multiboot winxp, vista32 and vista64

in order to multi-boot between xp, v32 and v64 do I have to install a special boot loader?

Or simply create three separate partitions for each and install them?

Please advise.

Thanks.

whats the point in running both vista 32 and 64??

I thought driver issues were a thing of the past now. I have yet to run across anything i cant load up on my vista ult 64.

but then again maybe thats just me.

ludeboy12 said:

whats the point in running both vista 32 and 64??

I thought driver issues were a thing of the past now. I have yet to run across anything i cant load up on my vista ult 64.

but then again maybe thats just me.

Click to expand...

game performance......... what have you read about games not performing under vista 64 as good as under vista 32.?

Mito said:

game performance......... what have you read about games not performing under vista 64 as good as under vista 32.?

Click to expand...

I haven't read anything like that :^/. For a dual boot wouldn't XP and Vista64 get you everything you need?

ya i haven't read anything about that either...

The game performance drop that sometimes appears in games is only noticable if you stare at the fps counter instead of playing the game.

(modified and added to sig!)

I would also like to add a Linux dist to a fourth partition.

How would it load later on?

Mito said:

I would also like to add a Linux dist to a fourth partition.

How would it load later on?

Click to expand...

Install that last, and it'll use the grub bootloader for you to select an O/S. If it were me I'd install XP, Vista64, then use VMware to load Linux in a VM under Vista64.

Mito said:

...Or simply create three separate partitions for each and install them?

Click to expand...

You do not need a separate boot loader to multi-boot windows operation systems. The ability to multi-boot is built into all windows versions. You just have to install the OSs in the order thay MS released them. For example 98 before XP, XP before Vista.

Be aware that you can install the operating systems on separate partitions (or separate disks, for that matter) but they will all boot off of the first sector of the boot disk (sector one, disk 0). All the operating systems that are installed will store information about the locations of the files they need for booting there. Part of that information will be the location of boot.ini or bootmgr.exe, the Xp and Vista boot loaders, respectively.

The problem is that, inorder to boot XP, the Vista boot loaders call boot.ini. So if the bootmgr.exe file gets corrupted...no Vista and no XP.

Multi booting has some great advantages, and Microsoft has done a lot to make it secure and stable, but there are some inherent risks.

billb said:

So if the bootmgr.exe file gets corrupted...no Vista and no XP.

Click to expand...

should that happen, just access the ntfs partition (hiren boot, for instance) and replace bootmgr.exe, right?

johnz said:

I haven't read anything like that :^/. For a dual boot wouldn't XP and Vista64 get you everything you need?

Click to expand...

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=42858