Dual Booting XP(Home) SP3 with Windows 7

is224sac · Joined: Feb 08, 2003 Posts: 50

Hi, hope someone can help. I'm looking for links to some good Tutorials/instructions for duel booting Windows 7 with Windows XP on a single hard drive. I havent googled yet but I will. This is my 1st attempt to put a 2nd OS on a single drive that has the original OS on it. Oh, I'm using Partition Magic 8 to create the 2nd partition for Win 7. Again thanks for any help.

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1548 Location: Central FL, USA

Well, right off the bat, I have to tell you, you're in trouble.

Windows 7 uses a different type of NTFS format than PM8 does.
You might be able to make the basic partition, but, don't use the format tool in PM8 or Win-7 will not install.
The Work Around = Do a Custom install with Win-7 and tell it to Format the partition.

You didn't give all the required information about your computer, so we have no point of reference in advising you.

If at all possible, install a second HD in your computer.
I'm running two installs of XP-Pro and one of Win-7, 64bit on my main PC and each one has its own hard drive. Plus, I have one more drive just for backups.

If your one drive should crash, you would loose not just one OS but both of them and everything else along with it.

I've tried dual boot systems twice in the dark past and both times it ended in disaster. I just don't recommend it.

Good Luck (and do tell us all about your computer)
The Doctor Cool

is224sac · Joined: Feb 08, 2003 Posts: 50

Windows XP(Home) SP3, OE6, IE8; 1.5 GB RAM, 100 GB Unallocated HD Space. Continuous checks for Virus/Malware

1.4Ghz, VIA Technologies, Inc. 8 kilobyte primary memory cache, 256 kilobyte secondary memory cache, P4X266-8233, Enclosure Type: Desktop V2 Premier, Windows XP (Home) SP3, 2 Calvary External USB 400/500 GB Hard Drives (NTFS), 1.5 GB Ram, Upgraded PSU, Belarc Advisor, Multimedia – lists, MPU-401 Compatible MIDI Device - Realtek AC'97 Audio for VIA (R) Audio Controller - Standard Game Port. Circuit Board: P4X266-8233, Bus Clock: 100 megahertz, BIOS: Award Software International, Inc. 6.00 PG 09/05/2001, Virus/Malware Protection – Windows Live One Care, MS Windows Malicious SW Removal Tool, SUPERAntiSpyware, HiJackThis, Malwarebyte Anti-Malware, Registry Mechanic 8.0.0.900, CCleaner, and Alvira AntiVir Personal(As Needed).

Oh boy, I was thinking PM8 would be easier to partition & format the 2nd Volume since I was familiar with PM8. I believe that "G Parted" will work, but I have never used it.

Does anyone know of a good Tutorial for G Parted.

This computer is about 7 yrs old and I do not believe there is a space for a 2nd HD drive.

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 924

I STILL prefer using some sort of method to SWAP my OS's, as opposed to multi booting. I had just to many problems (the last was that SOMEHOW they got intertwined).

The manufacturers are making it harder to use swap kits but if you look into the technologies they DO use, there are options, like, memory card readers, external HD's (for towers) & if you have a NB that supports it, PCMCIA cards.

My 2nd most preferred way is as DOC noted; use TWO HD's - this adds a bit of isolation so one doesn't screw up the other (or take it out as Doc also noted) but isn't as good as swapping (one can't get to the other if it isn't there)

Above all, make sure you have all your important stuff backed up as things CAN go wrong. Then just make your partition(s) & install (oldest first) as you normally would. Pay close attention to the prompts & where stuff is going & what its doing & you should be fine.

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2636

This software was mentioned as a boot possibility with XP, Vista and Win 7
http://www.vistabootpro.org/

Dual booting XP and 7
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windo...7-xp.ht

is224sac · Joined: Feb 08, 2003 Posts: 50

Hello again, drwho07 thanks for the heads up regarding PM8.
Baby_Tux I appreciate your comments also. Zlim, I think I will go with the instructions contained in the links that you posted. For me, the instructions at sevenforums.com seem best. Thanks again.

Just as information I do have Acronis TI backups on Ext Disks.

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2636

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 924

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1548 Location: Central FL, USA

As valuable as 'links' might be, anyone can get those from a Google search.

Personally I prefer personal experience.
Like I said, you can partition a drive for Win-7 with PM8, but don't bother formatting the new partition, because Win-7 will promptly inform you that it can't load to that partition as it is formatted.

Apparently, NTFS for Windows XP is not the same as NTFS for Windows 7.
Go figure! Laughing

Microsoft strikes again !!!!!!

