I was just reading a thread on removing XP.. I just want to map out my configuration and make sure I do this correct. I have two hard drives. Xp is on the original. the new second internal has a clean install of Vista. The first thing I'm going to do until I am completely ready to let XP go is follow the directions posted here to hide Vista from XP.. When I'm ready I will like to remove XP from the original drive and then use it for more drive space in Vista. Another possibility since in reality I don't really need more space would be to disconnect the original XP drive.. I would like advice on both scenarios.
Thanks joel

I have to admit, having used the 'hide' technique on a single hard drive with two separate partitions, that this didn't work. I may be wrong but I am a little doubtful if hiding your Vista drive from XP will do much good. If you are not using Vista Ultimate, in which case your alternative option would be Bitlocker encryption, you next best bet would probably be a third party boot manager. Again I can't comment on third party boot managers because i haven't used one. I simple used Bitlocker, originally, to solve the problem. Now, of course, I have simply dispensed with the XP partition and installed XP onto a virtual machine (VMWare to be precise), which has obviously solved the problem completely. One thing you should beware of is that Vista puts the boot records on the C: drive, therefore if your XP drive is the C: drive and you erase it or remove it, the chances are you will not 'immediately' be able to boot into Vista again. This isn't a problem because you simply use the Vista DVD startup repair option to repair the boot files, then you should be able to boot into Vista again.
John Barnett MVP Associate Expert Windows - Shell/User
Web: xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Web: vistasupport.mvps.org
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"dwolf"

John
Bitlocker encryption is also in Enterprise. MSFT tells me that cost was the consideration that kept it out of Business where it ethically should have been included but of course ethics doesn't always share a nexus with marketing at the Redmond campus.
Good point on alternatives and the boot records placed on the XP drive; I don't think a lot of people are aware of the XP Drive:\"Vista" Boot folder which is XP Drive Letter\Boot and it's hidden by default while the bootsect.exe folder is located on the Vista DVD.
Vista boot located on the XP drive on a dual boot contains the fixntfs utility (ntfs boot code replacement), the memtest folder and for antiquity's sake a fixFAT utility as well.
I wish there was more documentation on the practical use fo fixNTFS and the use of bootsect.exe and bootrec.exe althought the latter is described somewhat in a KB or two. I continue to work on integrating these and understanding their uses and the switches and components of BCDEDIT.
See also:
How to troubleshoot scenarios in which the rollback phase was unsuccessful after you upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista support.microsoft.com/kb/927523/en-us
Installing previous versions of Windows on top of Windows Vista support.microsoft.com/kb/555852/en-us
How to manually start the removal process to remove Windows XP support.microsoft.com/kb/312569/en-us
Miguel Jimenez's Coding Blog blogs.clearscreen.com/migs/archive/2006/03/07/2908.aspx
"Removing Vista dual-boot to restore XP and related stuff I've been playing with the new Window Vista February CTP for a while, and it's so awesome stable and sleek that I decided to install it on my home's desktop machine. While in the playground, Vista was installed in Dell Inspiron 8600 using an external USB 2.0 disk drive, and it worked really fine keeping Windows XP on my primary partition and creating a lovely dual-boot menu to choose between Vista and XP, or my Legacy Pre-Longhorn Operating System as they called it.
So with my decision I wanted to removed all Vista stuff and menus from my laptop. It was hard to work it out, but here is what you have to do:
To remove the Boot Manager loader from your primary partition, use the BootSect.exe utility found in the Boot folder of the Vista DVD Use option /nt52 to restore the ntldr loader Use option /nt60 to restore the BootManager loader Editing the menu options in the Boot Manager when starting your computer is no longer available through the file boot.ini You have to use the BcdEdit.exe tool to acomplish this task"
On Bootrec.exe
How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows Vista/(Bootrec options in the Win Recovery Environmentmy subtitle): support.microsoft.com/kb/927392/en-us
On Bootsect.exe:
Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration support.microsoft.com/kb/919529/en-us
How to troubleshoot scenarios in which the rollback phase was unsuccessful after you upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista support.microsoft.com/kb/927523/en-us
"Use Bootsect.exe to restore the Windows Vista MBR and the boot code that transfers control to the Windows Boot Manager program. To do this, type the following command at a command prompt: Drive:\boot\Bootsect.exe /NT60 All"
Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration support.microsoft.com/kb/933179/en-us
"Use the Bcdedit tool to configure the hard disk partition on which Windows Vista is installed a. At the command prompt, type cd %windir%. Note the drive letter that is displayed at the command prompt. This drive letter indicates which drive is associated with the active partition on the hard disk. Typically, this is the C drive. b. Type Drive:\boot\Bootsect.exe -NT60 All, and then press ENTER.
Note Drive is the drive in which the Windows Vista installation media is located. Typically, this is the computer's DVD drive (the E drive). c. Type %windir%\system32\Bcdedit -create {ntldr} -d "Description for earlier Windows version", and then press ENTER."
CH
"John Barnett MVP"