Okay, here is the situation. i want to use Vista for graphics design and to take advantage of some of it's features for upcoming GD programs. HOWEVER I cannot run FS in Vista due to half the addons not yet having installer fixes for Vista. Thus I'd like to use both OS's. Is this not possible?Windows XP is installed on partition D:Vista is installed on partition L:After installing Vista I went to reboot my computer and got slammed with:BOOTMGR IS COMPRESSEDPress CTRL+ALT+DEL to restartThis message was in a vicious circle, so I did the following to repair it:Booted with Windows XP PRO CDChose REPAIRIn windows XP directory used the FIXBOOT and FIXMBR commands.Typed EXITThis rebooted the computer and TADAAAA I have access to XP again. YAY! BUT . . . I never unionstalled Vista. Now the computer does not even acknowledge Vista is there. So my question is this . . . HOW would I install Vista on the L partition and NOT let it compress the bloody BOOT Manager? Is this impossible? I read in the other tech forums and what LITTLE i could understand of their geek jibberish was that I had to basicaly make sure the drives in question were not compressed. I checked both D: and L: drives and they are NOT compressed. I do have a C: partition that IS compressed, but neither of the windows installations are on C: so this should be irrelevant here.Any other ideas? I just wish the Vista setup gave an option during the install to NOT compress this file. Microsoft's way of telling us we're not allowed to have multiple OS's I suppose.If it's relevant here, it is Vista Ultimate Edition I am atempting to install.

Hi Chriss,It is certainly possible, use with caution:Boot with the Vista dvd once in Setup hit your SHIFT-F10, you get an "cmd" propt running SYSTEM privileges. Type the following [ press enter ] after each line.:attrib bootmgr -s -r -hdel bootmgrren temp bootmgrattrib bootmgr -a +s +r +hBe careful,im not responsible if things go wrong... my suggestion though can be a pain, reinstall both OS'es

what does that do exactly?

>what does that do exactly?It "should" resolve any Boot-manager issues. Again though, Windows OS's aren't the most stable. So if planning in the long run, running a dual boot system, imo start fresh, as that will certainly in most cases give the least amount of problems.Having issues already when installing, doesn't sound to me, like a good way of keep pushing on. I know that its alot of work for some, re-installing an OS, but I personally rather take that time, then afterwards running into problems and loosing important data.

Actually i got it. You won't believe this, but the issue was with my cats.I am not much for watching something install for hours, so I started the vista install and went to bed. I awoke to one of my cats sitting on the keyboard and a dialog box being open. Like an idiot I shooed the cat off and at the dialog I assumed windows was still installing, so i clicked next and apparently, with the help of my cat, I compressed the drive.I was able to do the FIXBOOT and FIXMBR commands using the windows CD repair method. I am now running both XP and Vista :-)

Wow, cats huh :-lol .. well atleast your issue is solved :)