Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP​


   Information
This will show you how to install Windows 7 and XP to dual boot with when you already have either Windows 7 or XP installed first.
   Note
With a dual boot installaton, you will have two operating systems (OS) installed. When you start the computer, you will have the choice to choose which OS you would like to start up to. This method is the easiest way of doing a dual boot with these two operating systems.
   Tip
When dual booting with another OS (ex: Vista or XP), you may not always have that OS partition show up in Computer with a driver letter in Windows 7. If this happens, then you will just need to add a drive letter to the OS (ex: Vista or XP) partition in Windows 7 Disk Management for it to show up in Computer with a driver letter.
   Warning
To stop XP from deleting your Windows 7 System Restore Points everytime XP is started, then see System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete to hide Windows 7 from XP.

Windows 7 Minimum Hardware Requirements


NOTE: For more information on this, see: Windows 7 system requirements
  • 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
  • 1 GB RAM for 32-bit Windows 7 OR 2 GB RAM for 64-bit Windows 7
  • 16 GB available disk space 32-bit Windows 7 OR 20 GB for 64-bit Windows 7
  • Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (in order to enable Aero theme)
  • DVD-R/W Drive
  • Internet or phone access to activate Windows 7.
Windows XP Minimum Hardware Requirements

NOTE: For more information on this, see: System requirements for Windows XP operating systems
  • PC with 300 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor clock speed recommended; 233-MHz minimum required;* Intel Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processor recommended
  • 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended (64 MB minimum supported; may limit performance and some features)
  • 1.5 gigabyte (GB) of available hard disk space.*
  • Super VGA (800 × 600) or higher resolution video adapter and monitor
  • CD-ROM or DVD drive
  • Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
EXAMPLE: Windows Boot Manager
NOTE: This is the boot screen where you select what operating system that you would like to start. By default, you have 30 seconds to choose another operating system before the default operating system will start automatically.
Example.jpg



OPTION ONE

When XP is Installed First


NOTE: If you have a RAID setup, you will need to have the Windows 7 RAID drivers on a USB flash drive available to select and load while installing Windows 7.
1. Do step 2 or 3 below for where you wanted to install Windows 7 at.

2. To Create a New Partition from the XP Hard Disk Drive
A) With your Windows 7 installation disc boot into the Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options screen.
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.

B) In the command prompt, select and shrink the XP volume by how many MB (1024 MB = 1 GB) you want to have for this Windows 7 partition. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You would do steps 2 to 9 in METHOD TWO at that link. Windows 7 will need a minimum of 16 GB (16384 MB).
XP-W7_1.jpg
C) Click on the X at the top right corner to close the command prompt. (See screenshot above)

D) Click on the X at the top right corner to close System Recovery Options. (See screenshot below)
XP-W7_2.jpg
E) Go to step 4.
3. To Use a Separate Hard Disk Drive than the XP Drive
A) Boot from your Windows 7 installation disc.
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.
4. Click on the Install now button. (See screenshot below)
XP-W7_3.jpg
5. When you get to this point, select the partition (step 2) or hard drive to install Windows 7 on. (See screenshot below)
XP-W7_4.jpg
6. Finish installing Windows 7.
NOTE: You would start at step 9 in that link to finish installing Windows 7.

7. When finished, restart the computer to have the option to boot from XP (Earlier Verision of Windows) or Windows 7. (See screenshot below)

   Note
If you are only booting into Windows 7 and do not have XP listed in the Windows Boot Manager, then you can install only EasyBCD (step 8 Option Two below) to add XP (or Windows 7) while started in Windows 7 the same way to the boot list.

Example.jpg



OPTION TWO

When Windows 7 is Installed First





   Warning

1. To Create a New Partition from the Windows 7 Hard Disk Drive
NOTE: If you want to install XP on a separate internal hard drive instead, then skip this step and go to step 2.
A) In Windows 7, select and shrink the Windows 7 volume in Disk Management by how many MB (1024 MB = 1 GB) you want to have for this XP partition. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: You would do all of Method One at that link.
W7-XP-1.jpg

W7-XP-2.jpg

W7-XP-3.jpg
2. Insert your XP installation disc, then restart the computer and press any key to boot from it when prompted. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.
Step1.jpg
3. From XP Setup, Press Enter. (See screenshot below)



   Warning

W7-XP-4.jpg
4. Press F8. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: On some multimedia keyboards, you may need to press the F-Lock or Function key before pressing F8.
W7-XP-5.jpg
5. Select the partition (step 1) or hard drive that you want to install XP on using the arrow keys and press Enter.
W7-XP-6.jpg
6. Finish installing XP.



