Dual-Boot Vista and XP?

My laptop came with Windows XP. I can't really decide upon one laptop since
-I prefer XP because its less of a memory hog and applications run faster in it + better driver support
-But I like Vista because of its cool features, Windows Media Center, Sidebar, DX10 support since i have a 8600GT and Halo 2 requires it.

So I've decided dual-boot is the best way to go. The following is what I would like to do with dual-boot, please tell me if it is possible and how it can be done.

I want to make 3 partitions in my 120gb hard drive: XP-10gb, Vista 20gb, Apps + Media 90gb, C, D, and E respectively.

When I install applications I want them all to be in the 90gb partition, this includes games and other applications. I will also keep all my documents and videos and music.

1. Is there a way to direct the "My Documents" folders in XP and Vista to a different partition of the hard drive? This way I can have the My documents folder be the same for both OSs.

2. Some of the programs I use, ex. Word, can be used both in Vista and XP. If I install them in one OS, can I use them in the other? Say I install Photoshop on XP in the 90gb partitiion, is there a way in which I can use photoshop in vista?


Thanks for all your help

 

With regards to point 2, generally not. Programs often have settings in hidden folders and registry data that won't work correctly if you try to launch them from different operating systems. However, other programs will work (usually very simple ones). I'd suggest being prepared to install everything at least twice.

 

what about the My Documents folder and routing them to a different partition on the Hard Drive?

 

You need minimum 40GB for Vista

The installation only is 13-20GB


AS long as you have 1.5GB + RAM, XP isn't really faster for apps. My Vista boots quicker than my XP install for exemple.

I did see a BIG difference when I added 512MB of RAM

 

I don't know about Vista, but in XP you can move or change the folder by right-clicking on the My Documents folder, select properties and then you can change the target, or move the folder if you already got documents.

 

Basically...

XP or Vista

Explain your choice

 

You can change the location of My Documents in XP by using TweakUI. I'm sure there's something of this sort in Vista too. Programs (ie Office 2007, Nero, etc) have to be installed separately in each OS due to the fact that most of them change system files (registry, system32 files, changes to explorer, etc).

 

I've done something very similar to what you have.

C is XP 140gb, D is Vista 20GB.

Moving the my docs folder in XP is easy, just right click over it and there's a move button. Haven't figured out how to do it in Vista yet.

I've installed several programs on both OSs in the same directory (orifice, some cad apps, tools, etc.) You will need to install them in each OS and patch them separately (to get the registry entries.) There is no need to have the programs in different directories for each OS (double the space used.) Or at least, I haven't found a reason for it yet.

 

I think you ought to embrace vista, I had it on another drive on my system, i eventually got tired of xp mce, it took longer to become usuable once you logged on than Vista, and I got tired of getting out of vista because I had more programs in xp mce, I just did the upgrade from xp mce to vista home premium...so I will ditch the other drive and use vista exclusively.

 

What do you mean by "patch them"?

 

Rerouting My Documents in Vista: Click Start, Right-Click Documents, choose Properties, go to the Location tab, change filepath. You can change it to another hard drive partition, another disk, or even another computer if you've got the networks configured right.

Wish I'd known this was possible long ago. Kudos to Spider_3000 for mentioning it was possible or I'd never found it.

I'm assuming MonsterMaxx means applying patches the game company released onto the install on each OS.

I'm favoring XP due to compatibility issues with some of my programs. And I'll still have a Vista install if I ever do want to use it. Seriously though, are you going to let Microsoft's artificial limitations on Halo 2 get you to pay $200+ for a new OS that you don't need for anything else (at least not yet)? Come on, stand up to the giant! Play Halo 1 a bit longer - or try a new FPS!

 

nice, it works perfectly

thanks for all the help Apollo

 

Everyone ignored me except you, Apollo13. Haha. Oh well...