My laptop was originally vista then i installed xp on a different partition so that i could chooes to boot from either and now i have both installed on my laptop but when it boots up it boots to xp but i want it to ask me first which system to boot please help me because i dont know how to do this or to even make it so that it boots vista not even for it to ask me each time

Specifying the Default Operating System for Startup

If you have more than one operating system on your computer, you can set the operating system that you want to use as the default one for when you start your computer: •Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.•On the Advanced tab, under Startup and Recovery, click Settings. •Under System startup, in the Default operating system list, click the operating system that you want to start when you turn on or restart your computer.•Select the Display list of operating systems for check box, and then type the number of seconds for which you want the list displayed before the default operating system starts automatically.

To manually edit the boot options file, click Edit. Microsoft strongly recommends that you do not modify the boot options file (Boot.ini), because doing so may render your computer unusable.


This link may also help you?Windows Vista Solution Center

Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration

Tip.. MS Virtual PC is great for running XP with in Vista ...Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 it work very well for me. It might suit you to

my computer onli detects that one operating syatem is installed on the system