## Creating Dual Boot Systems

### For Windows computers

Release of Windows Vista has given a new impetus to the problem of establishing a dual boot system. In this connection we decided to consider two the most frequently used situations a rank and file user may face, i.e. Windows Vista + Windows XP and Windows XP + Windows Vista. Please note that for reasons of better security and system independence these operating systems will be installed on different partitions. That is why we need to hide the first system partition before installation of the second OS.

#### Windows Vista + Windows XP

Suppose you have got Windows Vista coming with your brand new computer. Everything is great except one thing – your favourite applications simply reject to work correctly on it. Software updates are expected to release in the near future, but you cannot wait any more. Thus the best way out is to leave Windows Vista intact and install the time-proved Windows XP.

Most likely you have only one hard disk with only one partition (the only partition is always system). To install the second operating system you need to repartition your drive first, as it requires a separate primary partition.

##### Install New OS Wizard

| This scenario implies that operating systems will be installed on different partitions to provide better security and system independence.

1. Click the Install New OS item of the Wizards menu.

| There are other ways to start up this function, please consult the Interface Overview chapter to know more on the subject.

2. On the Wizard's Welcome page, click the Next button.

3. Select the appropriate option to create a new primary partition on your hard disk.

4. On the next page of the wizard, define size of the new partition. If the selected hard disk contains blocks of free space, the wizard will automatically merge them all and allocate the resulted space to create the partition. If not, it will take 50% of the unused space of an adjacent partition, thus resizing it.

5. The next page enables to specify a file system and a number of additional parameters. Since we are going to install Windows XP, the most preferable file systems are NTFS and FAT32. Click the Yes button to continue.

| On this page you can specify a number of additional parameters that can also be of help. However here we pay attention to the most relevant to fulfill our task.

6. Enter a label for the future partition in the textual field. It will later be used for the drive identification.

7. The program will carry out all the necessary operations and then automatically restart the computer to initiate the installation process.

| If you’ve changed your mind on installing a new operating system, don’t insert its distributive CD but press ESC when the following message appears:

8. Install Windows XP on the newly created partition. We won’t go into details as for its installation, as you can find all the necessary information in documentation that comes with the product. However to avoid any problems, we consider it necessary to draw your attention on the following issues:

- You need a bootable distributive CD of Windows XP to install it;

- To automatically start your computer from this CD, make sure the on-board BIOS is set up to boot from CD first or press F12 during startup to select a bootable device;

- Do not forget to select the newly created partition as destination.

9. So if everything is OK, you’ve got to have by this moment Windows XP successfully installed. Your Windows Vista however is still non-bootable. To fix this issue you need to launch the Boot Manager Setup wizard. To do that, please install our program once again, but this time in Windows XP to activate Boot Manager.

| To avoid double installation, please use our recovery media to activate Boot Manager.

10. Click Boot Management and then select Boot Manager in the Express Launcher.

11. Set up the Boot Manager wizard. The parameters offered by default will do in our case, so just complete the wizard and it will automatically find the two operating systems and update the MBR.

12. Now restart the computer to make sure you have got a dual boot system.

##### Traditional way

| This scenario implies that operating systems will be installed on different partitions to provide better security and system independence.

1. In the main window select your hard disk on the Disk Map to make a block of free space on it.

2. Release some free space (not less than 10 GB to install Windows XP) from the partition. To do that, please call the context menu for the selected partition (right click of the mouse button) and launch the Move/Resize dialog.

3. In the opened dialog shift the edge of the partition to the left by the drag-and-drop technique. While doing this, free space from the partition will be released (displayed in aqua-green). You can also do it manually by entering the exact size of free space. Click the Yes button to continue.

| The Move/Resize dialog offers a number of additional parameters that can also be of help. However here we pay attention to the most relevant to fulfill our task.

4. Now you have a block of free space sufficient in size to hold a new partition.

5. Create a new partition to install Windows XP. To do that, please call the context menu for a newly created block of free space (right click of the mouse button) and launch the Create Partition dialog.

6. Define parameters of the future partition. By all means it has to be primary and since we are going to install Windows XP, the most preferable file systems are NTFS and FAT32. Click the Yes button to continue.

| The Create Partition dialog offers a number of additional parameters that can also be of help. However here we pay attention to the most relevant to fulfill our task.

7. As a result of the operation we have got a newly created FAT32 partition just enough in size to comfortably work with Windows XP.

8. Hide the Windows Vista partition to avoid writing any data on it during the Windows XP installation, as it is the best way to provide system independence. To do that, please call the context menu for it (right click of the mouse button) and launch the Hide Partition dialog. Click the Yes button to continue.

| Hiding of the system partition will make OS non-bootable, what is quite normal.

9. Apply all introduced changes. By default, our program works in the virtual mode of execution, so you have to confirm all operations to let the program accomplish them. To do that, just click the Apply button on the Virtual Operations Bar.

10. The program will require the system restart to accomplish the operation in a special boot-up mode. Click the appropriate button to agree.

| After all the operations are completed you will not be able to restart the system, what is quite normal. Nevertheless if you do try it, the following error will occur:

11. Install Windows XP on the newly created partition. We won’t go into details as for its installation, as you can find all the necessary information in documentation that comes with the product. However to avoid any problems, we consider it necessary to draw your attention on the following issues:

- You need a bootable distributive CD of Windows XP to install it;

- To automatically start your computer from this CD, make sure the on-board BIOS is set up to boot from CD first or press F12 during startup to select a bootable device;

- Do not forget to select the newly created partition as destination.

| Installation of Windows XP will make Windows Vista non-bootable.

12. Launch the Boot Manager Setup wizard. As your Windows Vista is non-bootable any more, you need to install our program once again, but this time in Windows XP to activate Boot Manager.

| To avoid double installation, please use our recovery media to activate Boot Manager.

13. Click Boot Management and then select Boot Manager in the Express Launcher.

14. Set up the Boot Manager wizard. The parameters offered by default will do in our case, so just complete the wizard and it will automatically find the two operating systems and update the MBR.

15. Now restart the computer to make sure you have got a dual boot system.

#### Windows XP + Windows Vista

If you’ve got Windows XP and are willing to try the latest Windows Vista but not sure your favorite applications will flawlessly work on it, the best way out is to leave the time-proved Windows XP intact and install Windows Vista for studying purposes.

As this very situation is very close to the previous one, please use the Windows Vista + Windows XP scenario. However please take into consideration one more step you need to accomplish if you decide to use the traditional scenario:

1. Besides hiding of the system partition before installation of the second OS you need to make it inactive as well. To do that, please call the context menu for it (right click of the mouse button) and launch the corresponding dialog. Click the Yes button to continue;

#### Reviving the system partition

In case you are not able or not willing to complete the mentioned above scenarios, but have already reached the point when all changes are applied and everything is ready to install the second OS, please do the following to make your system bootable once again (only relevant for the traditional scenario):

1. Start up the computer from our Linux/DOS recovery media.

| Recovery Media Builder can help you prepare our recovery environment either on a CD/DVD disc or a thumb drive. To automatically boot from the recovery media please make sure the on-board BIOS is set up to boot from CD/USB first.

2. In the Linux launch menu select Partition Manager.

3. In the main window select your non-bootable Windows partition on the Disk Map.

4. Unhide the partition by calling the context menu for it (right click of the mouse button) and then selecting Unhide.

5. Only for the Windows XP + Windows Vista scenario you need to make the system partition active as well by calling the context menu for it (right click of the mouse button) and then selecting Set Active.

6. You will be notified after the operations are completed.

7. Restart the computer.