Dual Boot Windows 7 & XP on 2 separate drives on Acer laptop

Serenity · 22 Oct 2013

Hello, everyone. What an abundance of help there is here. I might say too much as all the threads I've looked at trying to find my precise issue has left me scratching my head. Without a doubt folks here are far more knowledgeable than I.

I bought a laptop about 2 years ago second hand and it had Vista on it. I took it to a shop and asked if they would please put on Windows 7. Because of cost constraints, I had to go with Windows 7 Upgrade though I really wanted a full Install. They set it up for me and it ran flawlessly all this time. I have since bought an XP Pro/SP3 and Windows 7 Home Premium and started to faithfully follow the instructions found here on how to get these 2 OSs to dual boot. Thread - Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP. Here are my System Properties.

Dual Boot Windows 7 & XP on 2 separate drives on Acer laptop-image-system-properties.png

This is what it looks like after successfully installing Windows 7 to what I intended to be C: drive. I do so hope that's the case. I am including a couple other screenshots so experts here can confirm this or not.

Dual Boot Windows 7 & XP on 2 separate drives on Acer laptop-image-after-entering-diskpart.png

Dual Boot Windows 7 & XP on 2 separate drives on Acer laptop-disk-management-summary-inside-windows-7.png

I found threads here referring to hidden drives and Restore partitions and material that wasn't clear enough to such a computer newbie as myself. I don't understand what to do with those 2 little Volumes or even fully understand what they are for. For all I know they aren't relevant anymore since they may refer to Vista/Windows 7 Upgrade instead of the full version I now have. Advice and explanation here would be much appreciated. Please though, write it for a simpleton. I also read something about Raid setups Raid-0 and Raid-1 but I don't know what mine looks like when it comes to my laptops two separate harddrives. All I know is that I would like Windows 7 on C: drive which is what I use most for Internet and Microsoft Office and Windows XP Pro on D: drive for old PC games like the Myst series and Sims 1, 2 and Sims Medieval. All these take up a lot of space and that's why I want them on such a big drive like D:

This last screenshot below is the error message that pops up after all the Windows XP files load before I can even select where I want it to go on my laptop as per step 2 of Option 2 when Windows 7 is installed first as per the thread underlined above.

Dual Boot Windows 7 & XP on 2 separate drives on Acer laptop-error-after-trying-install-xp.jpg

So are there any willing to have a crack at this?

Thanks in advance one and all.

Kaktussoft · 22 Oct 2013

In latest screenshot: E=DVD, F=reomovable (maybe usb stick or floppy drive). Both unimportant now.
C= boot drive with bootmenu. also win7. You made screenshot in win7 (must be ... winxp doesn't work).

D=where you want winxp to be installed?

Kaktussoft · 22 Oct 2013

There are 2 problems btw:

system boots from win7 drive (you call it C ) . winxp will install his bootloader in win7 partition ... not a thing you want. We must force it to come on other harddrive
You must install AHCI drivers in winxp!

Please post screenshot of "device management" with "IDE/ATAPI" branch expanded. Afterwards
Steps to do:

detach disk 0 (the win7 disk from system). Simple disconnect the cable when system is TOTALLY power off
Put BIOS SATA in "legacy mode" or "IDE mode"
install winxp

Post back if it installs now? Further steps follow if you respond with results. You have to undo step 1 and 2 later in procedure (so remember the BIOS setting!)

Kaktussoft · 22 Oct 2013

Installing Windows XP With F6 AHCI/RAID Drivers From USB Only
3. What should I do if I don't have floppy disk drive, but I must use F6 floppy drivers?

First of all, you can try to disable AHCI mode in your BIOS setup and turn your SATA disk controller into ATA compatible mode.

That's what I want you to do and the cause of the problem. Rest of article is to difficult for you

Serenity · 22 Oct 2013

Hello, Kaktussoft. Thank you for the nearly instaneous reply. Here is the Device Manager with hopefully your desired information. I expanded a bunch of other stuff that may prove important.

Dual Boot Windows 7 & XP on 2 separate drives on Acer laptop-device-manager-expanded.png

As well, I have a laptop and the thought of opening it up is frightening. I have no idea what it looks like inside nor how to really open it up to disconnect the drives as you suggested. Are you able to walk me through that?

What is BIOS SATA? How do I change that and what do I need to take note of so I can change it back.

And lastly does the last post above 3. What should I do if I don't have floppy disk drive, but I must use F6 floppy drivers? pertain to me?

Kaktussoft · 22 Oct 2013

And lastly does the last post above 3. What should I do if I don't have floppy disk drive, but I must use F6 floppy drivers? pertain to me? =>winxp allows to add driver on the fly on installation time. But only using floppy!! You don't have a floppy drive I assume(?) Or slipstream the driver with install media (to difficult for you).

i can guide you through the whole process. What exact system do you have (Acer Aspire 8730 ) isn't it? I gonna google the specs

Serenity · 22 Oct 2013

I have an old 5 1/4" Toshiba drive that might work on this laptop (never hooked it up before to see if it will load the necessary drivers? to work. I will have to take a trip to a computer store or second hand shop to see if I might be able to find any of these floppies.

Yes, you did get the model correct. It's one of the big 18+ inch machines.

Along time ago, I did use a program to Slipstream my XP disk with 2 Service Packs and it supposedly would have worked. I say this because when I did try to install that onto a now dead and gone laptop (it was the laptop it was installed on originally) there were numberous .dll issues. I think the program was AutoStreamer. I might still be able to do this with your help. If you think I have what it takes to tinker with my laptop's innards, I might be able to try slipstreaming.

gregrocker · 22 Oct 2013

Right off the bat you have a misunderstanding thinking that you needed a full version of Win7 instead of Upgrade version which is the exact same OS and can be Clean Installed just like a full version, so long as you have a qualifying XP or VIsta license which doesn't even need to be installed. So if an in-place Upgrade was done from Vista this was unnecessary as had you asked us we would have advised a superior Clean Install Windows 7 .

XP is very old now and hard to install on modern hardware. Better to virualize it from Win7 using freeware like Virtual Player, VMWare or other. If that isn't satisfactory then you'll need to slipstream the XP SATA drivers for your PC or mobo model, providing that XP drivers are even available for that chipset. Once the chipset model is determined if it or the SATA controller driver (a component of the chipset) is not on the PC or Mobo's SUpport Downloads webpage then you can google chipset make+model+XP driver, or we will help you find the SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD

If you can get an XP installer created which will install then boot it and delete all partitions on the HD since the Recovery partition has Vista and won't run anyway after reinstall. Create and full format a new partition for XP, leaving room to later do the same for Win7. Then install XP, install if necessary it's network driver to get online and install all WIndows Updates, including Optional, with reboots until there are no more. Then check Device Manager for any drivers still missing, report back.

Next boot installer to Clean Install Windows 7 using the Drive Options in Steps 7 and 8 to create and format a New partition you left for it. Again, put your network driver in backup so if it's not provided you can install it to get online, enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) then run all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates until there are no more offered when you Check for Updates.

There are more tips here to assure a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7, same for retail .

I would keep plugged in by ethernet cable during install, but unplug all other peripherals except mouse and keyboard. This increases the likelihood it will start up ready to connect to internet with the network driver supplied by the installer. Otherwise you'll need the network driver from the PC's Support Downloads webpage for both Win7 and XP. If none for XP determine the exact adapter model and google for it, or ask back for our help.

Kaktussoft · 22 Oct 2013

Power on pc. quickly press F2 multiple times. Now you see bios screen? Goto tab "MAIN" , sataMODE =AHCI on bottom?
winxp can be installed on this system, winxp drivers are on ACER site (Acer Aspire 8730)

Serenity · 22 Oct 2013

Well first off, I mentioned a 5 1/4 Toshiba. It's a 3 1/2 Toshiba that connects to a USB port. Still don't have any floppies though but I have seen them around in some stores.

Next, thanks for weighing in Greg. Your second paragraph about chipsets Sata driver controllers and mobos is above my head. I will have to ask for help with all that you mentioned. Somewhere in your post was talk of setting up new partitions for XP first then Windows 7. I hope that setting up XP and Windows 7 on the two separate harddrives is what you meant when you wrote about partitioning.

And Kaktussoft, is taking apart my laptop no longer the plan? As for the F2 - Sata Mode - AHCI instructions, when I got into that, the setting was aready AHCI. That being the case (that is to say, I didn't make any changes), if I had restarted and booted from my XP disk, would I have just hit the same error message as before and XP would have failed to install again?