"Andy" <andy@indigo.ie> wrote in message
news:f9qk76$19c$1@news.datemas.de...[color=blue]
> Will be getting a new Dell PC soon with Windows Vista preloaded on it
> (Doubt if it will come with a Vista installation CD). What I want to know
> is if I can easily install Windows XP and leave the Vista intact and just
> chose at startup of PC whether to use Vista or XP? - I think they call it
> dual booting isn't it?
>
> But I don't really want to go formatting and partitioning the hard drive
> if I can avoid it to do this.[/color]


Yes, but only with partitioning or buying a secondary hard drive, and there
is an issue with XP wiping out Vista's System Restore and Volume Shadow
Copies.

To avoid that and to do it without messing everything up you should do a lot
of reading up on this before attempting it. Maybe somebody else can give
you some links.

ss.