i made a post earlier about problems i'm having with my new computer. my hard drive doesn't fit in this new computer and there's no spot on the motherboard for it. So I bought a nexxtech hard drive enclosure and a i/omagic hard drive enclosure, neither 1 worked. i initially thought it was because the first hard drive i put in was too large (500gb). but i try'd to put in an 80gb and that didn't work. both hard drives are set to master i even try'd cable select, no luck. so i'm convinced the problem could be Vista since both boxes say the usb enclosures work with xp 98 and me but none say anything about vista. So i give up.............besides a few apps i use don't work with vista.

so my question is...........can i install xp on this computer without deleting vista? if so how, and will it kill my ram? I like the look and features of vista so i don't want to delete it, unfortunately i have know cd, it came already installed on my computer. So what are my options???

if i have to delete vista, how can i found out my own license number? and when i get it, can i just dl vista offline and put my license in? thanks

plenty of guides like this how to install XP after Vista.

however, backing up your precious documents and files is mandatory in case something goes wrong. a far safer solution that may satisfy your needs would be virtualization. i recommend VirtualBox
(free) with full USB support.

How to dual boot Vista and XP (with Vista installed first)

i_Xp/VistaUser

Since you ask, I suggest you install Virtual PC.

I read it wrong and answer it wrong too. So get off my case you peanut.

Are the cables IDE or Sata for the hard drives?
IDE just piggy back and set the hard drive u want XP on as master and other as slave. Sata, u should have more than one port for sata drives if its a computer in the last 2 years or so. If not just unplug your old drive plug in new drive and start comp with XP disc in CD-drive and change bios setting to boot from CD first and change it back to the hard drive when the computer reboots after installing intializing files from XP. Only other way to do it is to back up all files on hard drive u are using now and reformat with 2 partitions. And make sure you are using a Stand alone copy of XP and not an update disc.