BeeR Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 (edited) I have Vista. I have "shrunk" my HD so I have a 10GB space avail to install a minimal install of XP. I bought an XP disc from someone, but when I bring it up, the "install XP" option is ghosted out. Am I "SOL" or is there some way I can "fix" it so that I can install XP on my new logical drive only? Thx! (PS I've googled and not found anything that addresses this) Edited December 21, 2009 by BeeR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 I have Vista. I have "shrunk" my HD so I have a 10GB space avail to install a minimal install of XP. I bought an XP disc from someone, but when I bring it up, the "install XP" option is ghosted out. Am I "SOL" or is there some way I can "fix" it so that I can install XP on my new logical drive only? Thx! (PS I've googled and not found anything that addresses this) You should be able to boot from the XP disk at which point you can install the OS and set it up for a dual boot system. Just don't install it into the same directory as Vista. You should be able to create a new partition in the 10GB which is what I would do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Thanks! Maybe didn't state clearly; I already created a partition/volume by using Vista's Disk Mgt tool. I rebooted and went into boot setup and it listed boot options......SATA O, SATA 1 (I assume one is my HD but no fn clue what the other is) and CD-ROM. I'm only asking because I'm paranoid: so I should make the CD my default boot device, correct? And i I do and later I have non-bootable CDs in there, will it then just default back to the HD? This fn BIOS/firmware/whatever isn't all that user friendly IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Thanks! Maybe didn't state clearly; I already created a partition/volume by using Vista's Disk Mgt tool. I rebooted and went into boot setup and it listed boot options......SATA O, SATA 1 (I assume one is my HD but no fn clue what the other is) and CD-ROM. I'm only asking because I'm paranoid: so I should make the CD my default boot device, correct? And i I do and later I have non-bootable CDs in there, will it then just default back to the HD? This fn BIOS/firmware/whatever isn't all that user friendly IMO. If you already created a second partition, then I believe Sata1 is the second partition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 If you already created a second partition, then I believe Sata1 is the second partition. I think RR is correct. Also yes, you should make the CD Rom your first boot option (default) then SATA 1 then SATA 0. This way it is a pass through search, it will go from one to the next until it finds something to boot from. If it doesn't find anything it will just move on to the next item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Many thanks. brb, have to go get my horse shoe and salt to throw over my shoulder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 I think RR is correct. Also yes, you should make the CD Rom your first boot option (default) then SATA 1 then SATA 0. This way it is a pass through search, it will go from one to the next until it finds something to boot from. If it doesn't find anything it will just move on to the next item. Good additional info. I do know that my system lists my only drive/partition is listed as '0'. Also when I was helping Whomp, we had a similar conundrum and went w/ '0', but you'd have to ask whomp to confirm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 OK I'm officially paranoid about messing w/my BIOS or what not - do y'all know if "VirtualBox" might be a quick fix ie to run a program that needs XP, won't work on Vista? Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 (edited) PC sh*t is never simple or straighforward at least where POFS Windows is concerned The XP disc won't work because it's "only" SP2 I found out, need SP3 (ie on the disc). And VirtualBox near as I can tell is freaking worthless FWIW - I install and am going thru all this setup and it asks for the XP disc. If I had that I wouldn't need freakin VirtualBox you buttheads. Does ANYONE know of some XP virtual machine type thing which actually works and doesn't require an XP disc, ie similar to DOSBox?? I just need to run one little freaking program on XP. Or if by an even bigger miracle someone knows how to make CAC readers work on Vista - but I have searched long and high and talked w/all our tech spt people, all who say you can't use these POSs with Vista. Edited December 22, 2009 by BeeR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 OK so I think what you have may be just XP SP2 on that disk. That isn't the OS to install, just a service pack update. What you need is an actual XP installation disk, it doesn't matter if it has an SP with it or not. You can download the SPs after (and should). It strikes me that if this is something work related you are trying to run on your home computer, then if you were to talk real nice to your IT people you may be able to cajole an XP disk and key from them. If not, you will have to buy one from somewhere. If I had an old one available I'd sell it to you but I never switched to Vista so I still need what I got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 Thanks but no, this is an XP install disk, allegedly with SP2 on it, not just the SP only. And I got it from an IT guy from work. But thx all the same. He is going to send me a disc with SP3 on it, but meanwhile boss people are banging on my head And you are wise never to switch to Vista. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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