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Windows XP & Windows Vista

Windows XP

This is meant to be a simple tutorial on:

1. How to take snapshots on you desktop in Windows XP
2. How to paste them in Paint
3. How to upload to imageshack.us
4. How to post the imageshack code on PROnetworks

How To Post an Image at PROnetworks continued...

This is a short add on guide for trouble shooting your dual boot with Vista running and XP installed.

Software required for this guide: VistaBootPro


Below is how to locate the ntldr, NTDETECT, and boot.ini while in Vista.

• 1. Open My Computer
  
• 2. Click on "Organize" and then click on "Folder and Search Options"
  
• 3. Then click on the "View" tab
  
• 4. In the list under "Advanced Settings" you need to find "Hide protected operating system files" and uncheck it and then click "Ok"
  
• 5. Once back into My Computer open your XP (or Vista) drive and you will now see more "protected" files
  
• 6. Select the three files in question and right click and then select "Copy"
  
• 7. Go back and open your Vista (or XP) drive and right click and then select paste
  
  
  Dual Boot Trouble Shooting Guide / Vista Running continued...
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Windows Vista

Installation Guide

The PROnetworks Betas Team & Support and Community Team is pleased to present our Official Installation Guide for Windows Vista.

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INDEX


Recommended and Minimum System Requirements
Notes
Windows Vista Installation Methods
Windows Vista Installation
Removal of Windows Vista


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Recommended and Minimum System Requirements

*CPU 1.5 GHz*
*RAM 512 MB*
*GPU with DirectX 9 Capabilities*
*HDD 20-40 GB NTFS Formatted*

These are the PROnetworks recommended minimum system requirements for the installation of Windows Vista. Note that the requirements do vary depending on the edition of Windows Vista one intends using.

Additional information on Vista hardware requirements can be found by viewing Microsoft's Windows Vista recommended system requirements


Windows Vista Installation Guide continued...

Windows Vista came pre-installed on your new computer and now you want to create a dual boot with Windows XP for reasons of your own. Perhaps you have some older hardware that is not supported, or a program or game that won't run in Windows Vista.

NOTE: Check that Windows XP drivers for your system are available from the manufacturer of your system or from the motherboard manufacturer before attempting to install Windows XP. In particular, if you are using an SATA drive, make sure that you have Windows XP SATA Controller drivers available as they may be necessary for Windows XP setup to be able to "see" the partition on which you intend to install it. This is an important step especially with new Laptop and Notebook systems as well as OEM Desktop systems from manufacturers like Dell, HP and Gateway.

The fact that you do not have a bootable Windows Vista DVD with such systems, may also limit the ability to successfully create a dual boot with Windows XP.



Install Windows XP in a Dual Boot with Pre-installed Windows Vista continued...

Recently I set about a reinstall of Windows XP which is on the system drive, drive C. Windows Vista is installed on drive D and all the boot system files for both XP and Vista are on the XP installation drive. One can make sure which is the System drive by going to My Computer>Right click>Manage>Disk Management and look for the drive/partition tagged "System".

The problem here is that when formatting the XP drive, if XP is installed on the System drive, one will lose the ability to boot to Windows Vista. If the steps below are taken, then one can easily restore the ability to boot to either Vista or XP after the reformat and clean install of Windows XP is complete.



Reinstalling Windows XP when dual booting with Windows Vista continued...

Windows Vista

Tweaking and Customization Guide

The Betas and the Windows Support Teams are proud to present the official PROnetworks Tweaking Guide to improve performance and your overall experience with Microsoft Windows Vista. The Guide also seeks to help improve your general User Experience with Windows Vista.

The Official PROnetworks Vista Installation Guide is HERE.

The PROnetworks Windows Vista Tweaking Guides are a Work In Progress, and will continue to evolve as additional tips are tested.


This PROnetworks Tweaking Guide covers Windows Vista
Please be aware that The PROnetworks Betas Team has determined that in some cases, attempting to tweak Windows Vista can be counterproductive, leading to losses rather than gains in performance.

Before attempting these tweaks please make sure that your computer is considered Vista ready. This can be determined within XP be using the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor Available HERE.


Windows Vista Tweaking and Customization Guide continued...

Using Nero Burning Rom


Fully functional trial versions of either Nero 6 or Nero 7 Premium may be downloaded directly from Nero (it is recommended that you uncheck the Yahoo toolbar selection box).


Step 1.

Nero 6

Once you have ISO file downloaded from Microsoft, open Windows Explorer and browse to the folder you saved it to. Right click the file and select "Open With…" from the menu. Ignore "Recommended Programs" in the dialog window that opens and select "Browse…". From the "Program Files" folder that opens, select "Ahead", double click that folder and select and double click the "Nero" folder. Now select "nero.exe" and press "Open".

Nero 7

Once you have ISO file downloaded from Microsoft, open Windows Explorer and browse to the folder you saved it to. Right click the file and select "Open With…" from the menu. Ignore "Recommended Programs" in the dialog window that opens and select "Browse…". From the "Program Files" folder that opens, select "Nero", double click that folder and select and double click the "Nero 7" folder and then double click the "Core" folder. Now select "nero.exe" and press "Open".


Burning the Windows Vista ISO to DVD continued...

So…you unplugged your Windows XP hard drive before Windows Vista setup, so that you didn’t fubar your XP installation. Both XP and Vista boot fine when you change the boot drive order in the BIOS, effectively changing the Windows system drive each time, but that gets a bit tiresome.

Windows XP needs the following files to be on the system drive for it to be able to boot;

boot.ini
NTDETECT.COM
ntldr

and Windows Vista needs these files to be on the system drive for it to be able to boot;

Boot (folder and contents, most importantly the BCD store)
bootmgr

To sort this out, follow the steps below:



Unplugged XP Drive for Vista Setup: Can’t Dual Boot to XP continued...