Windows 7: New machine and wanting to Dual Boot Win Xp and Win 7 on 2 drives

I know that this probably has been posted and asked to death , but i was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction.

I'm presently running a machine with Xp Pro and am in the process of building a new machine and would like to install Win 7 on the new drive that's coming with the box, but also keep my Xp installation to migrate folders and such over to Win 7 at my leisure and also be able to boot into Xp to run some programs on it.

What would be the steps i would be best taking to do this, and also would it give me the option at the boot screen to boot into either.

I also heard that it could mess up my restore points, not sure on both or one installation, is that true and how do avoid this?

Would i be best to move the Xp over first as normally don't you have to run a repair of Xp in a new box to get the new mobo to recognize the install? Then would i unplug that drive and install a fresh copy of 7 onto the new HD?

Thank you to all for any information forthcoming that will make this install run smooth for me.

Gord

While it may be possible to put the XP HDD in a new box and get it to recognize the different mobo, personally I'd prefer a clean XP install.

My method for dual boot on 2 HDDs - check which F key gets to the boot menu (so you can select which HDD to boot from). Then with just one disk connected, install XP. When everything's checked and working, disconnect 1st drive and connect 2nd. Install Windows 7 on 2nd drive. When that's OK, connect both disks. Reboot and go into BIOS to set the default OS/HDD eg set to normally boot Windows 7. Then when you need XP, use the F key to access the boot menu and select the XP disk.

If the 2 HDDs are different brands, its easier to identify them in the boot menu.

I want to be able to boot into my Xp drive as it is now , so that i can get into my programs and other information that i will want to bring over to Windows 7.
And also there are programs on the disk that i might have to work with before eliminating the Xp drive altogether and formatting it to a storage only drive.

I know that there are programs on that disk that i will need access to for a while, and can't loose the option to be able to run them or to be able to get on the 'net while in the Xp drive.

I've read that you can have both, i just want to know the way to go about getting both without having to do a clean format/install of Xp, if that were the case i wouldn't bother with the install of this old disk.

It's unlikely XP will boot on the new hardware though you can try. If not first try an XP Repair Install to adjust to new hardware. Do this with all other HD's unplugged.

If not you can boot Download Paragon Virtualization Manager 2010 [GIVEAWAY] 9.5 Build 10515 Free - Easily migrate a Windows-based computer to a virtual environment (P2V) and vice versa (V2P) - Softpedia CD which will adjust the old OS to new hardware. Register for a free key here courtesy of our own SIW2: Paragon Virtualization Manager 9.5 Personal

Then unplug the XP HD to Clean Install Windows 7 to it's HD. After install boot XP using the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key at boot which most every mobo has. If not install EasyBCD 2.12 to add XP from Windows 7.

Why shouldn't it boot on the new machine? Just the difference in technology?

Would i be able to see whats on the drive at least to pull stuff off of it or to see what programs i need to reinstall on Win 7?

It's rare that an OS will boot on new hardware because of a combination of different drivers, Security ID's and Hardware ID's that conflict and cause it to stall. If not, you're lucky. If so the tool I linked will adjust it if XP Repair Install won't. That's one benefit to having the Repair Install done at boot.

Thanks Greg for the link , i've been able to move this drive over from another system before by doing a repair on it, so i'm hoping it will work again, i didn't mean that i could just plug it in and away it would go, i'm just hoping to be able to do a repair of it and get it recognized that way and then install Windows 7 on the new drive i have coming ,but be able to boot from either one, just for a short time anyway as i want to then format the drive with Xp on it when i'm finished with it and use it strictly for storage.

How do i use the software though that you gave me the link for? Do i burn it to cd? Do i install on the Windows 7 disk or on the Xp disk. I'm sorry to seem stupid with this, but i'm just not sure what to do with it.

Gord

Gord you may not need the Paragon tool if an XP Repair install works first.

If your install of XP is from a Retail disc install, NOT a Branded OEM install from major manufacturers like Dell, HP and the like, then you can Migrate that install of XP into a Virtual Machine on your new system after Win 7 is installed. That will allow you to run both 7 and XP at the same time and you can then copy all your files over from the XP system to the 7 system.

Thanks for the info Edwar , sorry to be a bother but how would i go about setting that up?