«

Is it possible to install Windows XP Professional 64x and Windows XP
Professional 32bit on the same machine (perhaps by using 2 HDs instead of
one) in order to be able to select between the 2 operating Systems at Start
Up like you currently can with pretty much any version of Windows ?

I hope it is, I would like to be able to keep my 32-bit system for all of my
older applications, get a few more drives and use Windows 64-bit for
Recording Studio Applications alone such as Sonar 5 Producer Edition which
supports 64x and other Audio tools that will benefit from the increased power.

I am currently debating wether or not to install the trial because of this,
I'm not sure if I really feel like making an Image of my current system
incase I decide 64x isn't for me or for when my trial is up and I don't have
money to purchase it just yet.

Hopefully somone may answer. Thanks !

Almost everyone here does it. Yes, you can dual boot.


"DavienC" <> wrote in message
news:EA4A1D8A-678A-4756-832D-...
> Is it possible to install Windows XP Professional 64x and Windows XP
> Professional 32bit on the same machine (perhaps by using 2 HDs instead of
> one) in order to be able to select between the 2 operating Systems at
> Start
> Up like you currently can with pretty much any version of Windows ?
>
> I hope it is, I would like to be able to keep my 32-bit system for all of
> my
> older applications, get a few more drives and use Windows 64-bit for
> Recording Studio Applications alone such as Sonar 5 Producer Edition which
> supports 64x and other Audio tools that will benefit from the increased
> power.
>
> I am currently debating wether or not to install the trial because of
> this,
> I'm not sure if I really feel like making an Image of my current system
> incase I decide 64x isn't for me or for when my trial is up and I don't
> have
> money to purchase it just yet.
>
> Hopefully somone may answer. Thanks !

If your hardware can support it, go for it. I've been dual booting for the
past coupla weeks, and the biggest surprise has been how well 64 bit works.
I installed the trial with the intention of testing it here and there, but
now I work 90% of the time in it; only use 32 bit when I need to print to
our color copier. I think you'll find that you'll be able to do much more in
64 bit than you imagine, and it runs very well.


"DavienC" <> wrote in message
news:EA4A1D8A-678A-4756-832D-...
> Is it possible to install Windows XP Professional 64x and Windows XP
> Professional 32bit on the same machine (perhaps by using 2 HDs instead of
> one) in order to be able to select between the 2 operating Systems at
Start
> Up like you currently can with pretty much any version of Windows ?
>
> I hope it is, I would like to be able to keep my 32-bit system for all of
my
> older applications, get a few more drives and use Windows 64-bit for
> Recording Studio Applications alone such as Sonar 5 Producer Edition which
> supports 64x and other Audio tools that will benefit from the increased
power.
>
> I am currently debating wether or not to install the trial because of
this,
> I'm not sure if I really feel like making an Image of my current system
> incase I decide 64x isn't for me or for when my trial is up and I don't
have
> money to purchase it just yet.
>
> Hopefully somone may answer. Thanks !

Hi, Davien.

Sure. As the others said, many of us have been dual-booting the two
versions of WinXP since x64 first became available.

And you sure don't need 2 HDs. What you need in any Windows dual-boot
system is multiple VOLUMES. We often say "drives" or "partitions", but
those terms are not quite correct. A volume can be a primary partition or
it can be a logical drive in an extended partition - on any HD in your
computer. Windows doesn't care how many HDs or how many volumes you have,
so long as you put each Windows installation into a separate volume.