So just save yourself the time and trouble and let Win-7 do the format for you.
It ain't no big thing, just select the "Custom" Install method and then tell Win-7 installer to "Format" the drive for you. I've already done it and I guarantee you, it's "NO BIG THING".

Don't make a big thing out of a no-brainer. Let the Win-7 installer do the work for you. OK?

Doc Cool

is224sac · Joined: Feb 08, 2003 Posts: 50

Hi, just wanted to let everyone know what happened since I received some pretty good help here. I did accomplish making a 2nd partition on my drive(also a 3rd, dont know why). I did install another copy of my XP(Home) allowing that install to format the partition. I installed a boot manager using "Boot Majic" that comes on the disk with PM8 so I could switch between the 2 operating systems. Everything worked fine. Unfortunately, my computer just did not feel right so after a day I re-installed an image to get back my original (well oiled) setup. Thanks again everyone.

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 924

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1548 Location: Central FL, USA

Like most granny's, my own grandmothers were great for dropping "Old Sayings" at any opportunity. Wink

One of my favorite "Old Saying's" is,........ "don't put all your eggs in one basket". Idea

That's why I currently have four HD's in my system, even though one of them is still sitting on the desk next to the computer. Rolling Eyes

It's fully wired and running.
Not too pretty, but HEY, it stays nice and cool, sitting out there by itself. Wink

I'd rather take a beating with a green willow switch, than put two OS's on the same drive. All too often, especially in the hands of the non-IT specialist, it can be a recipe for disaster.

Many motherboards give you a Boot Menu, if you just press the appropriate "F" key during boot-up. (it's F11 on my own mobo)
I use that to boot into any drive, even a flash drive, anywhere in my system.
As my drive complement changes, so does the boot menu. Nothing could be simpler.

<<-- click to expand

In the order of importance, the SATA Hard Drives from top down are:
New XP Pro
Old XP Pro
Windows 7 Ultimate
160 Gig Storage drive (where I store my Ghost backups)

In the above picture, the Windows 7 drive is selected for booting.
And NO, you're not seeing things..... I actually DO have a Floppy Drive. Wink

Many big brand name mobo's don't have this feature, but many after-market mobo's DO. Both of my systems do have this feature. One is an 8 yr old Asrock and the other is a three year old MSI. Both use the F11Key for the boot menu.
You may have this feature and not even know it, if you've never fully read your BIOS boot screen. (Press F2 for Setup.....Press F11 for Boot Menu )

I do hope, that this helps someone, somewhere, somehow, someday. Rolling Eyes

The Doctor Cool

quantom · Joined: Nov 15, 2009 Posts: 1

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1548 Location: Central FL, USA

Well, hipo.... (whatever) speaking. Rolling Eyes

Never run programs like PM8 or Ghost from within any Version of Windows.
I learned that lesson, shall we say, the hard way, years ago.

If you're trying to set up a new HD, you can't run those programs from Windows anyway. You need them on a bootable CD or Flash Drive.
(I like flash drives, because they boot and load software much faster than a CD)

Install any program like PM8 on one computer that will install it and run it properly, and then use it to make the "Recovery Disk" which actually includes the whole program.
Then, once the recovery (Boot) disk is made and tested to be OK, delete PM8 off of the PC it was installed on, and never install it again.

In that hypo.... case, I'd delete Win-7 and let XP take over as the primary OS again.
It's one of those cases, where I'd like to actually be there and have 'hands-on' to solve that problem.

I did mention previously, that Win-7 will not install to the same NTFS partition that XP would install to. It wants its own form of NTFS.

However..........or should I say "BUT"....... you can restore a backup of XP to a partition formerly occupied by Win-7 with no problem.

I did just that last night, after getting totally fed up with all the incompatibilities of Win-7 on my Acer Aspire ONE, Netbook.

Before ever installing Win-7 on that little Netbook, I repartitioned the hard drive with PM8 and made a Ghost backup of C: to D:. That was a "Partition to Image" backup.

So when I decided to blow off Win-7 and go back to XP, all I had to do was boot up the little PC with my Ghost flash drive and do a restore of that saved copy of C: with XP on it. In about six minutes, I was happily booting to XP again.

Many little PC's like my Acer Netbook, were built for XP, loaded at the factory with XP and XP drivers and runs best on XP. It seems like a big mistake to try to run Win-7 on any PC like that.
All the incompatibilities will just drive you crazy. They sure did for me.

Sorry I don't have the "Quick Fix" for you.

The Doctor Cool