Windows 7: Triple boot XP, Win7-32bit, Win7-64 bit

Hi folks

My computer has 4 hard disks. The first drive contains XP Pro, the second drive contains Win 7 Ult (32bit) in a dual boot configuration.



I would like to test Windows 7 64 bit, is it possible to install it as a triple boot with the other two OS's?

If so, how do I go about it?

Regards
Bob Nicholson

If you have enough extra room on HD-1 or HD-2, you could add a new partition to the free space & install the 64 bit there. Check out our tutorials section.

When you install 64 bit, it should configure a Windows Multi-Boot Menu.

If not, install EasyBCD 2.0 beta to the new OS and Add your other two OS's on the Add/Remove tab.

Once multi-booted via Windows Boot Menu, the OS HD's become interlocked and cannot be easily removed without recovering the System MBR into remaining OS's.

This is one good reason to instead use a BIOS managed Dual Boot, where you install each OS to its own HD, set the preferred OS HD to boot first in BIOS Setup (after DVD drive), then access the other two OS's by tapping the F2 key at bootup for Acer one-time Boot Menu.

This BIOS Multi-Boot keeps the HD's independent to come and go as you please. We can give you the steps to reconfigure this way.

Hi gregrocker

This is not on the laptop, as I said the machine concerned has 4 hdd's so 64bit could be on a separate hd.

Details of the steps to set up BIOS muti-boot would be most helpfull but as this is for a machine at home I will need to check the BIOS make and version later and get back to you. I "think" it is an AMI BIOS, but can not be certain....

Regards
Bop

Try looking on the first boot screen for the key given for one-time Boot Menu. It should be shown there.

Otherwise it will be in the manual found on Support Downloads webpage for your mobo model.

Separate HD's with BIOS managed boot is the way to go, to keep your HD's independent to come and go as you please.

But if you decide you want a Windows-managed Dual Boot, we can help you with that too.

As my current setup is dual boot (XP + Windows 7-32) if I just set 64bit to install on one of the other HD's, will it set up a "triple boot" or will I need to intervene?

Bob

Yes, this should work OK.

It should work, but there's little to no reason to run a multi-boot setup anymore, especially when two of the OSes are the same. Given your system specs, just simplify. Run Windows 7 x64, and the run XP in XP Mode. You wouldn't even be using your license for XP, which would be freed up to use on another computer, as would your license for Windows 7 x86 (32 bit). You do have a separate license key for both versions of Windows 7, right? If not, I can stop you right there, as you won't be able to install both 32 bit and 64 bit with the same key. Even if you do have separate keys, it still would be a waste of time and space.

Is that what you want: a Windows-managed Dual boot which interlocks the HD's? If so, then installing 64 bit with the other HD's plugged should configure it.

If you want the BIOS-managed Dual Boot I suggest and have confirmed you have a one-time BIOS Boot Menu, then unplug all other HD's during 64 bit install.

But first consider what DeaconFrost offers because it provides an all-in-one-OS solution.

If you want to test 64 bit for the 30-days before it needs to be activated, then install it with all other drives unplugged and boot it via BIOS Boot Menu.

Yes, separate license keys.
Bob