Just remember the Golden Rule of dual-booting: always install the newest
version of Windows LAST. Each version of WinNT4/2K/XP/2K3 includes the 3
"system files" NTLDR, NTDETECT.com and Boot.ini, but each version of those
NT* files is bigger than the one before. That's because each one knows how
to handle earlier versions of Windows, but can't know about whatever
versions may come later. Those 3 system files must always go into the
Active (bootable) primary partition on the HD designated in the BIOS as the
current boot device. This partition (typically C:, but not always) becomes
the "System Partition". Each reboot starts in this partition with these
three files, then branches to whichever volume holds the \Windows folder for
the Windows version you choose from the opening menu. So, even if you
decide to install WinXP x64 into E:, for example, the boot will start in C:
and then branch to E:\Windows to load WinXP x64. If you later decide not to
keep x64, just reformat E: - or delete E:\Windows - and also delete from
C:\boot.ini the line under [operating systems] that points to that option.

It sounds like you've been dual-booting other Windows versions, so you
probably already know all this, but...just in case. ;<)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP

"DavienC" <> wrote in message
news:EA4A1D8A-678A-4756-832D-...
> Is it possible to install Windows XP Professional 64x and Windows XP
> Professional 32bit on the same machine (perhaps by using 2 HDs instead of
> one) in order to be able to select between the 2 operating Systems at
> Start
> Up like you currently can with pretty much any version of Windows ?
>
> I hope it is, I would like to be able to keep my 32-bit system for all of
> my
> older applications, get a few more drives and use Windows 64-bit for
> Recording Studio Applications alone such as Sonar 5 Producer Edition which
> supports 64x and other Audio tools that will benefit from the increased
> power.
>
> I am currently debating wether or not to install the trial because of
> this,
> I'm not sure if I really feel like making an Image of my current system
> incase I decide 64x isn't for me or for when my trial is up and I don't
> have
> money to purchase it just yet.
>
> Hopefully somone may answer. Thanks !

Not all of us, John. (well, OK, I do still have a 32-bit partition on
this machine, but I don't use it and it's only there now for Vista upgrade
scenario testing. )

I've reached the point where there really isn't much of anything I can't do
in x64 except for disk imaging. Sadly, we're at least a version away from an
x64 solution there.


--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/xperts64

John Barnes wrote:
> Almost everyone here does it. Yes, you can dual boot.
>
>
> "DavienC" <> wrote in message
> news:EA4A1D8A-678A-4756-832D-...
>> Is it possible to install Windows XP Professional 64x and Windows XP
>> Professional 32bit on the same machine (perhaps by using 2 HDs instead of
>> one) in order to be able to select between the 2 operating Systems at
>> Start
>> Up like you currently can with pretty much any version of Windows ?
>>
>> I hope it is, I would like to be able to keep my 32-bit system for all of
>> my
>> older applications, get a few more drives and use Windows 64-bit for
>> Recording Studio Applications alone such as Sonar 5 Producer Edition
>> which supports 64x and other Audio tools that will benefit from the
>> increased power.
>>
>> I am currently debating wether or not to install the trial because of
>> this,
>> I'm not sure if I really feel like making an Image of my current system
>> incase I decide 64x isn't for me or for when my trial is up and I don't
>> have
>> money to purchase it just yet.
>>
>> Hopefully somone may answer. Thanks !

I'm up to about 90% myself. Is the 9.0 version of Acronis 64-bit
compatible? Looks like they added some of the later Drive Image abilities,
like individual file recovery, which is what I use most often.


"Charlie Russel - MVP" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Not all of us, John. (well, OK, I do still have a 32-bit partition on
> this machine, but I don't use it and it's only there now for Vista upgrade
> scenario testing. )
>
> I've reached the point where there really isn't much of anything I can't
> do in x64 except for disk imaging. Sadly, we're at least a version away
> from an x64 solution there.
>
>
> --
> Charlie.
> http://msmvps.com/xperts64
>
> John Barnes wrote:
>> Almost everyone here does it. Yes, you can dual boot.
>>
>>
>> "DavienC" <> wrote in message
>> news:EA4A1D8A-678A-4756-832D-...
>>> Is it possible to install Windows XP Professional 64x and Windows XP
>>> Professional 32bit on the same machine (perhaps by using 2 HDs instead
>>> of
>>> one) in order to be able to select between the 2 operating Systems at
>>> Start
>>> Up like you currently can with pretty much any version of Windows ?
>>>
>>> I hope it is, I would like to be able to keep my 32-bit system for all
>>> of
>>> my
>>> older applications, get a few more drives and use Windows 64-bit for
>>> Recording Studio Applications alone such as Sonar 5 Producer Edition
>>> which supports 64x and other Audio tools that will benefit from the
>>> increased power.
>>>
>>> I am currently debating wether or not to install the trial because of
>>> this,
>>> I'm not sure if I really feel like making an Image of my current system
>>> incase I decide 64x isn't for me or for when my trial is up and I don't
>>> have
>>> money to purchase it just yet.
>>>
>>> Hopefully somone may answer. Thanks !
>
>

