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    1420 with XP, Vista and Media Direct: Can I do it?

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by rahamanpatrick, Feb 1, 2008.

  1. rahamanpatrick

    rahamanpatrick Notebook Geek

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    Hey all, got a question for you. I know that Vista, XP and Media Direct work on the 1420, but is it possible to have them all working together?

    What I want is this: An XP partition so I can boot up Windows XP as my primary operating system, a Vista partition so I can boot up Vista as I need and a Media Direct partition/install so that when I press the Media Direct button my 1420 will boot Media Direct. I'm thinking of using Acronis OS Selector as a boot manager though I've heard good things about tweaking Vista's bootloader with EasyBCD.

    Keeping the Dell recovery partition isn't essential, it'd be nice, but I probably can't do it, correct?

    So, overall question, can this be done and how would I go about doing it?

    Thanks in advance, Patrick.
     
    rahamanpatrick, Feb 1, 2008
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  2. Lithus

    Lithus NBR Janitor

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    There's no point in dual booting Vista and XP. They're so similar, all you're doing is wasting HDD space.
     
    Lithus, Feb 1, 2008
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  3. chelet

    chelet Notebook Deity

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    chelet, Feb 2, 2008
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  4. rahamanpatrick

    rahamanpatrick Notebook Geek

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    Yeah, if at all possible I would like Media Direct. I've requested a CD from Dell but I'm not sure in what order to install the operating systems and where to put them on the partitioned disk. I'll probably be doing a format so I can start from scratch. But does anyone know if it's possible to keep the recovery partition? Or to re-create it?

    Thanks, Patrick.
     
    rahamanpatrick, Feb 2, 2008
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  5. rahamanpatrick

    rahamanpatrick Notebook Geek

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    Any ideas at all? :confused:
     
    rahamanpatrick, Feb 3, 2008
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  6. vinumsv

    vinumsv MobileFreak™

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    I have tried that ... But failed all the time bro :( and i had to re-install all the Os's cuz MD would corrupt the MBR so no os will boot :(
     
    vinumsv, Feb 3, 2008
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  7. rahamanpatrick

    rahamanpatrick Notebook Geek

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    DAMN! :(

    Well, I'll give it a shot anyway, I can't really harm anything. I'll let you know if I find anything out.
     
    rahamanpatrick, Feb 3, 2008
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  8. deputc26

    deputc26 Notebook Consultant

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    This is exactly what I want to do, but the only copy of vista I have will be what comes with the dell, will this complicate things? let me know how it goes.

    Regards -NdP
     
    deputc26, Feb 4, 2008
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  9. rahamanpatrick

    rahamanpatrick Notebook Geek

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    The Vista disk that comes with the 1420 shouldn't be a problem.

    Mine came with a standard OEM Windows Vista Home Premium disk.

    The tough part will be getting MediaDirect working probably.
     
    rahamanpatrick, Feb 4, 2008
    #9