Dual Boot Issue With XP Pro and VISTA Ultimate

- I've already have XP Pro installed on my Dell Laptop
- Created a 15G partition on the same HDD using Partition Magic
- Went to BIOS and changed the Boot sequence to Boot From CD
- Inserted my Vista CD
- Vista started loading the files.........
- Entered the Product Key
- On the next screen, where you choose where to install vista, I have C, E,
and F partitons and I can select each of them, but the "NEXT" is grayed out.
I wanted to install the Vista on my F partion (all are NTFS) but the "Next"
is grayed out and on the bottom left hand side there is a message saying"
windows can not install the OS on this partion".
-Tried to delete the partion, format the partions, but getting the same
message.

Note:
- 5 months ago I successfully was able to install the VISTA on this laptop,
dualbooted with XP. But not anymore.
- My Admin formated my laptop 3 months ago as I moved to a different group
within my organization and there wasn't a need to use VISTA. But now, I want
to use both XP and VISTA again.

Any Idea how to fix this?

Create a partition of at least 20 -30GB. A 15GB partition
is the bare minimum and let setup format the partition NTFS.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------

"f_r_e_d" <> wrote in message news:8C427B2B-FC52-4709-9CAC-...
- I've already have XP Pro installed on my Dell Laptop
- Created a 15G partition on the same HDD using Partition Magic
- Went to BIOS and changed the Boot sequence to Boot From CD
- Inserted my Vista CD
- Vista started loading the files.........
- Entered the Product Key
- On the next screen, where you choose where to install vista, I have C, E,
and F partitons and I can select each of them, but the "NEXT" is grayed out.
I wanted to install the Vista on my F partion (all are NTFS) but the "Next"
is grayed out and on the bottom left hand side there is a message saying"
windows can not install the OS on this partion".
-Tried to delete the partion, format the partions, but getting the same
message.

Note:
- 5 months ago I successfully was able to install the VISTA on this laptop,
dualbooted with XP. But not anymore.
- My Admin formated my laptop 3 months ago as I moved to a different group
within my organization and there wasn't a need to use VISTA. But now, I want
to use both XP and VISTA again.

Any Idea how to fix this?

System requirements for Windows Vista :
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919183/en-us

20-gigabyte (GB) hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space

--
Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm
Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson

"f_r_e_d" <> wrote in message
news:8C427B2B-FC52-4709-9CAC-...
> - I've already have XP Pro installed on my Dell Laptop
> - Created a 15G partition on the same HDD using Partition Magic
> - Went to BIOS and changed the Boot sequence to Boot From CD
> - Inserted my Vista CD
> - Vista started loading the files.........
> - Entered the Product Key
> - On the next screen, where you choose where to install vista, I have C,
> E,
> and F partitons and I can select each of them, but the "NEXT" is grayed
> out.
> I wanted to install the Vista on my F partion (all are NTFS) but the
> "Next"
> is grayed out and on the bottom left hand side there is a message saying"
> windows can not install the OS on this partion".
> -Tried to delete the partion, format the partions, but getting the same
> message.
>
> Note:
> - 5 months ago I successfully was able to install the VISTA on this
> laptop,
> dualbooted with XP. But not anymore.
> - My Admin formated my laptop 3 months ago as I moved to a different group
> within my organization and there wasn't a need to use VISTA. But now, I
> want
> to use both XP and VISTA again.
>
> Any Idea how to fix this?

Thanks Mark, and Thanks Carey. I will make a Bigger partition and re-try asap.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> Create a partition of at least 20 -30GB. A 15GB partition
> is the bare minimum and let setup format the partition NTFS.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience -
> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "f_r_e_d" <> wrote in message news:8C427B2B-FC52-4709-9CAC-...
> - I've already have XP Pro installed on my Dell Laptop
> - Created a 15G partition on the same HDD using Partition Magic
> - Went to BIOS and changed the Boot sequence to Boot From CD
> - Inserted my Vista CD
> - Vista started loading the files.........
> - Entered the Product Key
> - On the next screen, where you choose where to install vista, I have C, E,
> and F partitons and I can select each of them, but the "NEXT" is grayed out.
> I wanted to install the Vista on my F partion (all are NTFS) but the "Next"
> is grayed out and on the bottom left hand side there is a message saying"
> windows can not install the OS on this partion".
> -Tried to delete the partion, format the partions, but getting the same
> message.
>
> Note:
> - 5 months ago I successfully was able to install the VISTA on this laptop,
> dualbooted with XP. But not anymore.
> - My Admin formated my laptop 3 months ago as I moved to a different group
> within my organization and there wasn't a need to use VISTA. But now, I want
> to use both XP and VISTA again.
>
> Any Idea how to fix this?
>

"f_r_e_d" <> wrote in message
news:8C427B2B-FC52-4709-9CAC-...
>- I've already have XP Pro installed on my Dell Laptop
> - Created a 15G partition on the same HDD using Partition Magic
> - Went to BIOS and changed the Boot sequence to Boot From CD
> - Inserted my Vista CD
> - Vista started loading the files.........
> - Entered the Product Key
> - On the next screen, where you choose where to install vista, I have C,
> E,
> and F partitons and I can select each of them, but the "NEXT" is grayed
> out.
> I wanted to install the Vista on my F partion (all are NTFS) but the
> "Next"
> is grayed out and on the bottom left hand side there is a message saying"
> windows can not install the OS on this partion".
> -Tried to delete the partion, format the partions, but getting the same
> message.
>
> Note:
> - 5 months ago I successfully was able to install the VISTA on this
> laptop,
> dualbooted with XP. But not anymore.
> - My Admin formated my laptop 3 months ago as I moved to a different group
> within my organization and there wasn't a need to use VISTA. But now, I
> want
> to use both XP and VISTA again.
>
> Any Idea how to fix this?

Please see
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/926185
To complete the setup of XP and Vista on the same computer. Otherwise you
will lose Vista's recovery options every time you boot into XP.

Thanks Colin, I will do this for sure.

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> "f_r_e_d" <> wrote in message
> news:8C427B2B-FC52-4709-9CAC-...
> >- I've already have XP Pro installed on my Dell Laptop
> > - Created a 15G partition on the same HDD using Partition Magic
> > - Went to BIOS and changed the Boot sequence to Boot From CD
> > - Inserted my Vista CD
> > - Vista started loading the files.........
> > - Entered the Product Key
> > - On the next screen, where you choose where to install vista, I have C,
> > E,
> > and F partitons and I can select each of them, but the "NEXT" is grayed
> > out.
> > I wanted to install the Vista on my F partion (all are NTFS) but the
> > "Next"
> > is grayed out and on the bottom left hand side there is a message saying"
> > windows can not install the OS on this partion".
> > -Tried to delete the partion, format the partions, but getting the same
> > message.
> >
> > Note:
> > - 5 months ago I successfully was able to install the VISTA on this
> > laptop,
> > dualbooted with XP. But not anymore.
> > - My Admin formated my laptop 3 months ago as I moved to a different group
> > within my organization and there wasn't a need to use VISTA. But now, I
> > want
> > to use both XP and VISTA again.
> >
> > Any Idea how to fix this?
>
> Please see
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/926185
> To complete the setup of XP and Vista on the same computer. Otherwise you
> will lose Vista's recovery options every time you boot into XP.
>