Windows 7: XP on Partition: Toshiba Satellite

Hi, I would like to install XP on a new 7 computer on a partition. I've created a partition, labeled it F: (F Disk), and tried to boot from my XP installation CD. After a few minutes of configuring, it says there was an error, etc. Run chkdsk /F and a bit more, but it looks like unimportant information.

It's a new computer, so I don't think there's a problem with the disk, but what else could be doing this?

Or is there something physically different in a hard disk that runs 7 versus one that runs XP and XP can't install on it?

Thanks.

Hello Dabrowski, welcome to Seven Forums!



Just so you'll know you'll have to have either a Windows 7 install disk or a repair disk to get Windows 7 booting again if you install XP second after W 7 is installed.

Thanks for the heads up. I was trying to make a restore disk for 7 because they don't come with it (money grab), but I hadn't gotten to it yet. I'll do that.

Why is that so? Does XP and 7 operate that differently that they conflict with each other? Is that why XP won't install?

When you install Win XP, the boot files for Windows 7 messed up.

Have a read of those tutorials:

Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP
SATA Drivers - Load in Windows XP Setup on Dual Boot
SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD

Use EasyBCD 2.0 in Win 7 & Win XP.
EasyBCD 2.0 Beta Builds - The NeoSmart Forums

A bit more reading.
BCDEDIT - How to Use
System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete - Vista Forums

Startup Repair
Note: You may need to do startup repair 3 to 4 times.

Use Method Two in this tutorial: Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

Since XP will take over the bootloader at install, you need to add Windows 7 to a Dual Boot menu using EasyBCD 2.0 which theog links above. It requires Net Framework 2.0 to run in XP which is linked in the Dual Boot tutorial.

If Easy won't work from XP, you'll need to Start Windows 7 to install Easy and run from there to Add XP. To do this you'll need a System Repair Disc - Create to modify Windows 7 Partition - Mark as Active from the Command Line, then run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots to start Windows 7.

As to why your XP installer won't run: Try deleting the XP partition you made from Windows 7 as XP partition table is slightly different. Use the XP CD to create and format the partition in the space you made. If it still won't run, you'll need to slipstream the SATA drivers using theog's tutorial above, if you can't insert them at F6 prompt during driver-loading phase due to not having a floppy drive from the XP era.

As Dr. Who explains below: having OS's on separate HD's booted via BIOS is a much cleaner method of dual- or multi-booting as the drives remain independent. However you can indeed dual boot XP-Windows 7 on the same HD using tutorial above.

Apparently, the NTFS drive structure for XP is different than the one for Win-7 or Vista.

Somewhere I heard that if you want to run both OS's, XP has to be the first one installed on the HD.

A much simpler way to run multiple OS's is to have each one on a different Hard Drive.

I'm running Windows 7 and two other OS's right now, with each one and it's associated storage partition on a separate hard drive.

I simply select which drive to boot to by pressing F11 during the first few seconds of boot up, to get my Boot Menu from the Bios.

The different OS's can never conflict with one another because they are on different hard drives. I can either unplug one drive or reformat it and load something else, without ever interfering with any other OS.

For us guys who like to play around with different OS's, it's really the best way to fly!

Think about it......

Doc

May be you would like to have read.
Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

XP does not have to be the first one installed, I've done a few of these myself.

click to enlarge

Maybe a stupid question: Can you get two HDs into a laptop? Anyway, I can't. I'll consider all of that great information and I'll read the resources.

Thanks.

Do post back to keep us informed on what you decide.