   Tip
If you get Error loading Operating System after XP restarts:
  • Using your Windows 7 installation disc, boot to the command prompt at startup.
  • Type in these comands below, and press enter after each one.
    • bootrec /FixMbr
    • bootrec /FixBoot
    • bootrec /RebuildBcd
  • Exit the command prompt and restart the computer.
  • At this point, Windows 7 should boot up the same way before trying to install XP.
  • Continue to step 8 below and run EasyBCD from Windows 7 instead.

7. In XP, download and install .Net Framework 2.0 (32-bit) version or .Net Framework 2.0 (64-bit) version first, and EasyBCD (free version) for your 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x86) XP.
NOTE: In XP, Net Framework is required to be installed to run EasyBCD. After you click on Register (at bottom of link) for the free EasyBCD, registration is not required to download it.

8. Run EasyBCD (free version).
NOTE: This is required to repair the Windows 7 boot file and add XP to the Windows Boot Manager list.

9. On the left side of EasyBCD, click on the Add New Entry button. (See screenshot below)
A) In the top section under Operating Systems, click on the Windows tab. (See screenshot below)
B) To the right of Type, select Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3 from the drop down menu. (See screenshot below)
:warn:WARNING: Be sure to leave the Automatically detect correct drive box checked.

C) To the right of Name, you can leave the default Microsoft Windows XP as the name to be displayed in the Windows Boot Manager, or you can type whatever name you would like to have instead. (See screenshot below)
D) Click on the Add Entry button. (See screenshot below)
W7-XP-7.jpg
10. On the left side of EasyBCD, click on the BCD Deployment button, select (dot) the Install the Windows Vista/7 bootloader to the MBR option, and click on the Write MBR button. (See screenshot below)
W7-XP-9.jpg
11. Close EasyBCD.

12. Restart the computer to have the option to boot from Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 7. (See screenshot below)
Example2.jpg
   Tip
If Windows 7 will not start up when selected, then use your Windows 7 installation DVD to do a Startup Repair.

That's it,
Shawn






Related Tutorials

 
Last edited:
Click to expand...
Great news. :party:
 

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I have installed Windows 7 @64 Bit first and then Windows Xp following the Method two of the tutorial.
When i reboot and try to go in Windows 7 i get in with no problema but when i try to boot into the Windows XP,i see the Windows XP Logo then i see the black screen and quickly i see the Scree that has the top and the lower Dark Blue and the middle one Light Blue with the Windows XP Logo. The one with the flag. It seems to be stuck but i can still move the mouse.
Please where am i missing?
Any help will be really appreciated.
Enzo
 

My Computer

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Desktop
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
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Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz
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ASUSTeK Computer INC. P5B-Deluxe
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My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Desktop
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz
Motherboard
ASUSTeK Computer INC. P5B-Deluxe
Memory
6,00 GB
Graphics Card(s)
ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series
Sound Card
SoundMAX Integrated
Screen Resolution
1280x1024 60Hz
Hard Drives
ST3120022A ATA Device
Well you know how to install EasyBCD since you did it in XP, correct? Install it to Win7 now.

Then click on the Edit Boot Menu tab, highlight the XP listing and click Delete.

Next click on the Add New Entry tab, make the choices below and reboot.

192826d1326415434-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp-w7-xp-7.jpg
 
Last edited:
gregrocker said:
Well you know how to install EasyBCD since you did it in XP, correct? Install it to Win7 now.

Then click on the Edit Boot Menu tab, highlight the XP listing and click Delete.

Next click on the Add New Entry tab, make the choices below and reboot.

192826d1326415434-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp-w7-xp-7.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks gregrock for you understanding and have posted the picture with the procedures.
Done how you said but still get the same problem.
Attached is the picture where it stops loading but how i said before it is not stuck because i can move the mouse.
What to do now?
Thanks for your efforts.
Enzo
 

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My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Desktop
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz
Motherboard
ASUSTeK Computer INC. P5B-Deluxe
Memory
6,00 GB
Graphics Card(s)
ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series
Sound Card
SoundMAX Integrated
Screen Resolution
1280x1024 60Hz
Hard Drives
ST3120022A ATA Device
gregrocker said:
Please post back a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image from Win7

Have you considered vitualizing XP from Win7 using freeware like VMWare, Virtual Player, XP Mode provided in Ultimate, or Virtual Box? This would save a lot of problems trying to install a dead OS.


http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71432-partition-mark-active.html
Click to expand...

Here is the screenshot of the DiskManagement after have installed either Windows 7 and Windows XP.
Thanks
 

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My Computer

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Desktop
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz
Motherboard
ASUSTeK Computer INC. P5B-Deluxe
Memory
6,00 GB
Graphics Card(s)
ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series
Sound Card
SoundMAX Integrated
Screen Resolution
1280x1024 60Hz
Hard Drives
ST3120022A ATA Device
Did XP boot after you installed it? It must have if you used Option Two in tutorial to add Win7 to a Dual Boot. However the System Boot files are on Win7 C now, so it is booting both OS's.

I would have installed XP to a Primary and not Logical partition. An OS can be installed to a Logical partition only if it places its boot files on another Primary partition. This works fine with Win7 but XP is not really smart enough to know how to do this capably. So it may be the source of your problem.

To make sure the XP installer deletes and formats its target partition Primary, I would first delete the XP partition in Disk Mgmt. This is a two step process for Logical: Delete Volume to make Logical Free Space, then Delete Partition to get rid of Logical. Then boot the XP installer to create and full format its partition in that space.

This time after installation, Mark C Partition Active then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times to reassert the Win7 boot loader. Install EasyBCD to Win7 to add the new XP install which works better.

http://partitionwizard.com/video-help/setactiveorinactive/setactiveorinactive.html
 
gregrocker said:
Did XP boot after you installed it? It must have if you used Option Two in tutorial to add Win7 to a Dual Boot. However the System Boot files are on Win7 C now, so it is booting both OS's.

I would have installed XP to a Primary and not Logical partition. An OS can be installed to a Logical partition only if it places its boot files on another Primary partition. This works fine with Win7 but XP is not really smart enough to know how to do this capably. So it may be the source of your problem.

To make sure the XP installer deletes and formats its target partition Primary, I would first delete the XP partition in Disk Mgmt. This is a two step process for Logical: Delete Volume to make Logical Free Space, then Delete Partition to get rid of Logical. Then boot the XP installer to create and full format its partition in that space.

This time after installation, Mark C Partition Active then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times to reassert the Win7 boot loader. Install EasyBCD to Win7 to add the new XP install which works better.

http://partitionwizard.com/video-help/setactiveorinactive/setactiveorinactive.html
Click to expand...

At the end i got it work but after a couple of boot for testing i do ot get anymore the dual boot menu ad i cannot choose which system to boot.
Now it boots directly to Windows 7.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
 

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ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series
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ST3120022A ATA Device
What exactly did you do which got it to work? Did anything change after that besides it quit booting into XP?

Post back another DIsk Mgmt screenshot.

Install EasyBCD to WIn7 to delete and then add back the XP listing. Reboot in between each step.
 
gregrocker said:
What exactly did you do which got it to work? Did anything change after that besides it quit booting into XP?

Post back another DIsk Mgmt screenshot.

Install EasyBCD to WIn7 to delete and then add back the XP listing. Reboot in between each step.
Click to expand...

Done how you said but nothing has changed i still did not get the boot menu.
Here attached is the Disk Management screenshot.
 

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ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series
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SoundMAX Integrated
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ST3120022A ATA Device
I thought you said you'd gotten it to work. If not then I'm not sure why you're asking for more suggestions when you've not completed the steps I wrote out for you in Post 2048.
 
