I'm looking to get a dual(/tripple) boot setup. I've installed Vista on my 1st hd and I realize I need to go through managing the boot loader after installing XP, but I can't get all the way through installing XP, and I don't understand why.

When XP finishes text-based install and reboots, I get a blank screen. I've used a super grub disk to manually boot the partition on which I installed XP, but I get the same result. Nothing happens after the 'boot' command is given.

My partition table is a little special. I'm also dual booting Ubuntu Linux using grub, which I installed in a tiny, seperate partition due to a certain issue with disk sizes and bios settings which is not relevant here.

Anyway, my table is as such:

HD 1: Vista
HD 2: Boot loader partition (grub)
Ubuntu Linux partition
XP partition (not fully installed, obviously)
Storage Partition

I imagine that after installing XP, the Vista Longhorn loader would be set to manage XP/Vista, while grub would manage Ubuntu/Vista Longhorn.

I suppose this could be done by first resetting the mbr through the Vista install cd and then again to grub through the super grub disk?

But why can't I get through installing XP? Please, if you have 2 cents...

Hi welcome to PCHF I'm unsure of why your having the XP installation issue. But give it a try this way it works well and is an excellent guide Hack Attack: How to triple-boot Windows XP, Vista, and Ubuntu

thanks for the link, but following that guide would mean reinstalling everything and I'm really not into that.

I need to do this vista+ubuntu+xp. The first two are already installed and booting nicely.

Does anyone have any experience with this setup or does anyone have a clue why I experience the black screen on 2nd boot in xp installation?

The partition you made via loging into vista and going to computer management is it allocated space or unallocated?

Edit boot.ini ?

Have you managed to logon to vista?

Install Windows XP on Your Pre-Installed Windows Vista Computer :: the How-To Geek

I didn't create the partition with Vista, I partitioned and formatted some unallocated space (100gb) with the xp install cd.

''edit boot.ini'' - could you be more specific? I suppose I could acess the boot.ini file of my uncompleted xp installation through vista or ubuntu, but to do what, exactly?

EDIT: yes, Vista and Ubuntu are booting as they should. No problem there. Bootloader is grub.

see the link I posted?Have a read.

However when you read it it tells you to use vista to make the extra space for xp.Try it?

thanks for the link.

ok, I've just tried having Vista create the XP partition, but I get the same result. I need to correct myself, however - on booting xp the screen is not all black, I get a blinking underscore, but nothing more happens.