Windows 7: Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

This looks to be a very good tutorial and I was very keen to add an XP partition to my new laptop. But I have made mistakes trying to do something clever on computers before and I don't want to replicate this and when I see 52 pages of forum messages my knees get a bit weak. I'm using a Packard Bell Butterfly Touch netbook (10.6 inch screen or thereabouts, Dual core 2 X U4100 processor @ 1.30GHz, 4GB Ram 320GB hard drive but no optical or floppy drive. When I read that I must install drivers from a floppy not a USB memory stick I wonder if I can get it working. I think that I have a SATA hard drive (or so it said in the advertising spec. It is a WD3200BEVT-22ZCT0).
Do you think I can do the dual boot installation without too much risk of messing up the computer - is it easy to undo anything I might do wrong. I have some XP programs which I would like to use on this laptop/netbook. I do have a floppy and an optical drive on my desktop computer and I've got a caddy which I think I can put them in but I'm pretty certain that they connect via a USB cable.
I realise that there are hundreds of members asking questions and I apologise for what may be rather silly questions and for the demands on members and administrators time.

It would be easier to run XP virtually from within Windows 7 if you want to try one of the free programs for that. http://lifehacker.com/238071/geek-to...ith-virtual-pc
http://lifehacker.com/5485879/run-xp...-of-virtual-pc

You can boot the XP CD now to see if it detects the HD during the "Where do you want to install Windows" stage of the Install Process, then bail out once you confirm if it sees HD. If not, you'll know you need to do the SATA driver slipstreaming into XP, unless you have a floppy drive and can insert that driver from your chipset (unzipped) at F6 prompt during initial file loading.

SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD

Thanks for the advice gregrocker. I did consider installing Virtual Machine, which I think may be a Sun System's program that Microsoft suggest maybe ok. However I downloaded a program to check suitability and it said my processor wasn't up to it. There seems to also be hints that some programs don't like being run this way although I have no idea why this might be. I'd certainly rather have done it this way - if you think the program you mention may be less demanding I could give it a try as long as there isn't a risk of messing the computer up - I really don't want to get into reformats etc.
i think I might be able to take the floppy drive out of my desktop and fit it in a caddy - but not at the same time as using the CD drive because that will need to caddy too. I don't understand what the unzipped driver from my chipset is. Surely the chipset doesn't have a zipped driver installed on it? I also don't know what the f6 prompt is unless it becomes obvious when I run the XP installation.
As I understand it this slipstreaming involves putting the XP operating system setup files into a folder where i also put the SATA folders. I then make an "improved" XP setup disc from this. Have I got that right?
I may have to leave this idea for a while since I've a lot on in the next month without getting into a pickle with this laptop.
I greatly appreciate your advice and time.
Thank you.

This turns out to be exceedingly pointless, as my N5030 laptop is incompatible with xp,

Thanks everyone for your help ^_^
i may be back after i get paid and purchase vista though if that goes epicly tits up

First check for all the Win XP drivers for your hardware.
Choose your country | Packard Bell

If your Win XP CD, does not support your Sata Controller, you will need to load drivers to uses at F6.
Load Sata Controller drivers with a floppy disk is the best way.
SATA Drivers - Load in Windows XP Setup on Dual Boot
OR
SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD

Your Packard Bell Butterfly Touch has a Intel Sata Controller.
You can download your F6 Sata Controller drivers from here:

Intel Sata Controller Drivers

You will need a USB CD/DVD Drive, & a USB Floppy Drive.

Hi Everyone,

I am new to Dual Booting and did not know where to begin. I read through the entire tutorial and grasp almost everything it was saying.

The only problem I have was with the SATA Drivers that I need to Slipstream into XP. I do not know where to begin to look for these SATA drivers.

The computer I am using is a Pavilion Magnesium Gray Edition p6540f PC. Can someone please help me.

Thank You

Hello Throwdest, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I found the drivers for your computer at the HP links below, but I do not see any SATA drivers available for it.

XP
Software & Driver Downloads HP Pavilion p6540f Desktop PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

Windows 7 64-bit
Software & Driver Downloads HP Pavilion p6540f Desktop PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

Thanks a lot! Will I be able to dual boot even though there is no SATA Drivers.

Without XP SATA drivers, you will not be able to dual boot with XP installed on a SATA HDD.

I am looking for drivers for the hard drive then? If so this is the hard drive I am using and this is the only place where I found a XP Driver.

SAMSUNG HD103SJ Driver Download - PC Pitstop Driver Library