Want to install XP with windows 7

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snehasis@tom

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Jun 1, 2011
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Hello,
I have windows7 installed in my system. I have two partition on my hard disk(C,D).Windows 7 is installed in C drive. In D i have kept my personal data(Songs,movies etc). 81GB free space is there in D drive. I want to install XP in D drive. Can i do that? Please tell me the process.
 
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edmond419

edmond419

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Yes you can do that.
This is risky but it is quite possible. I will not take any responsibility for breaking your computer.

1. Download bootsect.exe and save somewhere ( http://downloads.ziddu.com/downloadfile/3876836/bootsect.zip.html ) extract the files to somewhere

2. Insert the Windows XP CD and tell the computer to boot from CD

3. Follow the steps until you get up to the steps where you select the disk drive. Select the D drive (Make sure it IS the D drive as it sometimes rearranges it by checking the space free size)

4. Find bootsect.exe

5. Open a Run... box, type in without quotes"cmd" then drag the bootsect.exe into the box. Press OK

6. A black box will appear. Type without the quotes: "bootsect.exe -NT60 All"

7. Go to your Windows 7 Installation, go to Windows, then System32, then find "bcdedit"

8. Do step 5 but for the bcdedit.exe file

9. Again, black box will appear. type these and press enter at each line

Bcdedit /create {legacy} /d “Description”
Bcdedit /set {legacy} device boot
Bcdedit /set {legacy} path \ntldr
Bcdedit /displayorder {legacy} /addlast


10. Restart computer
 
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snehasis@tom

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Thanx..i will try it..but before that i want to ask another question. :) Windows 7 is already installed in my system (in C drive). without uninstalling Win 7 Can i install XP in that drive?
 
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livebriand

livebriand

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I think you can. You might need to do a repair Windows 7 install though, as XP will remove the bootloader from the newer version (after all, when it was written, the Windows Vista/7 bootloader didn't exist). The best solution is to install XP, THEN 7.

Alternatively, first create a partition (the primary partition) for XP on the drive you want it on. Use a tool like Easeus Partition Master for that. Then open the computer, physically unplug the drive that has Win7, and install XP on that partition you created for it. Once XP is installed, reconnect the win7 drive. You can now switch between the two in the bios. As a result, the two OS installs do not have bootloaders that are related to one-another, and you can remove one easily without affecting the other.
 
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edmond419

edmond419

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No you can't install both Windows 7 and XP on the same partition, but you CAN on the same drive.

Installing XP and 7 is like putting fried noodles and fried rice into the same cubicle in a box, which some of you may find disgusting

But installing XP and 7 on separate partitions on the same drive is like putting fried noodles in one cubicle of a box and friend rice in the other, making each of them taste good.
 
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compulsivebuilder

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Leaving the odd analogy aside (were you eating a bento box when you answered?), it's not quite true. It is possible to install XP and Windows 7 to the same drive, but it's not easy. It is certainly much easier to install them to different partitions, but not an absolute necessity. I would not recommend that a novice try it, but it is definitely possible to have a multi-boot system with more than one version of Windows installed in the one partition. You will need to install at least one of them into a non-standard directory - put XP into C:\WINXP, for example.
 
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livebriand

livebriand

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Yeah a long time ago I made the dumb mistake of installing w2k and XP on the same partition and it got completely screwed up - program files overwriting each other, yeah... at least w2k has the winnt folder and xp uses the windows folder. Here since both xp and w7 use the windows folder it will get completely screwed up, if it'll allow that at all.

A VM is definitely the easiest option (though performance isn't the best). I'd definitely recommend it if your machine is decently powerful and has at least 4GB RAM.
 
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Tamz_msc

Tamz_msc

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Yes you can do that and its 100% safe. Just make sure that they're on different partitions, and you'll be fine.

The one thing I found out is that you have to have XP installed BEFORE you install Windows 7. If you do it the other way around, XP modifies the boot.ini file and Windows 7 does not show up as an option in the OS choices menu. There are workarounds for this, but I've not tried them myself so I can't tell for sure.

Just make sure you've everything backed up and install XP and then Windows 7.
 
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ferdimako

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Can I try the option of using an external Hard disk to house my XP? Will the Laptop give me the choice to choose while booting? I will prefer the option you have tested but am not sure I have the correct DVD for the Windows 7, it came preinstalled and not sure I will have what I have now after installing after XP must have been installed first.
 
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