7811 Dual booting

Hi All.

I just got a 7811 and I'd like to install XP on a separate partition. I see that there's one called "data". It seems to be blank, but on my other Gateway there were recovery files there (are they hidden)?

Should I use that partition to load in XP for dual booting, or should I create another partition? How big should that partition be (I'll not be using it beyond the OS and logging into my workplace)? If I do need a 3rd partion what's the best way of creating one? Do I have to get Partion Magic?

thanks in advance,

Frank

 

GParted is a good (safe) software, to create/resize partitions. No idea about the recovery partition. You could check out that partition in disk management and see if it is vacant or not. And you will need to make a separate partition if you want to install an extra OS, and then setup dual-boot.

Also check out this link.

 

Personally I would just buy another hard drive and load XP on it and just use the BIOS boot function. I got a refurbished 160GB 7200rpm drive from Geeks.com for around $69. Unfortunately it doesn't look like they have any 7200rpm drives right now but they have a 5400rpm drive for $47.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=ST9160821AS-R&cat=HDD

Also, I think you'll have to change the hard drive setting in the bios to from AHCI to IDE in order to load XP and you'll also need to slipstream the hard drive controller drivers into your XP install or XP won't see be able to see the drive to install too.

CRU1966

 

I didn't have to slipstream anything when I installed XP on my second hard drive. I did have to change the hard drive setting to Compatibility (IDE) in the BIOS though. For the hard drive controller, I just downloaded them from Gateway's site to a flash drive, stuck it in when the XP install asked if I wanted to install any drivers, and selected it from the jump drive folder. No slipstream necessary.

 

Is there a cooling or battery life issue if I install a 2nd hard drive?
My preference is actually to use the existing drive since my company might actually get their act together and support Vista (then I won't need XP).

 

Danja: Do you know if your eSATA port works? I did not install any SATA drivers and my port is not working.

 

I just installed another drive and am dual booting XP pro x64 as well as the factory installed Vista Home Ed x64.

Kept the BIOS HD settings to AHCI and F6 floppy installed the drivers. Installed XP x64 onto the new drive without a hitch.

Now when I try to boot from the original HD I get a "No OS found" message. When I boot to XP x64 all of the data appears to be intact and everything looks normal.

Any ideas?

 

Easiest is to use one of the Vista boot handlers.
http://lifehacker.com/software/dual-boot/dual-boot-windows-xp-on-a-pre+installed-vista-pc-248936.php

or

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_...talled_first__the_stepbystep_guide.htm?page=4

 

TYVM.

Vista Bootloader to the rescue

Funny thing is that I have set up several dual boot desktops in the past, and never had to do this before.

I think I installed the XP version first each time, which is prob why I never needed to use this before Im guessing.....

Thx again

 

Yep, XP first is automatic ... XP second screws up the boot loader.