Windows 7: Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista

Hello Roy,

Sorry, but it is required to reboot when dual booting operating systems to select and startup in the other one.

However, you can use virtual machines to have a operating system installed in to run another OS within a window in Windows 7.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hi Shawn

Can I ask a couple of more fairly basic questions (as already mentioned dual booting is a new experience for me but I am learning!!!).
When deciding on the size of the new partition on the Vista C drive should I make allowances for any programmes I will want to load onto the new Windows 7 operating system or is it sufficient to allow just enough space for the new installation?
If in the future I need to do a complete reinstal of Vista (the existing operating system) will this delete the Windows 7 installation and remove the partition?
Many thanks for your excellent guidance thus far.

Regards

Roy

Hi Roy,

Depends what you want to have on that partition.

Many people have just the o/s and installed programs, and keep all their data on a separate partition. 30 - 40 gb is enough in that case.


If you reinstall Vista, you can either just reinstall it to the partition it is already on - in which case the 7 partition will remain.

You would need to add an entry to Vista bcd to get the option to boot either Vista or 7.

Or, after reinstalling Vista, you could use Disk Management to delete the 7 partition if you no longer want it.

Alternatively, while reinstalling Vista, select Drive Options (advanced) and delete and repartition as you like.

Hi..
I was able to work with dual boot.
Then when I upgraded the win 7100 to 7127 I got aditional boot option including the previous seven.
I intend to remove the previous win seven boot option, should I used the Easy BCD from XP or edit it from win seven?

Kevin

Either method is fine Kevin. I would do whichever one that you are more comfortable doing.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...list-boot.html

OK then
I did ask you as a self assurance and for being cautious.
Because I do exercising all this stuff either with my offline home PC and my workplace PC. Just wanting to achieve both work and fun in exploring this OS with minimal risk.
Thanks Brink

Kevin

It's no problem Kevin. That's what we are here for.

I got a couple of questions...ahem a question. This is my first time trying to dual boot a system and I'm trying to figure out if it'll do me any good. First off I have a lot of programs installed on my Vista installation. Will Windows 7 be able to use those applications or am I going to have to double install the programs?

I guess my biggest question is will I have to double install programs in order for both OS's to use them? That'll take up quite a bit of memory. I've got a lot of multimedia software and they can take up a lot of space, so that's why I'm concerned.

Thanks,

PW

Hello PW, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Unfortunately, on separate installations like that, you will need to reinstall the programs in each OS that you want to run them in.

On the bright side however, if your computer supports virtualization, then you could install Windows Virtual PC in Windows 7 with Vista installed as a virtual PC (VM). The programs that you have installed on the Vista VM can have a shortcut of them placed in Windows 7 to be able to run them in Windows 7 from Vista.

Windows Virtual PC - Create Virtual Machine

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks Shawn.

Yeah, I wanted to avoid VM, but that's okay.

I'll just wait till Windows 7 actually comes out so I don't have to worry about formatting my comp again. I reinstalled my 64 Ultimate today and managed folders from my storage drives to get rid of unnecessary clutter. I was going to prepare the system for the dual boot now that I had extra space, but I don't want to lose my programs as soon as the expire date hits. I might still install the OS to play around with it. The only problem is deciding which one I want to be my main workhorse.

I was hoping to utilize Windows 7 until the date, and then just easily plug back into my Vista install with no fuss and continue using my programs until I could pay for the new OS. Sokay though. I'm still deciding on what to do. I'd like a new fresh interface to play with and work in.

PW