I have 2 seperate hard drives,how do i install xp onto the 2nd hard drive but keep vista normal.what do i do??

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Disconnect the Vista drive and make the other (blank drive) master in bios AND jumpers.

Insert the XP cd and install.
After install...
change the drives back like they were and your off and running.

Not sure if you need to edit the boot.ini on vista or not, but in case vista doesnt see xp on the other drive, you need to use bootmgr.exe (i believe it is) in vista and add the xp drive to the boot ini file. OR dont do this and use your key that starts your boot order to boot from one or the other.

Answer 2

Just insert the xp disc and follow the on-screen instructions and then when asked to choose which hard drive choose the one that doesnt have vista on it

Answer 3

Here are a couple links that might help:
http://www.pro-networks.org/forum/about8…

http://www.syschat.com/how-dual-boot-win…

Answer 4

I do not recommend anyone install WindowsXP and Windows Vista on the same machine. I have run into many complaints about what will eventually occur if you do so...

What eventually happens, is that Windows Vista will start fighting against WindowsXP and visa verse. Your MBR (master boot record) will become corrupt and your operating systems will eventually become corrupted and inoperable. There was even a case where windows vista felt that windows xp was a intruder and started to delete windows xp

It is best to keep WIndows Vista on it's own system. Build your self a cheap system and use that for Windows xp.

Answer 5

To help you out here is a step by step guide to install two separate OS in two diferent drives. Just do accordingly.

LINK: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_can_you_pu…

Answer 6

I have done this myself because Vista SUCKS and most of my second party software will not run in Vista...
I have 2 separate HDDs and 1 with XP MCE, and the other w/ Vista. I started w/ vista preinstalled, and then added XP. Now to begin with, the Bios must allow boot from CD. If it isn't it can be changed on the boot selection page, ensure cd-rom is higher than any HDD. Make note of which HDD is for XP and Vista ( IDE 0, 1 ) and do a boot up w/ the xp disc in the drive. When it asks where to install, make sure to pick the correct drive. Install as usual, and hopefully ok. I have problems w/ mine, HP A1700n, because all drivers aren't on XP and Windows updates doesn't fix everything. HP was even worse at support for the drivers. Now when starting up ( especially at restart ) need to select proper drive for boot device. I have my XP HDD selected as the default Boot HDD, and then select the Vista HDD when needed by pressing F2 at startup, and just do it as a 1 time boot selection.
Good luck...

Source(s):

School of hard knocks