Dual boot (sort of)

jim · 25. Nov 2010, 02:42 PM

I'm pretty good with software but not with hardware much. I run a Packard Bell PC, Windows Home Premium x64 with 4 gb of RAM. I also have a 500 gb external HDD. I own some old PC games (Tomb Raider and others) that just don't run on Vista X32 or X64. They were brill on XP. A chap I know (who I don't think is the best PC man I have ever used but he does make some sort of living at it) said he would fit a second hard drive in my machine and load XP on to it, thus effectively giving me a dual boot machine. When he tried, it gave an error and shut itself down. He thinks there is some sort of protection on my machine that doesn't like the lower spec graphics that comes with XP and therefore shuts the system down to protect itself. I don't have the physical space for another tower and anyway that would entail some sort of monitor sharing connections. Anybody with more knowledge than me got any ideas? Not too technical please. Would it be possible to install XP on my external hard drive or would any version of XP anywhere that has to go through my system give the same problem? What are other options? What is the meaning of life? Why am I getting a headache? Where are my pills?

Sope · 25. Nov 2010, 03:10 PM

I'm no expert either, but as far as I'm aware XP should run fine on most PC's as long as the correct graphics drivers are installed? It certainly sounds like a driver issue to me.

I read it's technically possible to boot XP from an external HDD but not from a practical point of view, i.e. it's practically impossible!

wdhpr · 25. Nov 2010, 03:49 PM

Quote:

A chap I know (who I don't think is the best PC man I have ever used but he does make some sort of living at it) said he would fit a second hard drive in my machine and load XP on to it, thus effectively giving me a dual boot machine. When he tried, it gave an error and shut itself down. He thinks there is some sort of protection on my machine that doesn't like the lower spec graphics that comes with XP and therefore shuts the system down to protect itself.

Have you considered making a second partition on the original hard drive and loading winxp 32bit on it. If I understand things correctly 32 bit software will run on 64 bit hardware but not the other way around. Another idea would be to again, make a second partition and then load Ubuntu 32 bit.
Either solution will allow you to run DosBox and that works very well to run old pc games. If the games are older type window's games and not Dos you may be able to edit the executable option through the properties menu to run win95 type software.

Cheers
Wdhpr

jim · 25. Nov 2010, 04:00 PM

He tried all that as well but also didn't work but thanks.
I thought Ubuntu didn't run windows games but I don't really know.

MidnightCowboy · 25. Nov 2010, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim

He tried all that as well but also didn't work but thanks.
I thought Ubuntu didn't run windows games but I don't really know.

Maybe more than you think

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Games
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Games/Emulators

jim · 25. Nov 2010, 07:53 PM

Thanks for links MC. Done quite a bit of research but it still doesn't quite cover all I want. I think some way to have XP Pro is the way to go if I could but I guess not.
Serves me right for getting Vista X64 from PCWorld but the price, RAM and a few other things were right at the time.

Anupam · 25. Nov 2010, 08:01 PM

What is the error message that you get when you try to install XP on the other drive? Did he disconnect the primary drive before installing XP on another one?

jim · 25. Nov 2010, 08:21 PM

Not sure of the answers to that Anupam and probably won't be able to get them this side of Christmas but will let you know when I can although have just emailed him the questions in hope he will reply soon.

Ritho · 25. Nov 2010, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim

Not sure of the answers to that Anupam and probably won't be able to get them this side of Christmas but will let you know when I can although have just emailed him the questions in hope he will reply soon.

Yes you can run quite a few windows games now days on linux under wine. PlayOnLinux makes it quite easy if there is already support for the game. Some of the more recent TombRaider games run quite well. But it is a different story with the older ones. While some run just fine, most of the time it is quite difficult if not impossible to get the sound to work. I still dual boot into Windows to play games that can run on Linux under wine, because there is usually something that does not quite work right, and overall performance is usually always better running natively under windows.

I am in agreement with the others though, I think XP should run just fine. It is likely a driver issue. Will XP boot in safemode?

jim · 25. Nov 2010, 09:52 PM

No you misunderstand. Not interested in Linux at all thanks. Just want to dual boot between my Vista x64 and XP. The whole PC shut down with error on trying to install XP on separate installed hard drive and would not accept installation on partition. Will get more info from him when I can.

25. Nov 2010, 02:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
jim Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: near Ashford Kent England Posts: 304	Dual boot (sort of) I'm pretty good with software but not with hardware much. I run a Packard Bell PC, Windows Home Premium x64 with 4 gb of RAM. I also have a 500 gb external HDD. I own some old PC games (Tomb Raider and others) that just don't run on Vista X32 or X64. They were brill on XP. A chap I know (who I don't think is the best PC man I have ever used but he does make some sort of living at it) said he would fit a second hard drive in my machine and load XP on to it, thus effectively giving me a dual boot machine. When he tried, it gave an error and shut itself down. He thinks there is some sort of protection on my machine that doesn't like the lower spec graphics that comes with XP and therefore shuts the system down to protect itself. I don't have the physical space for another tower and anyway that would entail some sort of monitor sharing connections. Anybody with more knowledge than me got any ideas? Not too technical please. Would it be possible to install XP on my external hard drive or would any version of XP anywhere that has to go through my system give the same problem? What are other options? What is the meaning of life? Why am I getting a headache? Where are my pills?

25. Nov 2010, 08:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
Anupam Moderator Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 9,484	What is the error message that you get when you try to install XP on the other drive? Did he disconnect the primary drive before installing XP on another one? __________________ Anupam

25. Nov 2010, 08:21 PM	#8 (permalink)
jim Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: near Ashford Kent England Posts: 304	Not sure of the answers to that Anupam and probably won't be able to get them this side of Christmas but will let you know when I can although have just emailed him the questions in hope he will reply soon. Last edited by jim; 25. Nov 2010 at 08:29 PM.

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25. Nov 2010, 03:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Sope Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wales, UK Posts: 809	I'm no expert either, but as far as I'm aware XP should run fine on most PC's as long as the correct graphics drivers are installed? It certainly sounds like a driver issue to me. I read it's technically possible to boot XP from an external HDD but not from a practical point of view, i.e. it's practically impossible!

25. Nov 2010, 04:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
jim Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: near Ashford Kent England Posts: 304	He tried all that as well but also didn't work but thanks. I thought Ubuntu didn't run windows games but I don't really know.

25. Nov 2010, 07:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
jim Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: near Ashford Kent England Posts: 304	Thanks for links MC. Done quite a bit of research but it still doesn't quite cover all I want. I think some way to have XP Pro is the way to go if I could but I guess not. Serves me right for getting Vista X64 from PCWorld but the price, RAM and a few other things were right at the time.

25. Nov 2010, 09:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
jim Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: near Ashford Kent England Posts: 304	No you misunderstand. Not interested in Linux at all thanks. Just want to dual boot between my Vista x64 and XP. The whole PC shut down with error on trying to install XP on separate installed hard drive and would not accept installation on partition. Will get more info from him when I can.