cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

community
Grafter
Posts: 666
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

I have a 500GB New Hard Disk ready  for internal installation  with an intention to install Windows 7. It will be added to my existing WindowsXP Home Edition for dual booting.
Does anyone have prior knowledge of this installation and therefore knows the pifalls.
any advice seriously considered.
thanks
9 REPLIES 9
magnetism2772
Grafter
Posts: 983
Registered: ‎06-06-2010

Re: dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

one way
1)fit your new hard drive
2)divide your new hard drive in half by creating two 250GB partitions(by some type of software)
 make the first partition a primary drive(where you can install Win7) and the other make it also a primary partition
3)set the  first primary partition active(so that your computer will then always boot from this drive win7)
4)copy the whole of your earlier Window's XP disk over to the second partition(the second partition you created)
 usng a hard disk copy program
5)install win7 on your first disk partition
 by booting from the DVD drive with your windows 7 software disk in the DVD drive
6) enter BIOS and  temporarily set this DVD drive(with the win7 placed  inside it) as your first boot device
7) once setup starts install win 7 and let it create a boot installer when it find the other operating system on the
second partition
then use your old hard drive as  spare capacity
edited - in a split drive  with two windows operating systems both partitions on any drive must be created as primary partitions
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

Unless you really want to move your XP installation to the new drive - which I don't recommend - then follow the advice here http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html Optuion 2 which is much simpler and gives you the option of partitioning your new hard drive if you wish
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

Quote from: community
I have a 500GB New Hard Disk ready  for internal installation  with an intention to install Windows 7. It will be added to my existing WindowsXP Home Edition for dual booting.
Does anyone have prior knowledge of this installation and therefore knows the pifalls.

Yes, done it many times.
Assuming you're keeping the old XP disk in place it's dead easy:
1. Install new disk physically, make sure XP can see it. Partition and format it as you prefer via XP (NTFS format normally).
2. Insert W7 DVD and install it NOT as an update, choosing one of the new partitions as the target.
(You will probably have to boot from the DVD but it will tell you)
Job done; you'll get a choice of W7 and the "old" OS at bootup on a menu. Change the OS choice timing on this (default 25 or 30 seconds and W7?) in W7.
community
Grafter
Posts: 666
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

Thanks All
I will decide which way to go and then report back with hopefully good news  Smiley
cheers
community
Grafter
Posts: 666
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

OK  So far so good
New HD installed and is recognised.
Now,  because it is an OEM disk, do I need to format it before using the CD rom for installing Windows7? if yes, where is the command please?
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

I don't think so
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

The install will find it and offer you the option of creating partitions, formatting etc.
Just be careful not to wipe the XP install (which is why I suggested doing it beforehand in XP).
XP Disk Management is in "manage" - right-click on My Computer.
community
Grafter
Posts: 666
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

I have now had Windows 7 up and running for a couple of days..........BUT...
unfortunately, I have already found that 4 of my apps will not work with it  Sad
allof which I MUST have, therefore I have to consider spending a lot of money to upgrade them.....even my sound card does not work with Windows7!!!!
Is it worth the extra expense....I have to decide.
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: dual system, W7 and W XP installation and use

Isn't that what dual-boot is to help with?
And have you tried the various compatibility modes for apps?