How to install Win XP on second Hard drive using Win 7

[Karl_B]

Really would appreciate help with my install problem.
My first Western Digital (DG) hard drive (250gb) runs Win7 Home Premium.
I've installed a new WD hard drive (500gb) and wish to install WinXP using my Microsoft original software disk.
My computer recognizes my new Hard drive, drive E.
Can I do this and if so what do I need to do to accomplish this?
As of now when I put my copy of WinXP into my CD-DVD drive it doesn't do anything. I expected the Install Wizard but no such luck.

Thanking you in advance,
Karl

 

[PhilFrisbie]

My advice is don't try it. Just Google the phrase 'install XP after Windows 7' (without the quotes) to see how hard it is.

It is MUCH easier to install XP into a virtual machine under Windows 7; that is how I run XP. I use VirtualBox, but there are other choices if you look.

 

[tigsounds]

Or... you can manually dual-boot if you don't mind always going into your BIOS to change the preferred boot drive to change what system you run.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

Read Here ^

[:briovaz:3]

 

[Karl_B]

My advice is don't try it. Just Google the phrase 'install XP after Windows 7' (without the quotes) to see how hard it is.

It is MUCH easier to install XP into a virtual machine under Windows 7; that is how I run XP. I use VirtualBox, but there are other choices if you look.

I'm going to spend the time and review your suggestion to use VirtualBox. It looks like extensive reading.
Maybe you know the answer to this question; In XP PRO I'll be doing a lot of printing on my HP5550 Photo printer which will not operate correctly with Win7, I'll also be using Photoshop 6.0 which Adobe does not support in Win 7, and Office 2000 I need Word to support my HP printer to print Avery labels that Avery only uses Word in Office 2000 or the new Win2010 Office (which is not cost effective for me). I could also use Outlook instead of Win Live Mail.
So my question is can I do all these things I've mentioned above?
Would you know by experience whether these other programs can be used as usual using VirtualBox?
Thanks for your info.
Karl_B

 

[tigsounds]

Or... you could install a VMware Workstation 8 in your Win7 and then run anything you like in the virtual machine.
Run Win7 and XP Pro at the same time. You can make as many virtual machines as you have hard drive space to hold them (here is where your second drive will come in handy). Load any operating system into any of them... go back to MS-DOS if that's what you want to do.

They'll let you try it for 30 days free. (Cost $199.00 to purchase) (Read about it, there's reasons it co$t)

If you do this, remember you are starting a new computer when you set up the virtual machine, new, as in you'll even need to partition and format the new machine's virtual hard drive and install an operating system in it. You just won't need any drivers that are localized in the host system, such as sound, video etc. as the VM will automatically utilize them. Drag and drop between the host and the VM. The virtual machine opens from a desktop icon. It doesn't get much easier than this.

See it HERE.

 

[PhilFrisbie]

In XP PRO I'll be doing a lot of printing on my HP5550 Photo printer which will not operate correctly with Win7, I'll also be using Photoshop 6.0 which Adobe does not support in Win 7, and Office 2000 I need Word to support my HP printer to print Avery labels that Avery only uses Word in Office 2000 or the new Win2010 Office (which is not cost effective for me). I could also use Outlook instead of Win Live Mail.
So my question is can I do all these things I've mentioned above?
Would you know by experience whether these other programs can be used as usual using VirtualBox?

First the software: Yes, I have not found any non-game software that did not work fine, even programing tools like Visual Studio work fine.

About the printer: I have read that you can use USB printers inside a virtual machine, but I have not needed to do this, so I cannot comment on how easy or hard it might be.

BTW, the HP 5550 "flying saucer" printer is a GREAT photo printer. I gave mine away last year to a friend whose printer died on him.

 

[Karl_B]

My advice is don't try it. Just Google the phrase 'install XP after Windows 7' (without the quotes) to see how hard it is.

It is MUCH easier to install XP into a virtual machine under Windows 7; that is how I run XP. I use VirtualBox, but there are other choices if you look.

thank you for the timely response from both of you.
I reviewed Virtualbox and could find no information where I could use Office 2000 and all it's programs such as Word, Excel etc which requires WinXP Professional or Win 2000 as the latest OS, or for that matter use Adobe Photoshop 6.0. which also requires WinXP & no later to run. And for my HP Photo Printer 5550 that is supported up to Win 2007 and no later OS such as Vista & Win7.
I also looked at VMware Workstation 8 and could not ascertain it's limitations such as I've mentioned above.

If my choices are to install WinXp Pro on one hard drive and Win7 on another maybe I should Install them both on my 500 gig drive but partitioned in half so I can readily use either one by simple selection rather that using MS-DOS each time. This way I can use my 250gig hard drive for other things such as storing Photos albums etc.
How ever I'll see if there is an easy way to access either Hard drive at Startup rather than using MS-DOS.
Thanks for all the information provided to date.
Karl_B

 

[PhilFrisbie]

:I reviewed Virtualbox and could find no information where I could use Office 2000 and all it's programs such as Word, Excel etc which requires WinXP Professional or Win 2000 as the latest OS, or for that matter use Adobe Photoshop 6.0. which also requires WinXP & no later to run.

I can confirm that Microsoft Office works fine on XP in VirtualBox. I have not tried Photoshop 6.0, but I have used GIMP in my virtual machine.

 

[Karl_B]

Thank you kindly for this info. Kinda makes it a little more doable.
Karl_B

 

[tigsounds]

:
I also looked at VMware Workstation 8 and could not ascertain it's limitations such as I've mentioned above.

Limitations? What limitations? A VMware workstation can run any operating system as though it is the only system running. Whatever runs on the system you install in it will run as if it is the only system present. I've never seen it work with an "except for that" type problem. That's why it is a true virtual computer that can run simultaneously within it's host.

Example... I've installed it in people's computers that cling to old software and hardware that only ran in older versions of Windows, such as Adaptec's "Direct CD" that ended with Win2K. In the VM it works perfectly because that IS the system running. People love it even more since drag and drop between machines works (the VM runs in a window of the host and can be minimized while running).

Double-click an icon and you've just started another computer. It doesn't get any easier than that.
Your CD/DVD drive will work, your USB devices will work, your floppy drive will work, if you have one.
Put it in for a month and tell me what doesn't work. I'm prepared for a long silence.

A VMware computer has to be the easiest thing in the world to back up.. It's just a few files that can be copied to another folder and copied back if needed. It's the ultimate "System Restore" feature as it is the entire machine that gets backed up. Virus wiped out your VM? Not a problem, copy back it's files and it's as though that day/event never happened.

Since they allow a month of free use it should be tried. You have nothing to loose.

 

[Karl_B]

Thank you for the information regarding VM's usage. I'm still interested in using my new HD (.5 tb) which would let me use the old (less than 1 year old) HD to store Photo's etc on or as a system back up location.
Someone suggested getting a CD at Fry's to install on my computer to allow Win7 to install XP, Office 2000 and Photoshop 6 on my new to be partitioned HD and also install Win7 on the first partitioned side.
Thank you again for the info about VM. I'll do some more reading so I can see if I can use this software effectively before using the VM trial version.
Karlb