Windows 7: Dual boot?

I've read this link about dual booting Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

SO lets say I have win 7 on c: now and load xp on d: and if for some reason I can't get then to dual boot even after following step 2 would reinstalling win 7 on c: fix my issue and allow dual boot?

This actually should be in Installation where installers hang out.

If you install XP last then it requires adding XP using EasyBCD as per the tutorial.

And yes, reinstalling 7 will fix any dual boot issues, as will booting the Windows 7 installer's repair console and running Startup Repair 3 times (to regain Windows 7 boot) then running a repair install (upgrade over itself) from the Windows 7 desktop.

How do I do the following?

"Windows 7 installer's repair console and running Startup Repair 3 times (to regain Windows 7 boot) then running a repair install (upgrade over itself) from the Windows 7 desktop."

where do I find the repair console and running startup repair 3 times why 3 times?

The Windows 7 install DVD has a "Repair my Computer" console with the same tools as on the Repair Disk, including Startup Repair which will repair or rewrite the boot files for Windows 7.

But since Startup Repair runs many tests, it will assume that a fix it provides will also boot the OS, which isn't always the case if more than one fix is needed. So it needs to be repeated sometimes up to 3 times, which usually means it has finally decided to rewrite the MBR since all other fixes have failed.

However, just running Startup Repair for Windows 7 will not reconfigure a dual boot, so you need to go on to running a repair install from the Windows 7 desktop (now that you're in) which resintalls the OS (upgrade over itself) and reconfigures the boot.

There are more technical ways to achieve this but this is the automated way.

gregrocker,

From your last post, I get the impression that if I had to run the Startup Repair on Windows 7, I would need to disconnect any other drives that had OSs installed, to prevent them from being included in the testing and repair done by that tool, since I specifically designed my systems to be totally independent of each other...true?

Yes, wise.

And keep them unplugged when installing another OS so they remain truly independent and are booted by selecting using BIOS boot order F-key at startup.

Much easier for them to be plugged and unplugged that way

Both my Win 7 & XP Pro will be on the same drive just on different
partitions can I stil follow the following steps?

BTW my win 7 is on now and I want to add XP Pro to different partition. ( old recovery section I deleted)

(1) Would this link be the the best way for my to achieve dual boot when I have Windows 7 on first and want to add Xp Pro and be able to dual boot.

Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

or should I follow this?

(2)

"The Windows 7 install DVD has a "Repair my Computer" console with the same tools as on the Repair Disk, including Startup Repair which will repair or rewrite the boot files for Windows 7.

But since Startup Repair runs many tests, it will assume that a fix it provides will also boot the OS, which isn't always the case if more than one fix is needed. So it needs to be repeated sometimes up to 3 times, which usually means it has finally decided to rewrite the MBR since all other fixes have failed.

However, just running Startup Repair for Windows 7 will not reconfigure a dual boot, so you need to go on to running a repair install from the Windows 7 desktop (now that you're in) which resintalls the OS (upgrade over itself) and reconfigures the boot."

any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!

Follow the tutorial. You asked what you should do if it doesn't work and that's the steps I gave above.

Thanks gregrocker appreciate the help!!

I have a HP DV6000 I had a recovery section drive D: that I formated to use as extra space. I now have windows 7 installed on drive C: and want to install Win XP PRO on Drive d: old recovery section but in the set up once I try ( method 2 step 3. I get the following message..

"Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer. Make sure any hard disk drives are pwoered on and properly connected to your computer and that any disk related hardware configuration is correct.

How do I fix this problem??