[MGaz]

hi. i am using windows 2000 pro sp4.

i'd like to install windows xp on my HD, i know it won't 'upgrade' win 2Kpro but i didn't want it to anyway.

My question is, can i safely install win XP on to my e: partition (that dose NOT contain win2K) ? It dose however contain files and folders (including a 'program files' folder).

will win 2k wright over anything on my e: partition? I wish to use both 2k & winXP at my discretion.

& will it give me a choice at start up? & if i should change my mind l8r on, can i safly remove XP easily enough ?

[zaim]

yeah if you install it on another partition, you will get a bootloader option before windows starts asking u which windows do u want to use

[MGaz]

and it won't over right any thing on that partition? / loose any data?


cheers for your help.

[temeteus82]

Originally Posted by MGaz

and it won't over right any thing on that partition? / loose any data?

There is option when choosing the installation destination to leave the drive as it is. So do not select the format option.

[PangingJr]

when you start the XP setup, follow the instructions on the screen... after you select that parition (the non-system partition) as in which you want to install the XP on to, and then you may select the "Leave the current file system intact (no changes)" option, however i'm not 100% sure on this since i've never done something like this, and this option may not be available for you to choose since the XP's setup program will want to reformat the partition to the XP's NTFS version.

anyway, i like to suggest you to repartition your disk drive and to prepare a new partition for the installation of XP,
if the non-system partition is a large partition, then backup the files in that partition and resize it so that you can create a new partition after it.
i also like to suggest you that: if possible, you should completely disconnected the operating systems from each other so that you can easily remove the XP from the system at later time (just boot into Windows 2000 and use its Disk Management to format the XP partition, then edit out the entry for the XP in boot.ini file, and you should have only the Windows 2000 on the next system boots.) anyway, if you want to install any programs on more than one operating system, then you must install and treat each operating system as a separate entity entirely, meaning any programs and drivers that you want to use must be installed under each operating system under which you want to use it.

[MGaz]

well windows 2000 wasn't able to make full use of the 250GB HD anyway. so i had to use that disk config program (what ever its called) before installing win 2K. it was then able to see the full 250GB's. i then updated to the win2k sp4 downloaded from microsoft.

[PangingJr]

have you gotten your answer yet?