[peti1212]

Thanks for the help Werty. I am actually doing this on my dads computer, and I do not have an access to another hard drive at the moment, but I will do that method of transfering the files from those three folders and just install vista I guess. That's my only choice now. I need to install it for some testing if you know what I mean. ;-)

[peti1212]

Sorry for double posting. I just though about Upgrading Windows XP to Vista. How would that work? I remember I upgraded XP to Vista once when the Beta versions were out and I was getting a lot of error messages and it was really bad. Would it work this time? How about general XP applications. Would they work?

[werty316]

I would advise not to go the route of doing an upgrade as doing a fresh install is more recommended.

Just make a folding in the root directory of your HD and move all the files you want to keep into the newly created directory, delete every other folder, except for the one you just made, along with any files in the root directory and you are all ready to install an OS.

[peti1212]

Alright, thaks for the help werty. You helped out a lot. :icon_tiphat:

[werty316]

http://smile.nekkidtees.com/create.php?id=grey%5E_%5Earial%5E_%5E9%5E_%5E7%5E_ %5EYour+Welcome%5E_%5E.gif

[peti1212]

Alright, got Windows Vista Ultimate installed. The bad thing is that I cannot use previously installed applications, but the good thing is that I have the files at least. :) Thakns gain Werty and other for the help.

[werty316]

The only way you would be able to reuse any software that was previously installed is to do a windows repair setup. Personally if I was gonna do a windows repair I might as well do a fresh install since windows repair almost takes as long to install as doing a fresh install.

Its good to see everything is up and working for you :icon_tiphat:

[Methious]

I use repair if things are staying the same and its just windows files bad, every thing else I use fresh install. In the long run fresh install saves you a lot of headaches.

[CoolZone]

I recommend installing the Windows Vista Sp1.
What sound card do you own?A lot of sound cards have problems in Vista because of the reworked kernel.