Installing XP Pro x64 in a dual boot/vm with XP Pro x32?

My workstation (HP xw9300 with dual Opteron 280 cpus) is currently set
up in a dual boot between Windows XP Pro (x32) and Linux (where each OS
is on its own hard drive). For various reasons I've decided to drop
Linux and would like to replace it with Windows XP Pro x64. Ideally, I
would like to make XP Pro x64 my primary OS, but have the ability to
access my older XP Pro x32 installation, when needed, via a virtual
machine like VMware or VirtualPC. That's what I've been doing from
Linux, and it's work pretty well for that occasional need.

My question is, what's the best way to get from my current setup to
where I'd like to be?

Also, my workstation has fairly standard hardware (Seagate SATA hard
drives, DVD R/RW, Nvidia Quadro FX1400 video card) - will the Windows
x64 install disk have all the required drivers it needs, or do I need to
get these in place first?

Thanks for any help with this. I appreciate it. Looking forward to
being back on Windows full time!

Pat

 

You can certainly set up XP Pro x64 in a dual boot configuration with XP Pro
x86, but you cannot access the XP x86 volume using VPC. VPC cannot run
another volume on your hard drives as a virtual machine. You can, of
course, install XP x86 in a virtual machine in XP Pro x64 using VPC.

You need to install the x64 drivers after XP Pro x64 is installed.

 

First off make sure you have the driver's cd that came with the motherboard.
You should put the SATA drivers on a floppy as you may need them when you
install XP-64bit

What I would do is delete your Linux partitions when you install...
then your machine will dual boot XP_32bit and XP_64 bit.

If you end up being able to get XP_64bit drivers for everything
and you can get XP_64 100% up and running...at that point you can set it as
deault.

You can still keep XP_32 to fall back on if you ever have problems

but if you cannot get drivers for all your hardware on the 64 bit side,
you cannot expect them to work running XP_32 in a virtual machine...
so there would be no point to install a virtual machine at all unless
perhaps
you also wanted a Linux installation

 

Interesting. VMware server does allow this (i.e. run an exisiting XP
installation as a guest VM) - at least it does under a Linux host.
Assuming it can with a XP x64 host, than that's probably what I'll use
rather than VPC.

So will x64 install with a default set of drivers that provides basic
system functionality (so video, keyboard, mouse, and internet operate
well enough allow downloading and updating drivers)? I assume so, but
just wanted to confirm that.

Thanks for the response.

 

I don't have a drivers cd (or not one that specifically says that). The
system came with an Operating System cd (windows xp pro), HP Restore
Plus!, HP LightScribe Driver cd, and Documentation and Diagnositcs cd.
However, all the needed x64 drivers are available on HP's website (since
Windows XP Pro x64 was an OS option for this model).

OK. That makes sense. As I mentioned above, all the needed drivers
should be available, since x64 was offered as an option for this computer.

If I download all the needed drivers onto a CD or floppy, will the x64
installer ask me for that during the installation? Also, since I will
be installing this on a second HD, will it automatically assign that as
"D:" - since the first one (with XP x32 is C? I'm guessing so, but
just wanted to double check.

Thanks for the help. -Pat

 

First thing I'd do is go the the website of your motherboard's mfg and
download any drivers
they have for that board for the 64bit version of XP.

As far as the installation goes, the only thing crucial is the SATA
drivers...as the installer will not see the HD unless they are loaded.

I do not know if your XP cd will have the proper drivers or not...
so it would not be a bad idea to have the SATA drivers on a floppy. The
installer will give you an option early on
to hit F6 to load any add'l drivers. Would be the time to do so.

Now, if you don't do that you can still try the installation anyway...
but if the installer does not see a HD...then it's essential that the
drivers be loaded first.


Now, when the installed begins, it will ask you where you want to install
XP.
at that point you need to specify your second drive (or partition) it will
not just automatically install there.
This would be where you'd delete your Linux parritions then recreate as one
NTFS partition.

dual boot between XP_32 and XP_64 should automatically be setup with
XP_64bit being the default.

Note: since you had Linux on the machine...if you used LILO or GRUB...it
might not get removed.
If it does not, you will need to boot to the repair console and issue thr
command: fixmbr


Once XP_64 bit gets installed, you may need to load add'l drivers that
should habe been avail
from the mobo mfg's website.

I've setup a number of XP_64bit machines and find it a great OS.

The only possible problem would be getting drivers for all your devices such
as printers, scanners and wireless cards.

I'm sure everything on the mobo itself will all be fine

 

How can I tell who the motherboard mfg is? I had assumed it was HP,
since this is a high end workstation made by them, but perhaps I'm
wrong. Is this printed somewhere on the motherboard?

They have those on HP's website that I can download. So I should be ok
there.

OK - thanks.

It currently uses GRUB for the bootloader. I'll probably get rid of it
first before doing this.

Thanks again for the help. I have a pretty good idea now on how to
proceed with this. As far as drivers go, the only one I may have a
problem with is the printer (Canon i850). I checked Canon's website,
and at this point the only 64 bit OS they support is Vista. Maybe that
will change, but I'm not holding my breath. I'll probably just replace
the printer if I can't get it to work.

That brings up one final question. Can XP64 be (reliably) upgraded to
Vista 64, if I decide I want to do that later? Just curious.

Thanks -Pat

 

Then check for XP Pro x64 drivers on the HP website and if they are there
make your own drivers and utilities cd.