Here's how to install XP Pro on an SSD
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 1:27 pm
Installed an OCZ Vertex II on my workbench PC. This PC runs XP because I run all my tools to work on client's PCs on it - some of which do not work properly under Win7 and also it's a LOT easier to do things like take ownership of folders in XP than in Win7.
Decided to do a clean OS install to make this easier. You do, however, need to jump through a few hoops to align the boot partition properly. Sometimes partitioning the drive as a spare on a Win7 PC is all you need to do, but many mobos (including the Asus P5B-E in my bench PC) have an issue with the way that WinVista/Win7 configures the partition offset and XP won't boot after it installs (you get the dreaded "Error loading operating system" error.
After much research I found the simplest and most reliable way to align an SSD for XP. Even better, this works for an existing XP install.
Initially I did a clean install on the drive without worrying about alignment. I made sure XP deleted all the previous partitions I was experimenting with. Then I followed the instructions here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/hardwar ... -data.html
This worked perfectly, and is not particularly difficult. As it happens I had a copy of GParted already - it's an excellent free partitioning utility.
Nothing else needs to be done except to make DARN SURE that you don't have a defrag scheduled for the SSD if you use a 3rd party defragger or have defrag setup in task scheduler.
The bench PC now boots in just a few seconds, which was the whole reason I installed the SSD. This rig is usually turned off but when I need it, it's usually in a hurry, and it's a pain to wait for the boot process.
Decided to do a clean OS install to make this easier. You do, however, need to jump through a few hoops to align the boot partition properly. Sometimes partitioning the drive as a spare on a Win7 PC is all you need to do, but many mobos (including the Asus P5B-E in my bench PC) have an issue with the way that WinVista/Win7 configures the partition offset and XP won't boot after it installs (you get the dreaded "Error loading operating system" error.
After much research I found the simplest and most reliable way to align an SSD for XP. Even better, this works for an existing XP install.
Initially I did a clean install on the drive without worrying about alignment. I made sure XP deleted all the previous partitions I was experimenting with. Then I followed the instructions here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/hardwar ... -data.html
This worked perfectly, and is not particularly difficult. As it happens I had a copy of GParted already - it's an excellent free partitioning utility.
Nothing else needs to be done except to make DARN SURE that you don't have a defrag scheduled for the SSD if you use a 3rd party defragger or have defrag setup in task scheduler.
The bench PC now boots in just a few seconds, which was the whole reason I installed the SSD. This rig is usually turned off but when I need it, it's usually in a hurry, and it's a pain to wait for the boot process.