This computer came with Vista pre-installed. I would like to add XP-Pro in a dual boot setup in which Vista remains as C: and XP-Pro becomes D:. I will also be setting up two other partitions - one for data and one for media. I understand I can setup dual boot in Vista using Disk Management. I also own Norton Partition Magic 8.0 which comes with their Boot Magic utility. The question is: which method would be better for setting up the dual boot system? In the past, I've used PM and have had great success with it. That, however, was on ME/2000/XP systems. Given that Vista is so different, perhaps using a third-party boot manager wouldn't be so good? Also, this computer has a 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive. Can XP Pro be installed on a serial ATA drive? Thanks in advance! - Susan

If you do a search for this task, you'll get more than a few returns, albeit with one underlying caveat: It is always good to have XP installed first & Vista last so that your Vista bootloader isn't overwritten by XP. However, tools like EasyBCD makes the issue easy to fix. The other good thing is: you do not need PM to get the above accomplished. http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/vi... http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_... Jabbering Idiots: Everywhere You Look!

Thanks for the quick reply, Sabertooth. You're right - when I initially did a search here on this topic, I did get a lot of results. Most seem to involve scenarios in which XP was installed first (which is not my situation) and cases in which people have a bootable Vista DVD (which I don't have, as the OS was pre-installed.) Also... I understand that since this computer has a SATA drive, I need to make sure I have Windows XP SATA Controller drivers available as they may be necessary for Windows XP setup to be able to "see" the partition on which you intend to install it. So, I guess my question is this - given the above, will using a third-party program like Norton's Boot Magic be the better method? I read in another post on this topic that the above-mentioned issues can be bypassed if the new partition with the XP boot installation is "hidden" from Vista. I think that's exactly how Boot Magic works - it "hides" the secondary operating system from the first. Or, are these two different issues -- installing a second OS in a new partition and making that second OS bootable? Thanks, Susan

There are really TWO underlying caveats. Beside what Sabertooth already told you above, do yourself a favor and search the internet for Windows XP-compatible drivers for your Toshiba. If you cannot find all the drivers you need, spare yourself the agony of trying multibooting. Also be aware that Partition Magic is incompatible with Windows Vista. i_Xp/VistaUser

Thanks, XPUser - Just got back from visiting the Norton website to discover, regretably, that you're right - Partition Magic (and the built-in Boot Magic) are incompatible with Vista. :-( So, off now to see whether I can find XP drivers for this Toshiba. Am I correct in assuming that if Toshiba doesn't provide XP drivers for this machine, there's absolutely no way I can install XP and dual boot with it? :-( Or, does anyone know a work-around? Thanks again.

That was a really good hint back there from Xp - ahem - VistaUser! You definitely want to arm yourself, or know ahead of time, how & where to obtain XP drivers for the applicable components on your Toshiba model. I just checked & it looks like there are several versions of that model listed under Toshiba's driver page. If you are lucky & you happen to have one with XP & Vista drivers for your components. Then you ought to be able to get this dualboot going fairly easily. http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/... Jabbering Idiots: Everywhere You Look!

Yeah, I got excited about that page when I first saw all the drivers that are available for this model - P305D-S8818. Unfortunately, no windows XP SATA Controller drivers listed. And I'm assuming without XP drivers for the hard drive itself, I'm out of luck? Should I give up and just force myself to get familiar with Vista? I mean... how much worse than XP is it, really? Thanks!