How do I install Windows XP on Gateway FX P-7801u. (actually dual install)

I just got the Gateway FX P-7801u.

I'm trying to install a dual boot of Windows XP in addition to the pre-existing Windows Vista Home Premium. Has anyone done this yet? I'm getting an error after I put in the Windows XP SP2 CD, it loads the drivers, and then it says Starting Windows. This is still during the setup process. The computer suddenly crashes. There's a blue screen saying that it stopped to prevent further damage to the computer.

When I read online, it seems that the problem might be because the Windows XP SP2 installation CD does not have drivers supporting SATA drives. Does anyone have an XP compatible SATA driver for the Gateway P-7801 (or maybe P-7811 if they're similar enough?)? I tried going to the Gateway website, and they only have the Vista version of the SATA HD driver.

If anyone else has figured out how to dual install both Vista and XP on this notebook, please let me know. I'd much prefer to run XP. Thanks.

 

I'm sorry this isn't an answer to your problem, but I want to know that answer also. I also tried to install a dual boot and got the blue screen of death. The only differance is I removed my hard drive from my laptop, and used an external hard drive to do a clean copy of XP. My first attempt failed during the installation of the drivers. Everything went smooth during the second attempt until it got to "windows needs to restart" and thats when it failed the second time. Both ending with the evil blue screen of death.

So...I need that answer also.

 

Hi!

You just need to change in your computer's BIOS something of HARD DISK DRIVE or H.D.D. to COMPATIBILITY MODE, that will let you install Windows XP.

It probably won't install with the SATA drivers, but it WILL load.

 

No Ivan that is not what you want to do. Not only is that a compatibility mode, but his vista installation will no longer work, and he will have to change back and forth any time he wants to change OS.

It is easier to dual boot with XP installed first, but it is possible to install XP after Vista and make a successful dual boot system. I had dual boot XP/7 on my P7801 when I first got it, although after about a month I only wanted XP and thats how it's been for several months now. Here on my work pc I still have a dual boot XP/7 setup, and I installed XP AFTER having 7 installed for a couple months. There are MANY tutorials available online for help with dual boot systems, Im using VistaBootPro 3.2 on this computer and the dual boot works great. I was using a different program when I had XP installed first, but since you're installing XP 2nd it will probably be easiest to use VistaBootPro to modify the bootloader after you have XP installed.

You need to slipstream the sata drivers onto your XP cd (just like you said). There is a BIG thread for installing XP on the 7811 FX that has the links to the drivers and also includes a big tutorial about nlite and slipstreaming.