[Solved] XP and Windows 7 Dual Boot

Forum Windows 7 : [Solved] XP and Windows 7 Dual Boot

I am currently running Vista 64 but will soon be upgrading to W7 64 upon its release. I recently found out that I am going to need to run a particular program that can only be ran on XP and was wondering if I could dual boot W7 and XP on separate hard drives. I heard that there are some dual booting issues with W7 and any other OS and I was wondering if you guys could elaborate?

Reply to ragsters

Best answer

I have an XP/Win 7 64 machine currently. Like you plan, I have each OS installed on seperate harddrives. Be sure to load the XP OS first, then the Win 7 OS last. After the installation of the OS's is complete, upon start up a menu will appear asking which OS you wish to boot to. In BIOS, the XP HD should be set as the first 'boot' drive.

If you search around M$ there should be some detailed procedure (XP/Vista dual boot), but if you follow the simple instructions I provided the dual boot will work great for you.

Message edited by badge on 10-15-2009 at 10:34:00 PM

------------------------------ "To better understand why you need a personal computer, let's take a look at the pathetic mess you call your life."
Reply to badge

^+1
I also have win7 64/XP 32 dual boot on separate hard drives.

As badge said install XP first or otherwise it won't see the dual boot.

There are no such dual boot issues encountered by me...

Reply to shubham1401

Thanks guys.

Reply to ragsters

Here you go: How to Dual Boot Win 7 and XP

------------------------------ Trying to make up his mind whether the current situation is due to an overabundance of high quality pharmaceuticals freely available on the Internet. ...or not enough of them.
Reply to Scotteq

Concur, no problems. A small twist. If your motherboard gives you the option of selecting Boot drive (Mine is F12 while booting). You can eliminate the software boot manager. ie if you already have XP on one drive. Disconnect that drive, leaving (or connect) the 2nd HDD and install Win 7. Then reconnect XP drive and select which operating system you want to boot to.

If a new installation of both operating systems, then just connect one drive and install operating system. DOES NOT matter in which order. Once you have that operating system up and running, disconnect HDD and connect 2nd HDD and install the 2nd operating system. Once installed, reconnect the first HDD.

While most do not experience a problem with using a software boot manager there have been some isolated cases that a problem on one drive has messed up the 2nd drive.

Anyway either method works - just a alternative method to achieve the same goal.

WOW - I must be a slow typest, 2 more post between mine and stubham1401

You will not have the possible problems noted in scotteq's link. When booting Win 7 the XP HDD will be fully visible and you can read/write to it and visa versa when booting XP. Note which ever operating system you boot to, THAT WILL be your C drive. If boot drives are partioned so that you have a C, D, E, F. Operating system will be C. The other drive letters may also change, You just need to be aware of that. I have no proble, I am using drive letters C thru I HDDs), Just gave each drive a discriptive name, ie Vista, Win7, Video, MyData (for Small files), Backup.

Message edited by RetiredChief on 10-15-2009 at 11:16:47 PM

Reply to RetiredChief

I also run XP Pro / Windows 7 64bit on same PC. I dont like the Boot Menu so I disconect one HDD and install OS on the other, as RetiredChief posted.

There is another option if you plan to run Windows 7 Pro, Enterprise or Ultimate.
Read about it below
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/v [...] nload.aspx

More here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us [...] S.10).aspx

Message edited by knotknut on 10-15-2009 at 11:10:21 PM

Reply to knotknut

Make sure you hide windows 7 from xp in xp's registry, keeps reasing my windows 7 system restores, but not an issue , just me being lazy.

Reply to reconviperone1

XP mode inside 7 if you have Pro, or Ultimate, and a VT supported CPU.

Reply to daship

Quote :

If your motherboard gives you the option of selecting Boot drive (Mine is F12 while booting). You can eliminate the software boot manage

You can also adust the time the boot selection screen is dispalyed upon start up of the dual boot system.

Right click My Computer
Click on properties
Click on Advanced System Properties
Select Advanced Tab
Select 'Settings' at the Startup and Recovery option
Check 'Time to display operating systems' and choose how many seconds.

Message edited by badge on 10-16-2009 at 12:24:16 AM

------------------------------ "To better understand why you need a personal computer, let's take a look at the pathetic mess you call your life."
Reply to badge

+1 to daship

If you have an suitable processor just grab Pro or Ultimate when you get Windows 7 and use XP Mode - save messing about with dual-booting for 1 app.

And what makes you think your app won't work on XP anyway? 7 has a number of compatibility options you can use before you even go into XP Mode.

You have a number of options before you worry about dual-booting

Reply to LePhuronn

I would run XP as a virtual machine on VMWare Server (free). No need to pay extra fr the XP mode in the Premium Win 7, unless it has to be seamlessly integrated.

Reply to fwgx

Now im no expert at this but all this talk of dual booting is totally irrelevant isn't it. ragsters said different hard drives so the way i see it you install one HDD then install say XP on to that one and get the PC up and running. Power down the rig (obviously).Next you take your second HDD, unplug the first HDD from power and data cables. Then plug the second HDD up to its own set of data and power cables and install W7 on that HDD. Power down again when you have that up and running, connect both HDD's then when you power up you hit whichever F key happens to be the one for drive selection on your rig. Mine is F11. It does say on the bios boot screen which one to push if you have no manual, well it does on mine anyway.
That's how i go about running two different OS's on two different HDD's on my system anyway.

Mactronix

Reply to mactronix

Opps sorry thats pretty much what RetiredChief posted :pt1cable:

Mactronix :lol:

Reply to mactronix

You can use Portlock Leap Frog program at http://www.portlock.com/products/leap_frog/, this will enable you to install Windows 7 on the same partiion as XP or Vista or a different partiion or hard drive if you wish. The files will be separate, and you will have dual boot choice.

Reply to daren253