Select OS on startup?

Mr.Farva

Mr.Farva

New Member
Ok I have a 298GB with vista installed along with all of my other stuff. Now I have another OS I want to be use, but be able to select which one on start up. I am running vista and I do not I repeat I do not want to mess my data up. I have never done anything like this. So where do I start?

Computer>
Right Click>
Manage>
Disk Management>
Right Click (C:)>
Shrink Volume>


Then I'm lost.

Untitled-2.jpg


So on the high ligted area. Is that just asking me how much room I want the 2nd partition to have?



Another question, If I buy another hard drive do I just install my other OS on that? Or what? Im a noob.
 
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You got only one partition?? and now you want to shrink it?? to create another partition??
I seriously advice do not do it. The chance of data loss is high. If you want to do it, BACK UP all your data or you will end up regret for the rest of you life like I does now.

Yes, you can install in that partition without any problem. After you install it, when you boot, you will be asked to choose what os you want to boot.
BTW, what os you want to install??
 
There is no danger to repartition your hard drive if you have enough room. All the partition wizard do is to calculate how much empty room on one partition and it will skrink just enough. It also make sure that your current os(vista will have enough room for MS update).

As a rule of thumb when dealing with computer since god no when. You always back up your data regardless what you do on the computer.

Before you partition your hdd. Go to this link it a tuturial and it should help you out alot http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_vista_and_xp_with_vista_installed_first__the_stepbystep_guide.htm

Aslo best to install EasyBCD on your primary os first. Its a bootloader management for vista and xp. It allow you to manage which os be a default when booting up. http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1 you can download this application for free no trial and no spyware. I have used it too many time.

good luck hope it help.
 
If u will use linux as the other OS, then during installtion, ther comes an option of the default OS, either Linux or Other.
Select the "other" and rename it to vista. I dont remember exactly, but i did thid when i installed Fedora by creating a seperate partition as used by u. However data loss chances are high.
In Vista, type 'mscongif' in start menu and select 'boot'. there lists the options of installed OS and the choice for default OS, or the waiting time.
 
One more thing, if you install linux after install vista, there is a chance vista bootloader will be overwrite and you cannot boot to vista without repair it back.
 
As I said before and everyone know it, always back up your data when working on your pc or laptop. I had resized my hp laptop so I can install os 7 and I did not loss any data but then again I never use linux as an os. I have it on live cd if I want to serve the net going to a forbidden site:D where gettiing virus is high.
 
If it's possible to use another drive instead of the one your Windows is on I'd advise that. At least with Ubuntu, you can install the boot loader (grub) on the drive you install Ubuntu and it will boot Windows without a hitch (though my experience is with XP, not Vista). The less your Windows drive is messed around with the better.

If you're only using one device then make sure you defragment and unmount before the partition.
 
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