no, we're told it will be v10 before they have 64bit. I'm still on v8, since
there wasn't anything compelling for me in v9.

--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/xperts64

John Barnes wrote:
> I'm up to about 90% myself. Is the 9.0 version of Acronis 64-bit
> compatible? Looks like they added some of the later Drive Image abilities,
> like individual file recovery, which is what I use most often.
>
>
> "Charlie Russel - MVP" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Not all of us, John. (well, OK, I do still have a 32-bit partition on
>> this machine, but I don't use it and it's only there now for Vista
>> upgrade scenario testing. )
>>
>> I've reached the point where there really isn't much of anything I can't
>> do in x64 except for disk imaging. Sadly, we're at least a version away
>> from an x64 solution there.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Charlie.
>> http://msmvps.com/xperts64
>>
>> John Barnes wrote:
>>> Almost everyone here does it. Yes, you can dual boot.
>>>
>>>
>>> "DavienC" <> wrote in message
>>> news:EA4A1D8A-678A-4756-832D-...
>>>> Is it possible to install Windows XP Professional 64x and Windows XP
>>>> Professional 32bit on the same machine (perhaps by using 2 HDs instead
>>>> of
>>>> one) in order to be able to select between the 2 operating Systems at
>>>> Start
>>>> Up like you currently can with pretty much any version of Windows ?
>>>>
>>>> I hope it is, I would like to be able to keep my 32-bit system for all
>>>> of
>>>> my
>>>> older applications, get a few more drives and use Windows 64-bit for
>>>> Recording Studio Applications alone such as Sonar 5 Producer Edition
>>>> which supports 64x and other Audio tools that will benefit from the
>>>> increased power.
>>>>
>>>> I am currently debating wether or not to install the trial because of
>>>> this,
>>>> I'm not sure if I really feel like making an Image of my current system
>>>> incase I decide 64x isn't for me or for when my trial is up and I don't
>>>> have
>>>> money to purchase it just yet.
>>>>
>>>> Hopefully somone may answer. Thanks !

Ah, that may not be entirely correct - you say: "Windows doesn't care how
many HDs or how many volumes. . .", but Windows will not support more than
four primary partitions - and the BIOS won't boot more than the same four
partitions, if I'm not mistaken.

Linux - on the other hand - do not care, but is still limited by the BIOS in
this respect.

Regards, Tony. . .


