Easy Windows 7 install question...

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
W

Whirlingdervish

Distinguished
Aug 26, 2012
40
1
18,535
Hi all you brilliant computer helpers!

Can I install a new copy of Windows 7 on a partition of a disc, or will it require a full disc reformat?

Plus, I'm wondering if I should do a dual boot with my XP? Is doing a dual boot w. these any easier than it was with XP and Vista, which was a royal pain? Does Windows 7 have an easy way for dual boot installs? Can one do a boot of one OS on one partition and one on another? Does that making installing a dual boot easier?

Thanks for any thoughts you may have!
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
4745454b

4745454b

Titan
Moderator
Apr 29, 2006
29,241
437
93,590
I'm not sure I follow your first question. You can install win7 on a partition. I have it on a partition, no problems. You then ask if you'll need to format it? I'm not sure about this part. I'm going to say as long as you don't have a copy of windows on the partition in question you won't need to format it.

Not 100% sure on the next part either. Usually you can dual boot by loading the older system first, then install the newer copy of windows. But you can't upgrade XP to win7. I know I'm dual booting XP and win7, but its been so long since I did it that I don't remember the install order. I think I did it backwards, installing win7 then XP. I remember needing to mess with the boot files to get it to work correctly. I wanted XP around in case I didn't like Win7. We got off to a rocky start, but honestly I have yet to boot into XP. I think I've been using win7 for around 2 years now. Haven't looked back after that rough first week.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
bgunner

bgunner

Judicious
Feb 13, 2009
5,144
14
32,515
you asked "Can I install a new copy of Windows 7 on a partition of a disc, or will it require a full disc reformat?"

answer: yes you can put it on a partition AS long as teh partition is set up before installation. Durring installation the OS will ask you where you want to install the OS. This is the point where you chose what drive to install it on.

you asked "Plus, I'm wondering if I should do a dual boot with my XP?"

answer: Should you? the question really is do you want to?

you asked: "Is doing a dual boot w. these any easier than it was with XP and Vista, which was a royal pain?"

answer: I have personally found it is not that hard to do. simply install win 7 on one drive then XP on the other. durring boot it will ask what OS to use and you get to pick. once in the OS you can set it to run the most commonly used OS to boot all the time and press *f8 at boot to choose the second OS.

you asked "Can one do a boot of one OS on one partition and one on another?"

answer: If I'm understanding correctly, you want to boot 2 OS's at the same time? Then No it is not possible. OR If you mean installation of 2 OS's on 2 different partitions? then this is the only way to do it. If you try to install 2 OS's on the same partition then one will Over Write the other.

you asked "Does that making installing a dual boot easier?"

Answer: depends on what you meant in the question before. the easiest way to duel boot is put each OS on a separate drive/ partition.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom