Windows 7: How would I dual-boot in this scenario?

I downloaded both f6flpy folders and plugged them into Paragon. I used the latest version available.

Nevertheless, I get the same message at bootloader when attempting XP:

Try doing a Repair install.

XP Repair Install

XP will not boot on external without extreme measures, unplug it as it may be fouling everything out. Then run EasyBCD from Windows 7 and delete both XP entries, create another.

You'll need the XP SATA driver injected from Windows 7 running Paragon Virtualization Manager (formerly Paragon Adaptive Restore).

Paragon app should prompt you that you need SATA drivers to boot, if they are blocking XP boot. You can try loading the other chipset drivers too.

Try the XP Repair Install.

At some point you may want to consult SIW2 via the Paragon link as he is expert on this.

Shoot, it seems we're at square zero.

When I said I had cloned it onto a partition on the internal drive, it seems it had only been a copy. That is, it's a copy and not a "boot/system" partition. Now I learn that the process of cloning a boot partition requires that the destination volume be erased entirely. When cloning onto the empty external HD, I had not noticed this.

As I wish to retain Windows 7 on this machine and would rather not go through a whole back-and-forth of backing up Windows 7 on the external (assuming it can boot off an external) and having just XP on the internal - this whole thing is a no-go and a waste of everyone's time unless there's a way to clone one disk onto a partition on another without erasing everything on the target volume entirely.

If there's really no way to do it, well...at least I have all my data.

Why can you not open your PC case? I have not heard of such a thing in three years here helping in thousands of these cases. It sounds like something from the 90's.

If you're using a USB adapter then your best bet is to save an image of XP to external HD, apply it using Boot Disk to unallocated space on the target HD.

What imaging app are you using? I suggest Acronis premium imaging which comes free with any WD or Seagate in the mix, or Macrium - Image your system .

Once XP is imaged, it's a matter of running Paragon app from Windows 7 to see if it demands SATA drivers, supply them. Then add it using EasyBCD to see if it starts. It shoudl prompt to autocopy over XP boot files.

I specifically stated that booting XP on external would not work, and it probably messed up the Dual Boot.

I would love to simply stick my old HD into the case, but it would violate the warranty on this (newish) machine. For various reasons, I'd rather not break this warranty.

Here is what I will attempt:

1. Erase everything I have done in the internal partition thus far. Keep the external HD unplugged.
2. Image (not clone - I understand that the imaging process will not erase my other data) with Macrium the contents of my source drive onto the partition in the Internal, via Adapter. (I don't seem to have access to any Acronis software; I used the cloning software that came with the Adapter previously).
3. Unpack the image onto this partition, which I have changed from logical to primary, on my Windows 7 internal HD.
4. Use Paragon to feed the f6flpy drivers from theog's link to XP.
5. Erase the old entries from EasyBCD, and follow the procedure to create an XP entry again.
6. Reboot the machine.

Hopefully it will work.

The backup image must be stored externally or on another HD partition than where you intend to re-image it. Then the backed-up image is re-imaged onto unallocated space on the target HD. Read the Macrium manual to see how this is done.

I would make a boot disk to save the XP image to external from XP machine. If that PC is not available to generate the XP image to external, then see if you can image from the adapter connected via USB. Sometimes an imaging app will make an image from a USB drive.

I take it that your cloning app would not clone the image directly from the adapter to the internal HD? How exactly did you attempt this again? Your original description was confused by two clones you apparently made to internal HD and external. Why?

It's good that Macrium did not permit it, then. Right now, it is imaging the old drive's contents into a folder in my Windows 7/"C" drive.

I'm unsure of how to do this. The old drive's contents are 225 GB. I assume you mean I should image specific system/boot files from the old drive onto a CD?

I used the EZ Gig IV cloning software. It did not give me the option of cloning to a partition but only to an entire device. I used it to clone onto a blank external HD, missing that the process would erase all data on the destination (perhaps dismissing the notice because the destination was empty anyway); meanwhile, the partition on the Windows 7 machine was receiving a plain copy - not an image or clone - of the old drive. I figured one or the other would work, but...

Did you try cloning to Unallocated space by deleting a partition of the same or larger size, as most imaging or cloning apps require this.

If Macrium is successfully saving the image via the USB adapter to your C drive, then you can simply reimage it to a space you prepare on the same HD, then follow the steps I gave earlier to add it with EasyBCD and then if necessary adapt it with Paragon.

The software did not have many features. It allowed the selection of a source HDD, a destination HDD, and a few options including sector verification.

The partition should be ample for the 225 GB, as it is about 290 GB.

And I am grateful that you have followed this all the way, for what it's worth.