What I learned from backing up and partitioning the DELL M6400

I spent some time messing with DELL M6400 trying to things like :

• Setup dual boot of both Windows XP 64 bit and Windows 7
• Backup partition of the original state so that the original OS partition and OS boot sector can be preserved
• Shrink Partitions in a way that make sense to me

Through out the process I learned some stuff:

• You simply CANNOT have multiple clean independent boot partition of Windows XP and Windows 7 by setting Active partition and then hide and show various partition accordingly. It just does NOT work that way. So eventually I have to settle with keeping the original XP 64 bit, but create a separate clean partition to host Windows 7. The Windows 7 will properly use the installed partition as C drive (although the original partition will become boot partition that drive letter can't be changed. I will continue observer this dual boot setting.
• Some how only the Safe Mode of ACronis Disk Director and TrueImage Home 10 on USB drive works for both my Lenovo S12 and Dell 6400.
• Don't do OS Selector installation using the USB drive. I did that a few times, didn't realized that the OS selector turns out being installed ON THE THUMB DRIVE (since at that moment the thumb drive is the bootup OS, and messed up the thumb drive.
• My 32Mb SD card simply CANNOT being used as a boot disc for Acronis Disk Director and such. Tried so many time, and finally give up.
• Backing up MRB is SO IMPORTANT because it allows me preserve the boot sector so that I can truely roll back to the original stuff (instead of leaving the dual boot behind)
• Still learning what's new and special about 64 bit.