Windows 7: Dual Boot new Advent 2102 w/Win7 and old Cdrive from dead XP machine

Hi,

I have looked through previous posts and some come very close to answering my query but as an unforced error at my end is not acceptable I think it best I ask the experts.

Scenario:

My old (very old) machine running XP snuffed it (MB burnt out). As it wasn't cost effective to get a new MB/CPU combo vs a new machine I opted for the new Advent 2102. Cheap and cheerful and it works well.



I also bought a Dynamode caddy so I could transfer all data via usb from the 'old' Cdrive to a folder on the new machine. This worked reasonably well although for some reason some files were deemed outside of current permissions (seemed to be the odd zip file and modelsupport folders in Delphi projects. I can live with that but I would like to find out why)

So, I have a new Windows 7 machine and have not lost any data. However what I am now faced with a reinstall of Delphi 2005, Indy and whatever 3rd party components I had and all the updates upgrades etc since the original install.

This can be a pain to get right.

Objective:

Therefore I want to find out how to Dual Boot into either the current new Windows 7 drive or the old XP drive (which I can connect via the usb caddy or internally using the unused IDE port of the G31MX-K MB in the Advent)

What steps do you recommend I take?

Thanks.

Have a read of those tutorials:
Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP
SATA Drivers - Load in Windows XP Setup on Dual Boot
SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD

Use EasyBCD 2.0 in Win 7 & Win XP.
EasyBCD 2.0 Beta Builds - The NeoSmart Forums

hi ItSaidWhat, welcome to the forums , here is a link to a tutorial on dual booting Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP you may find it interesting

you're too fast for me theog

Hi theog and pebbly.

Looking at "Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP" I may be missing something but it seems to be addressimg a requirement to clean install xp on a separate drive. Whereas what I have is a drive with xp (and my stuff) on it that I want to install in the new Advent machine.

If I clean install xp I am back to square one with my istalled programmes.

I also need some guidance as to some of the more basic apsects, such as - should my old xp drive be set to Master (as it currently is) or Slave? and then if possible to select which one to boot from.

Your IDE drive would need to be set master.

You can do a Repair install of Win XP first, by removing new PC's hd.

Than Win XP Activate Windows 7 Online
OR
Activate Windows 7 by Phone

Than reinstall New PC's HD.
Use EasyBCD 2.0 in Win 7 & Win XP.
EasyBCD 2.0 Beta Builds - The NeoSmart Forums

You will need to run a Repair Install before XP will start up on new hardware. Repair Windows XP - How to Perform a Repair Installation of Windows XP - Part 1 of 2

The cleanest way to Dual Boot with OS's on separate HD's is to use the BIOS: set the preferred HD as first HD to boot in BIOS setup, then if you want to boot the other HD tap the key given on first boot screen for Boot Menu to trigger it instead. This keeps the HD's independent to come and go as you please.

In order to accomplish this, unplug the Windows 7 HD before running the XP Repair install, set XP HD as first to boot in BIOS, after DVD drive. After Repair, plug Windows 7 HD back in and attempt to start it up by using the key given on first boot screen for one-time BIOS boot menu.

If you decide you want a Windows-managed Dual Boot instead, install EasyBCD 2.0 beta to XP after first installing Net Framework 2.0 so it will run. Then Add Windows 7 on Add/Remove tab. Sometimes you'll need to start up Windows 7 first to run EasyBCD from there since it works better. To do this, mark Windows 7 active in XP Disk Mgmt, boot the Windows 7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, click through to Recov Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots until 7 starts.

Hi gregrocker,

I'll double check I have all the data off the old drive and then proceed as suggested.

I will report back once completed and detail any problems/solutions if I encounter any, this may help others attempting the same procedure.

thanks

After the weekend I set about sorting this out. I made doubly sure I have the stuff I absolutley need from the old drive. Downloaded and installed EasyBCD 2.0 beta to the current Windows 7 Drive and also copied it to a usb drive so I have it handy to install on the xp drive if needed.

I disconnected the current Windows 7 drive, made the old xpDrive a Master and installed that in the machine. I had the xpHome disk at hand and the XP professional upgrade disk in the DVD.

I selected the CDRom from the boot options at powerup and off it went. All was well until the xp repair asked for the Administrator password. I gave it what I thought it was but it failed 3 times and put an end to that excersize.

So I dug out an old copy of Winternals ERD 2005 and fired that up. Using that I selected the only Windows ( c:\windows ) as the one to log onto. I then changed the Admin password, which ERD accepted, and then closed down the machine.

Changed back to the XP professional disk and tried another repair. Again the admin password failed, even with the 'new' password I had just set.

Now I have disconnected the XP drive and reconnected the Windows 7 drive and am back to square one.

Any suggestions/ideas?

Take look at Step 6 in gregrocker's link Repair Windows XP - How to Perform a Repair Installation of Windows XP - Part 1 of 2