Windows 7: Dual Booting

Hi guys. I just got my hands on Windows XP 64-Bit. I currently have Windows 7 Ultimate 32-Bit installed on my C drive. The last time I formatted my PC was roughly just before the 10th of January, (the 8th, I think), and I tried to install Dual-Booting with XP Pro 32-Bit, and Win 7 Ultimate 32-bit. But the install for XP screwed it up and XP wouldn't start-up, due to I believe was that XP 32-Bit couldn't handle more than 3gb of RAM, which I have 4GB. So I figured I'd need XP 64-Bit to install for me to use XP on my machine.

Now, I have a couple of questions about installing XP 64-Bit on one of my partitions, even though I'm pretty computer literate; I don't want to accidentally screw up my system. I've had Windows 7 32-Bit on my system since Jan, of this year without much problems (besides maybe a few BSOD's here and there). I also have 2 physical drives in my machine, and 4 letter drives. My E and F drives are roughly about 75% or 80% full of stuff, my D drive is only roughly 60% or 65% full. I want to install XP on one of my drives (preferably E or F). My D drive is mostly just games, and my E/F drives have mostly "downloads" I accumulated over the past few years. (I tend to keep files on my computer in case I might need them later, I'm what you could call a "pack rat" when it comes to computer files).

Even though I want to use E or F as my XP drive, I think D is more realistic due to it having the biggest space remaining.



Now, the big question for me is: How many gigabytes of RAM can Windows 64-Bit handle without it not being able to run? When I mean "not being able to run" is where I'll go through the setup after hitting a key to run setup when it says "Press any key to run setup" when it runs the setup from the DVD, that's when my XP 32-Bit would just get stuck with, and it also screwed up my Windows 7 setup, so I had to format both drives and reinstall Windows 7 (this was right after I formatted 3 letter drives (I had 5) and combined 2 into 1 so I had 4 letter drives instead of 5.).

I'm going to assume that the XP 64-Bit won't screw up my Windows 7 setup that's already installed? And will it make me have to format Drive D in order to install, or will it simply just let me choose to let the drive be? If not, oh well, I can just format the D drive and reinstall all of the games I have. Either that, or I can just burn all the really necessary files from the E drive and format that instead.

Anyone elses thoughts are appreciated. Go ahead and throw a few at me. I don't have any external drives either, so that's out.

The best arrangement for a Dual Boot when you have multiple HD's is to install each OS on separate HD's.

In your case, empty a partition for XP, unplug the Windows 7 HD, set XP target HD as first to boot in BIOS setup, install XP using it's CD to full format the partition first.

After XP starts up, plug back in Windows 7 HD, set the preferred HD as first HD to boot in BIOS setup, then use the one-time BIOS Boot Menu f-key to boot the other OS HD when needed.

I doubt whether the issue with XP install was too much RAM. If you have an install fail during this attempt, take a camera snap of the error message or write it down and post the verbatim text.

Well, the problem with that is, is I don't know which physical drive C and D are on. That's the bigger problem. Or the rest of the letter drives, for that matter.

Please post back a screenshot of your full Disk Management drive map and listings, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu.

Type Disk Management in Start button Search box. Maximize the window, open Snipping TOol and draw a rectangular box around the map and listings above it.

Tell us what is on each partition as best you now. You may need to look in Computer to check each partition's content, you can rightclick>Properties to label each in box at top.

Your best bet is to go for Win XP 32bit, as 64 bit drivers are hard to find.

What would be the point of installing XP x64 now? If you want to use an x64 OS, with your system, run Windows 7 x64. The x64 testing phase has been done and over with...it's safe for use, plus you'd get full use of your memory.

If you want an older XP OS for some compatibility with old apps, then stick with XP x86 and just virtualize it.

I'd do this, but I'm not interested in virtual OS's. I don't like using them.

And XP 32-Bit can't handle more than 3 gigs, I'm told, while XP 64 can handle up to 64 gigs of RAM.


And it seems I screwed something up with the installation. I installed XP 64-Bit on the wrong letter drive by accident. I decided I wanted to put it on the F drive instead of the E drive, seeing as they're on different physical drives. But now when it barely passes the "press any key to load from DVD", it gives me error, something like "Disk Read Error". I have to find my Windows 7 Ultimate disk, which I misplaced right now, so I have to find it. What can I do to fix this?

Edit: By the way, when I say wrong drive, I mean I installed it on the E drive by accident instead of the F drive.

Hello Richard.


The really smart way to accomplish installing 64-bit XP, since you have separate Hard Disk Drives is to disconnect all HDDs except the one you want to install XP to and connect that to the #1 SATA port of the motherboard and set it as the second boot device after the CD/DVD drive and boot the XP installer to complete the process.

An even better way would be to do a complete wipe on the entire HDD first using the Windows 7 installation disk (when you find it), this will get XP on the first partition of the HDD thus letting it take the letter C: for itself.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

DISKPART : At PC Startup


When XP is booting, power down and change HDDs and reinstall Windows 7 to its own HDD using this same method; set the HDD/OS you want to start as default as first in the BIOS boot order and when you want to boot to the other HDD/OS use the one-time boot menu hot-key specific to your mobo (F12).

That's a shame you gave up on them, as they are a much simpler, easier method to using multiple OSes...especially when you change your mind or want to use yet another OS. Multi-boot systems are a thing of the past. If you're interested in using all of your memory, you already have a license for Windows 7 x64.

Too bad you didn't post back the Disk Mgmt screenshot when requested (or even acknowledge the request) as we could easily walk you through repairing Windows 7 and Dual Booting XP via the BIOS. Now it's impossible to follow your description of what you did.

Can you download and burn to CD free Partiiton Wizard bootable CD, then post back a camera snap of your drive map with listings. Or just type them out for each partition in full. Partition Wizard

You might be able to boot Windows 7 now by unplugging all but it's HD and setting it first to boot In BIOS setup. Then do the same for XP target HD when ready to full format and install on it's partition.