"R. C. White" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Hi, Davien.
>
> Sure. As the others said, many of us have been dual-booting the two
> versions of WinXP since x64 first became available.
>
> And you sure don't need 2 HDs. What you need in any Windows dual-boot
> system is multiple VOLUMES. We often say "drives" or "partitions", but
> those terms are not quite correct. A volume can be a primary partition or
> it can be a logical drive in an extended partition - on any HD in your
> computer. Windows doesn't care how many HDs or how many volumes you have,
> so long as you put each Windows installation into a separate volume.
>
> Just remember the Golden Rule of dual-booting: always install the newest
> version of Windows LAST. Each version of WinNT4/2K/XP/2K3 includes the 3
> "system files" NTLDR, NTDETECT.com and Boot.ini, but each version of those
> NT* files is bigger than the one before. That's because each one knows
> how to handle earlier versions of Windows, but can't know about whatever
> versions may come later. Those 3 system files must always go into the
> Active (bootable) primary partition on the HD designated in the BIOS as
> the current boot device. This partition (typically C:, but not always)
> becomes the "System Partition". Each reboot starts in this partition with
> these three files, then branches to whichever volume holds the \Windows
> folder for the Windows version you choose from the opening menu. So, even
> if you decide to install WinXP x64 into E:, for example, the boot will
> start in C: and then branch to E:\Windows to load WinXP x64. If you later
> decide not to keep x64, just reformat E: - or delete E:\Windows - and also
> delete from C:\boot.ini the line under [operating systems] that points to
> that option.
>
> It sounds like you've been dual-booting other Windows versions, so you
> probably already know all this, but...just in case. ;<)
>
> RC
> --
> R. C. White, CPA
> San Marcos, TX
>
> Microsoft Windows MVP
>
> "DavienC" <> wrote in message
> news:EA4A1D8A-678A-4756-832D-...
>> Is it possible to install Windows XP Professional 64x and Windows XP
>> Professional 32bit on the same machine (perhaps by using 2 HDs instead of
>> one) in order to be able to select between the 2 operating Systems at
>> Start
>> Up like you currently can with pretty much any version of Windows ?
>>
>> I hope it is, I would like to be able to keep my 32-bit system for all of
>> my
>> older applications, get a few more drives and use Windows 64-bit for
>> Recording Studio Applications alone such as Sonar 5 Producer Edition
>> which
>> supports 64x and other Audio tools that will benefit from the increased
>> power.
>>
>> I am currently debating wether or not to install the trial because of
>> this,
>> I'm not sure if I really feel like making an Image of my current system
>> incase I decide 64x isn't for me or for when my trial is up and I don't
>> have
>> money to purchase it just yet.
>>
>> Hopefully somone may answer. Thanks !
>

Hi, Tony.

> but Windows will not support more than four primary partitions

That's 4 ON EACH HD. So a computer with 4 HDs could have up to 16 primary
partitions, and Windows could use them all. Or one partition on each HD
could be an extended partition holding multiple logical drives, each of
which would be assigned a "drive" letter. Except for the single System
Partition, each installation of Windows doesn't care whether it is using a
primary partition or a logical drive, and it doesn't care whether that
volume is on the first HD or the third.

> and the BIOS won't boot more than the same four partitions

No need to change the boot device in the BIOS if you are using the native
dual-boot system built into all the NT-based Windows versions
(WinNT4/2K/2K3/XP...). They will all use the same System Partition
(typically C.

I know nothing of Linux and very little about third-party boot managers.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP

