Windows 7: Install Xp After Win 7 64 Bit

I need to install XP with Windows 7 Ultra already on C: drive.

Will the following method work?

I have three HDs, if I disconnect the main HD with Windows 7 and install XP on one of the spare HDs so that XP does not trample over Windows 7, will I be able to boot into Win 7 when I reconnect the main HD? If that worked, I would use Easybcd to produce a dual boot setup.



Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi toolman59
Your method is right . Unplug the Disk0 (containing C drive), Install XP in another one. So the XP bootloader will not be installed in Windows 7 MBR .

Later you may apply a dual boot setting using EasyBCD, as you stated, but I would suggest you to not do that. You are using Gigabyte motherboard, where the boot menu key is F12. Press and hold F12 when the motherboard screen will be shown after power on, you will get the list the available disks to boot from (including all your Hard disks and DVD drives). Use up/down arrow keys to select which disk to boot from, and hit enter.

As you have two disks to boot from, you are to choose which one to boot by default, I mean if you dont press F12. Enter into BIOS, and set boot priority properly, better set boot from DVD drive first, Win 7 HD second, and XP HD third.

I am saying you to not set up a dual boot environment, coz if any of the OS installation gets corrupted, it will affect the other one under a dual boot system. So better to install to OSs in two different HDs, and use the boot menu key to choose one to boot from, when needed.

that is good method to do!! Be sure the disk where Windows 7 is installed on is the first disk bios tries to boot from! If not possible: set winxp partition to "not active" partition. After configuring dual boot you maybe have to edit boot.ini which is on winxp partition. Change all occurences of rdisk(0) to rdisk(1) if ntldr can't start winxp (can be done from within Windows 7)

Sample boot.ini (winxp)

[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect

+1 to Arc's advice to Dual Boot via the BIOS,

After install with Windows 7 HD unplugged, plug it back in and set preferred HD to boot first.

Then if you want to boot the other OS HD use the one-time BIOS BOot Menu f12 key at boot to choose it.

Be sure to read this as well!
System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete - Vista Forums

Thank you all for your excellent advice. I will go with the F12 boot method, I did not have that option on my previous elderly computer. I did the Registry hacks previously to protect Win 7 restore points from XP and I will do the same again.

I would also take look at XP mode or a VM.
Windows XP Mode - Install and Setup

It isn't necessary to protect Restore Points if you dual boot via BIOS. The systems remain independent.

If you boot to winxp using BIOS F12-key the Windows 7 partition is still accessible and writeable. So winxp can still screw-up Windows 7 restore points. Correct me if I'm wrong ... and why

It's never been reported, and it's been reported not to happen, using the BIOS Boot method.

This is one of the main reasons we've been recommending it here for two years.

However I agree that virtualization is the better option and worth trying first, either using XP Mode if you have Ultimate or VMWare, Virtual Player, Virtual Box, etc.