Dual (disk) Boot XP pro - Vista ultimate.Format and re-install XP

You cannot 'upgrade' Windows Vista to Windows XP - that is technically a 'downgrade' and would need you to save all your user data on Vista then format you Windows drive then do a clean install of Windows XP.

If you try to install XP over the top of Vista you will have lots of problems because of the difference in architecture and boot manager changes.

The only alternative would be to set up a dual-boot installation where you install XP alongside Vista but would be best done on either a separate disk partition or on a second disk. Normally such a dual-boot configuration would start with having XP installed then adding Vista as the second operating system.

Hi,
You need to set it up for dual boot. There are loads of tutorials, but here's one;

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

Good luck

Zahc

If I've helped, please rate me!!

Yes you can format computer with vista disk and instal new windows.
Inser that vista disk into cd/dvd rom then when you power up the computer press F1 or F2 del or ALT+F2 key to enter in bios.
Then go to boot menu and set first boot device as cd /dvd rom then save settings and exit from bios.
Then it boot with windows disk.Then follow the procedure and choose installing new windows xp then select 1 partition and format it then it install windows vista on it.It will take 30 to 45 minutes to complete the installation.
Let me know if you need further assistance.
Thanks for using FixYa.

If you have a valid Win XP Pro CD and want to install the operating system you'll need to format your hard disk drive. If you have allot of data on you're hard disk drive, (In Win 2000) Suggest you create a second partition within the free space of you're hdd and install windows XP Pro. Boot you're system with the XP CD. Pay close attention to the display screens. Follow the instructions for creating a second partition.
Format the new partition. (Quick). Install windows XP on the new partition. Once completed you can copy your personal data to win XP.
If you choose to keep the win 2000 partition and you do not wish to have a dual boot system than remove/delete the root files from the 2000 partition. These files; Autoexec.bat and Boot.ini. You're new XP Boot.ini should read like this;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer
Once you're satisfied an no longer need win 2000 use windows diskmgmt.msc from the run command to delete the win 2000 partition.
Win 2000 uses a FAT16 where Win XP uses the FAT NTFS.

Cheers!
Mike

How to dual boot Vista and XP (with Vista installed first) -- the step-by-step guide with screenshots

UPDATED | Got a Vista PC and want to install XP so you can dual-boot between them? Here's how to do it, in an easy, step-by-step format. Page 1 - Intro

Scenario: You want to install Vista on your PC alongside your XP installation, on the same drive. You have installed Vista already. (If you have XP installed first, check out our earlier tutorial on how to dual boot Vista and XP with XP installed first.)
Tutorial Summary: We need to shrink the Vista partition on the hard disk and create enough space for an installation of XP. This can be done in three ways - using the GPartEd Live CD, the DISKPART utility on the Vista DVD or the Vista Disk Management GUI - and we'll cover all three. We'll then install XP and install EasyBCD to reinstate the Vista bootloader which will be overwritten during the XP installation, and then use EasyBCD to configure Vista's bootloader to boot the XP partition.
Updated September 2008: This is an updated tutorial, based on our first Windows Vista/XP dual-booting workshop. The main differences are that we are now using Windows Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3. EasyBCD has also been updated and this makes some of the steps in our first tutorial redundant - the whole process is now easier.
This tutorial has been tested on a VMWare 6 Workstation.

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VISIT THIS FOR THE COMPLETE TUTORIAL :
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_vista_and_xp_with_vista_installed_first__the_stepbystep_guide.htm
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Don't try to edit the xp boot.ini or the vista bootloader. It only leads to other problems and headaches.
Try this first: Take note as to which drive has vista on it, put your vista installation cd in the drive and let it boot to the "installation window", then choose "repair", then "startup repair." Make sure you choose the drive that already has vista on it. Let that run and when it re-boots you should then be given a choice to boot to vista or "other windows".
There is also a (free) program called EasyBCD. Download that, read the directions and have at it.
If none of that works, you'll have to do a clean install. Install XP on one drive first, then Vista on the second drive in that order. The Vista bootloader will pick up the XP. However, XP is NOT forward compatible and will not recognize the Vista bootloader. Make sure that you don't have any flashdrives or media cards plugged in before doing the install.
Another approach would be to shrink the Vista volume, creat a new partition, then install Linux Ubuntu that partition. Linux will detect all of the OS's and create a boot menu. Unfortunately, you'll lose about 5 gigs to the Linux OS and it's swap partition, but then, you get to goof around with Linux :-)

Install XP first, then install Vista

Boot to Vista. Then

• right-click "my computer", then "properties".
• click the "Advanced" section (Vista: on the left side bar).
• In the section that says "Startup and Recovery", click "settings".
• Under "Default operating system", choose "Windows Vista".
• REMOVE the checks next to "Time to display list of..." and "Time to display recovery options..."
• click ok to everything.

Now you will need to remove Windows XP.
IMPORTANT: for the next step make sure you boot to Windows Vista. Otherwise you could corrupt your computer.

• Go to "Start", "Control Panel"
• Open "Administrative Tools"
• next, open "Computer Management".
• On the left, there's a side bar. Under "Storage", click "Disk Management".

• Now, If windows XP is on drive C:\,
  right click C:\ and select "Format"
• Click "OK".

hope this helps.

OK YOU NEED A DISK WIPE/ HARD DRIVE WIPE THERE ARE A TONE OF THEM ON EBAY FOR GOOD PRICES BUT MAKESHURE THAT YOU GET THE ONES ON DISK NOT A DOWNLOAD OR USE THE INSTAL DISK FROM THE WIN VISTA AND FOLOW THE STEPS AS BOOT FROM THE DISK AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS UNTILL YOU GET TO THE PARTITION SPOT, THERE YOU JUST NEED TO DEL THE PARTITION AND THEN CLOSE THE INSTAL, EJECT THE DISK , REBOOT , AND BOOT FROM YOUR WIN XP DISK AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FROM THERE ON

SEE WINDOWS WONT LET YOU INSTALL A PREVIOUS VERSION OF ITS SELF BUT I WOULD USE A WIPE DISK SO YOU DONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY "BLADING" OF DATA

windows xp cannot be installed on a system with pre loaded vista . because the boot loader of xp is older than vista as it cannot create boot loader . the order of installing operating systems is from LOWER 2 HIGHER ie XP to VISTA . first of all u nedd to format drive containing vista and then try installing xp