Dual operating systems...errr?

[Keygrip]

Just built myself a Vista 64 bit computer (as some of you wil know) - but find that although Vista has worked out an absolute treat (yeah, honest, it did) I am having some minor hiccups with some 64 bit issues.

I have a few programmes and/or hardware issues with 64 bit, so am considering installing a full 32 bit OS somewhere, too.

The computer has 2 x 500GB HDD's (soon to be 4) - only one of which has any data on it yet, the other is clean as factory delivered.

If I bought an XP Pro or 32 bit Vista OS and installed that, too, where would be the easiest place for operational functionality? On HDD #2 or as a partition on HDD #1 alongside the 64 bit?

Would they both run at the same time if I wanted them to - or would the CPU get headache?

>^..^<

[planecrazy.eu]

You can run both at the same time using VMWARE...

VMWARE runs pretty well, you boot into one, and then use vmware to boot into the other... One is guest, the other host...

The guest always runs slower, but even on my pretty old machine, most applications can be run, even basic photoshop...

Games and CAD and anything graphics or processor intense would need to always be run from the host boot...

[Keygrip]

Bugger - thanks PC, but one of the applications is a brand new copy of Microsoft Flightsim X Ultimate (I wanted to learn about the Garmin 1000 fit).

This starts all the menu pages perfectly, but on clicking "Go" starts to rythmically flash from screen picture to black and back again every second, very much like a metronome.

Have a couple of hardware bits that don't have 64 bit drivers.