Windows 7: Win 7/Win XP/Ubuntu Linux Tri-boot

Win 7/Win XP/Ubuntu Linux Tri-boot

I have a PC that is currently a dual boot between Windows 7 Ultimate and Ubuntu Linux 8.04 (Hardy Heron). The two operating systems are on separate physical drives. Ubunutu is on the PC’s original 250 gig drive (the primary) and Win 7 is on a 1 TB Seagate internal drive that I added later (the slave).

I already discussed dual booting with Ubuntu and Win 7 on a Linux forum. I installed each OS completely independently of the other. I installed Ubuntu first without the other drive installed. I later disconnected the 250 GB primary drive and installed Windows 7 to the 1 TB drive as if Ubuntu were not even present on the PC. Later I reconnected and edited a file known as menu.lst in Ubuntu’s feature known as “Grub”. Grub looks at the file and gives me the choice of Windows 7 or Ubuntu when I boot up.

Now it’s a long story, but I need to add Windows XP to my choices. I’m told on the Ubuntu forum that I can temporarily disconnect the Ubuntu drive and set up XP on the 1 TB drive as a dual boot with Bootloader handling the choice between Win 7 and XP. The idea is to get it running right and later reconnect the Ubuntu drive. Grub will give me the choice between Ubuntu and Windows; then if I choose Windows, Bootloader will give me the choice between Win 7 and XP. I could live with that.

So the Ubuntu drive is disconnected. We don’t have to worry about that in this thread. If I have any trouble with Grub, I’ll address it on the Linux board.

I’ve found Sevenforums’ guide to setting up a Win 7/Win XP dual boot:
Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

I notice in the instructions, it says you need to load SATA drivers during the XP install if you have a SATA drive because otherwise the XP install program will not find the drive you want to install XP on if 7 is already installed. However, I began XP’s install program, and it appears to be finding my drives just fine. I’ve partitioned 80 gig for XP with a utility known as EaseUS Partitioner and labeled it Drive X in Win 7. The Win XP installer found it just fine, as it did my C drive. Here’s what I’m seeing:





It’s the drive that the XP installer has labeled G: Partition2. “Win XP” is the label I gave it in the partition utility. You’ll see directly above it Partition1 that 7 is installed on, the one I want to keep 7 on. I can also see that the XP installer has found my thumb drives. “Drive I: Partition1 (Toshiba)” is one. If need be I could use that to store the SATA drivers. (The instructions talk about storing those drivers on a floppy. What’s a floppy? My PC does not have a floppy drive.)

So what’s the verdict? Am I okay to proceed with the install of XP without bothering with SATA drivers or do I need to make them accessible on my Toshiba thumb drive? My DVD drive is occupied by my XP install disk.

Tom, I think the answer to your question is on the first sentence of the Tutorial how to load the SATA drivers: "When you install Win XP, setup can not find your Hard Drive."

So, if setup can find your HD, you should be good to go.

One remark: installing XP after Windows 7 is a bit more complicated, you will have to repair Windows 7 boot file to add XP. You have mentioned the tutorial, so you shoudl be good to go. I just highlight it since it can be a stumbling block.

Regarding the floppy disk thing, from what I know it is XP's idiosyncrasy, it doesn't allow drivers to be loaded with USB drives. It is from a time there were no USB drives...

AS your Win XP CD has the Sata drivers for your MOBO, no need to load drivers in Win XP setup.

Welcome to SF! Tom ZeCat

Often one option was for slipstreaming sata drivers you downloaded from the chipset manufacturer's support site to have the correct drivers on the installation disk used for installing XP. This was often the method used when no floppy drive was present. With a second optical drive present a driver cd is another choice for seeing the F6 load sata/Raid drivers option used during the installation.

wallyinnc is correct there on the need to repair the 7 mbr afterwards using the newer 7 startup repair tool found on the 7 installation dvd in the repair tools section. Once repaired a free program known as EasyBCD can eliminate the need to edit the new XP entry into the Grub loader as well using the NeoGrub method.

To preserve the new 7 boot splash screen however you will need to sign up at the neosmart forums and download the latest builld #100 now seen having just been made available. EasyBCD 2.0 Beta Builds - The NeoSmart Forums

The main guide for use is seen at EasyBCD Documentation Home - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

Hi Night Hawk

You can only use a floppy to load drivers in F6.(Win XP) Step 4 in this tutorial.
SATA Drivers - Load in Windows XP Setup on Dual Boot

Most systems only see one optical drive. This is why you run into problems when no floppy drive is present.

Here however I generally run two optical drives on any build and used a driver cd on one build for XP. The boards since however no longer required any driver disk with the updated bioses seen.