There are 5 partitons on the computer: 1. Recovery (came by default with new comptuer) Windows: 2. Vista 3. Windows Server 2008 Linux: 4. /boot 5. / Since my computer is new, it can boot from USB flash drives. Is there a way I can boot the setup off a USB flash drive?

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What partition are you planning on installing XP on? It appears to me that XP can't find a place to install. You may need to provide one by removing one of the Windows installations. Better idea wuld be to supply another partition or drive. Before bothering with any of this I would strongly suggest you verify WinXP drivers are available for all hardware including MBoard chipset, NIC, sound, 1394, etc. In the last week I have seen two or three people come here after removing Vista from Gateway machines, only to find some drivers aren't available for XP. In one case it was difficlut to even determine what hardware was involved.

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I used Disk Manager to shrink the Windows Vista partition by about 15Gb (I only need XP for a few programs). The unpartitioned space appeared in Disk Manager next to Vista's partition. I checked Intel's web site (the maker of most of the hardware), there seems to be drivers for most of the hardware.

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Disk Manager in Vista will do that? I am not a Linux user so forgive the question. How are you booting to the various OSes? How is that 15GB identified in Disk Management? Extended? RAW? Basic? what.

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I am booting the computer with the GRUB boot loader. Disk Manager identifies the new partiton as Unalloticated, and is located next to Windows Vista.

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Could the problem be with the type of processor I have? I am very confused with wheather I have a 32 or 64 bit processor. I have the 32 bit veersion of Vista, Vista reconizes the processor as 32 bit. But on the sticker on the computer, it says "Dual-core 64 bit processor with Intel EM64T technolay". Do I need the 64 bit version of Windows?

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No, you don't need a 64bit version of Vista. Not sure why Vista would ID your processor as 32 bit. Go to disk management, format and assign a drive letter to the 15GB. Then retry to install XP. Be aware that I don't think you will be able to change the drive letter asignment AFTER installing WinXP. After formatting you should be able to reassign all letters but the C: drive. This may mess up Grub. Give it some thought before proceeding.

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I tried the 64 bit Windows XP setup CD, it worked (which means I defently have a 64 bit processor, because the CD only loads if you have a 64 bit processor). But when I loaded it, my SATA hard drive was not detected, and since I dont have a floppy drive, I couldnt download the drivers. But if the Windows XP 64 bit setup didnt detect the SATA drive, what if the Windows XP 32 bit setup cant?

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The 64 bit version of WinXP is old, just like the 32 bit version. SATA controllers didn't exist when the OS was released. Watch the POST screens at startup to see if your SATA drive is identified there by model. If so, then all is well. Did you try doing what I suggested with the new partition? Format NTFS.

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I tried making a new partition with the free space, it says "There is not enough free space aviable on the disk(s) to complete this operation" Aperently this is a bug in Vista (http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/archive/2007/05/11/understanding-the-error-message-there-is-not-enough-space-available-on-the-disk-s-to-complete-this-operation-when-you-create-a-volume.aspx). Figures not even the one thing I found in Vista that I found good works 100% perfectly...

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You don't need to MAKE a NEW partition. Format the unallocated space using NTFS. Be careful that you don't format the wrong partition. What color is the bar across the top of the box that has the information on the unallocated space? Look carefully just to the left of that box for a different color box surrounding the unallocated box. What color is that?

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Its black

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Which is black the inner or the outer. Is that box all be itself?

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Try left clicking the unallocated partition and then go up at the top to action. What options are available? (not greyed out)

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The only option thats aviable is New Simple Volume.

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Back in response #9 you stated you created a partition from the Vista partition. I think from the simple volume option that what you have is a dynamic disk and as such I don't think you should use that to install WinXP. I was surprised that you were able to shrink the Vista partition. I don't think you can do that in WinXP. I suggest that you expand the Vista partion back to include that 15GB. Then use a partition manager to get another partition or easier yet throw another drive in if you have a connection and drive available. Use of a partition manager always carries the risk that something will go wrong. Go to Window help and type the keyword "new simple volume". You will see what I am telling you. Let me know what you decide to do.

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You have two ongoing threads elsewhere at CN and you obviously don't believe anyone. Jam stated it best with Maybe someone else can clear this up because he obviously doesn't believe me...lol http://computing.net/windowsvista/w... http://computing.net/gaming/wwwboar... i_Xp/VistaUser

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