Question about Dual Booting XP and Vista

Okay I want to dual boot XP and Vista, I understand you like need your hard drive split into two parts like this????

If so is this what two partitions are like, a C drive and a D drive? Also since Microsoft reccommends that you have 15 gigs on your hard drive after Vista, which I will have but I will probably run out of space since my hard drive is only 120 gbs. Should I get an external hard drive and install all my games on that? I've been looking into cheap 40 gig external hard drives, are these ones any good hard drive 1 , hard drive 2 . Should I even get an external hard drive? If I get one, will the performance be the same as if I installed it on the internal hard drive?

 

Well, how much space do you have now? Here's my recommended breakdown (assuming that your hard drive isn't almost filled already):

XP -> 40GB
Vista -> 40GB
Shared Data -> Remainder

As you move away from XP I'd reallocate some of that space from XP to Vista.

If you are almost filled up or are worried about space, you could get a 160GB hard drive for not too much money (I think $125-$150 and you'd be set).

The hardest thing about an external drive is worrying about it coming unplugged...if you're using an app installed there and it suddenly gets disconnected...I'm not too sure what would happen.

 

simply find out how much XP needs, then Vista too, then make the drives as they are, and then you can have both versions, but if you buy an external, your system will crash with seriously damage if it gets disconnected (already been there) so good luck m8 hopefullly it helps. and btw when you install vista, you get a folder with Windows.old, there is some files from previous version, if you install on same drive, so install 2 drives, one for games, another for windows, trust me it is best to do that

 

Well C drive and D drive has it split up pretty evenly. I haven't been able to find a hard drive that's more than 120gbs that is for a notebook. I don't plan install Vista on an external hard drive, I would plan to use the external hard drive for games. So is C drive and D drive two partitions for hard drive?

 

Is it even a good idea to dual boot?

 

Its a good Idea if you will utilize Vista but need XP to run programs or just want to do it for the experience - otherwise performance wise it isn't the greatest idea, the more drive space you use the slower the hd will perform -

 

Okay I understand that performance will decrease, but what if I run games from an external hard drive will it be fine?