"Tony Sperling" <> wrote in message
news:eH%...
> Ah, that may not be entirely correct - you say: "Windows doesn't care how
> many HDs or how many volumes. . .", but Windows will not support more than
> four primary partitions - and the BIOS won't boot more than the same four
> partitions, if I'm not mistaken.
>
> Linux - on the other hand - do not care, but is still limited by the BIOS
> in this respect.
>
> Regards, Tony. . .
>
>
> "R. C. White" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> Hi, Davien.
>>
>> Sure. As the others said, many of us have been dual-booting the two
>> versions of WinXP since x64 first became available.
>>
>> And you sure don't need 2 HDs. What you need in any Windows dual-boot
>> system is multiple VOLUMES. We often say "drives" or "partitions", but
>> those terms are not quite correct. A volume can be a primary partition
>> or it can be a logical drive in an extended partition - on any HD in your
>> computer. Windows doesn't care how many HDs or how many volumes you
>> have, so long as you put each Windows installation into a separate
>> volume.
>>
>> Just remember the Golden Rule of dual-booting: always install the newest
>> version of Windows LAST. Each version of WinNT4/2K/XP/2K3 includes the 3
>> "system files" NTLDR, NTDETECT.com and Boot.ini, but each version of
>> those NT* files is bigger than the one before. That's because each one
>> knows how to handle earlier versions of Windows, but can't know about
>> whatever versions may come later. Those 3 system files must always go
>> into the Active (bootable) primary partition on the HD designated in the
>> BIOS as the current boot device. This partition (typically C:, but not
>> always) becomes the "System Partition". Each reboot starts in this
>> partition with these three files, then branches to whichever volume holds
>> the \Windows folder for the Windows version you choose from the opening
>> menu. So, even if you decide to install WinXP x64 into E:, for example,
>> the boot will start in C: and then branch to E:\Windows to load WinXP
>> x64. If you later decide not to keep x64, just reformat E: - or delete
>> E:\Windows - and also delete from C:\boot.ini the line under [operating
>> systems] that points to that option.
>>
>> It sounds like you've been dual-booting other Windows versions, so you
>> probably already know all this, but...just in case. ;<)
>>
>> RC
>>
>> "DavienC" <> wrote in message
>> news:EA4A1D8A-678A-4756-832D-...
>>> Is it possible to install Windows XP Professional 64x and Windows XP
>>> Professional 32bit on the same machine (perhaps by using 2 HDs instead
>>> of
>>> one) in order to be able to select between the 2 operating Systems at
>>> Start
>>> Up like you currently can with pretty much any version of Windows ?
>>>
>>> I hope it is, I would like to be able to keep my 32-bit system for all
>>> of my
>>> older applications, get a few more drives and use Windows 64-bit for
>>> Recording Studio Applications alone such as Sonar 5 Producer Edition
>>> which
>>> supports 64x and other Audio tools that will benefit from the increased
>>> power.
>>>
>>> I am currently debating wether or not to install the trial because of
>>> this,
>>> I'm not sure if I really feel like making an Image of my current system
>>> incase I decide 64x isn't for me or for when my trial is up and I don't
>>> have
>>> money to purchase it just yet.
>>>
>>> Hopefully somone may answer. Thanks !

I am not dual booting with XP x86 either. I chose to just keep the old P4
box and work "side-by-side". I am, however, multibooting with other x64
operating systems such as Vista x64 (three builds).

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)
"Charlie Russel - MVP" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Not all of us, John. (well, OK, I do still have a 32-bit partition on
> this machine, but I don't use it and it's only there now for Vista upgrade
> scenario testing. )
>
> I've reached the point where there really isn't much of anything I can't
> do in x64 except for disk imaging. Sadly, we're at least a version away
> from an x64 solution there.
>
>
> --
> Charlie.
> http://msmvps.com/xperts64
>
> John Barnes wrote:
>> Almost everyone here does it. Yes, you can dual boot.
>>
>>
>> "DavienC" <> wrote in message
>> news:EA4A1D8A-678A-4756-832D-...
>>> Is it possible to install Windows XP Professional 64x and Windows XP
>>> Professional 32bit on the same machine (perhaps by using 2 HDs instead
>>> of
>>> one) in order to be able to select between the 2 operating Systems at
>>> Start
>>> Up like you currently can with pretty much any version of Windows ?
>>>
>>> I hope it is, I would like to be able to keep my 32-bit system for all
>>> of
>>> my
>>> older applications, get a few more drives and use Windows 64-bit for
>>> Recording Studio Applications alone such as Sonar 5 Producer Edition
>>> which supports 64x and other Audio tools that will benefit from the
>>> increased power.
>>>
>>> I am currently debating wether or not to install the trial because of
>>> this,
>>> I'm not sure if I really feel like making an Image of my current system
>>> incase I decide 64x isn't for me or for when my trial is up and I don't
>>> have
>>> money to purchase it just yet.
>>>
>>> Hopefully somone may answer. Thanks !
>
>