Member Avatar for sisi

Hello , i just bought a laptop with window vista install inside already but i want to install my window xp too .SO when ever i try to boot with xp cd they show there is no disk. I mean when the xp cd read all files and go to install xp the xp cant read my latap disk .SO i need to help to install xp inside with vista plz thx you

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Peteieboy
Member Avatar for imras.b

please make free the one of yours partition your hdd,than inser the bootable windows xp cd,than you can instal the windows xp os to that free partition

Member Avatar for Peteieboy

Hi sisi. windows vista handles its boot files and partitions diff from windows xp. so xp wont understand a drive managed by vista.

to make a dual boot system you need special tools that rebuild the vista boot files and add xp boot files to them. google for dual booting vista. youre option is the hardest to deal with as you most likley dont have a vista bootable dvd to boot from. if you did you could backup your drive and wipe it and install xp then vista which is the simple path to take.

your looking for EasyBCD 1.7 or higher, this is a tool that allows you to install xp after vista. any partitions you want are best set up in vista via control panel/system and maintenance\admin tools\computer management

dont put xp and vista in the same partition or they will kick the crap out of each other.

i dont know your pc skills so no i'lls intended, but you must backup your excisting partions on laptop before you start especially the recovery partion.

You say xp cant read the hd, in some cases laptop sata drive interfaces Aren’t recognized by xp so you may have to identify the drivers and build a boot cd with them added.

well thats given you stuff to think about best google for dualbooting vista on youre make of laptop also, some ones prob done it....

Member Avatar for sisi

Hello ,thanks for you reply to my thread with all this good information .Now i will be able to search for the dualbooting and try to install xp on vista.Therefore , i do have one more question concerning my harddrive.You mention i should make a recorvery cd to make my harddrive reconise by xp .SO i already have the backup cd of my laptop .I already made that cd when i instal vista first . So can you help me out how i can make my hd apprear thx you

Member Avatar for Ole Raptor

the link i posted above gives the directions from beginning to end.

Member Avatar for sisi

Yes thx for the link. But they mention you need to put vista dvd and boot my latop .I dont have vista Dvd .

Member Avatar for sisi

CAn you help me to play the gparted file ?

Member Avatar for sisi

I dont know how to use gparted ? Can any one help me out please . I try everything to make a free space in my drive but its cant be reconigze when i put xp cd inside.

Member Avatar for Peteieboy

Hi sisi.. ..

The vista backup dvd is for when you want to restore the laptop to prev state should things go wrong. it wont help xp find the hard disk..

if you want to prepare the partition for xp before you begin, Boot to vista and use its disk management tools to free up some space on drive and make a partition.

If you had a vista dvd you could use its disk tools by booting from it.. forget about vista dvds and focus on gparted and the easybcd tools the link prof pc gave you has all the right info if you dig deep enough.

heres another link to download an iso image of gparted which you can burn to cd by using your burning software. the site also has manuals and guides for using gparted.. This might be an easier option 4u or it might not... its something else to try.. info alone might be enough..!!!


1.......prepare a partition on laptop HD
2.......boot to xp and install it to new partion
3.......start xp and install the easybcd tool
4.......use easybcd to repair the vista boot files (which also adds the xp boot info to vista boot files)

If..... after setting up a partition you boot to xp and it cant find the new partition or the laptop HD then xp does not have the drivers on its cd for SATA interface on the laptop.. its a rare scenario but does happen.. if this happens to you then you have to research you're laptops hardware and find xp drivers for it. (make sure xp cd is SP2 aswell before starting!!! prob is..)

problem is you will still need other software tools to build a new xp boot cd that includes the new found drivers.. I hope xp does find your sata drive on laptop because if not it will double the amount of work involved...

good luck..

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