That is what i did and i got it working,
but how i said before after a couple of rebbots the Dual Boot menu disappeared.
 

My Computer

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ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series
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ST3120022A ATA Device
You reinstalled XP to a Primary partition or converted the Logical partition to Primary? If the latter did you run an XP Repair Install and then reassert the Win7 bootloader using the method I gave you?
 
gregrocker said:
You reinstalled XP to a Primary partition or converted the Logical partition to Primary? If the latter did you run an XP Repair Install and then reassert the Win7 bootloader using the method I gave you?
Click to expand...

Sorry but i got lost now.
Please can we RESTART from the beginner if
It is not a problem for you?
keep in mind that I have already restored a
Windows 7 backup made with acronis.
Thanks
Enzo
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Desktop
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz
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ASUSTeK Computer INC. P5B-Deluxe
Memory
6,00 GB
Graphics Card(s)
ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series
Sound Card
SoundMAX Integrated
Screen Resolution
1280x1024 60Hz
Hard Drives
ST3120022A ATA Device
The first screenshot you posted showed XP was installed on a Logical partition. Look at the green border.

310846d1395129404t-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp-disk-management.png


I explained to you how this can be a problem. I assumed you understood what I wrote because the next screenshot shows XP on a Primary (no green border) partition. I then asked you if you converted it to Primary or reinstalled. Now you explain that you had re-imaged to the Primary partition, am I correct? Please post back another Disk Mgmt screenshot.

Was the image created before or after you had reasserted Win7 boot?

When you re-imaged did XP start up at all on its own or as a Dual Boot? Did you use EasyBCD from WIn7 to delete the XP listing and then add it back again?

It does seem strange that you could install XP and it would boot and run, but then once you add it to a Dual Boot it stalls at startup. This is why I suggested you reassert the Win7 bootloader by the other method which sometimes works better: Mark 7 Partition Active then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times before adding XP using EasyBCD.

That is if you can not virtualize XP from Win7. Your version of Win7 includes XP Mode. Have you tried that?
 
Last edited:
Xp Win7 dualboot...Boot in BIOS on SSD Win7 drive

Hello,
on my old desktop I installed seven on a SSD drive with a previous installation of XP on a hard disk drive.
The dual boot works fine with seven by default but in the BIOS the first disk boot device must be the disk with xp.If i change the first disk boot device with the one of seven it doesn't work.
If it was possible i would like to keep the dual boot but i would like in the BIOS to boot on the SSD disk the one with seven. (this for the case if the old hard disk with XP will brek).
How can i change the first boot device in the BIOS while keeping the dualboot. Perhaps using EasyBCD i can allow the system working with the first boot on the SSD drive?
Can you explain me the operations to accomplish to reach this goal???
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Jean Luc Ferré
 

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If you installed Win7 with XP hard drive attached, then it should have configured a Windows Dual Boot menu which is changed within either OS as follows: Default Operating System - Change Default Boot OS - Windows 7 Help Forums

If what you want is to change Win7 hard drive to boot first in BIOS, then this may require making it independently bootable so it can boot itself instead of being booted from XP as it likely now is configured. In order to help you do that now or later, we'd need to see a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image to advise you of the exact steps.
 
Hello,
Thank you for your fast answer...
Here is in attachment the screenshot of the disk management...
My seven system is on the partition C) of a SSD device with data on the other partition SSD-données H) of the same SSD device.
My old XP system is on the partition "ancien-système D)" of a hard disk drive with data on the other partition "ancien-données F)" of the same hard disk drive.
The two others partitions E) and G) are data on another hard disk drive.
I installed seven on the SSD with XP already present on his disk.
When in the BIOS i boot (first boot device) on the XP hard disk the multiboot works fine and the seven OS begins by default.
But when in the BIOS I boot (first boot device) on the SSD drive with seven, i have a message "Bootmgr is absent...." and the system cannot start.
I tried to repair the starting procedure with my dvd rom of seven...but it's done nothing.
I would like to be able to boot in the BIOS on the SSD device (with seven) it would be more secure because the XP hard disk is old and it can break soon...and then I will have nothing.
Can you indicate me a procedure in order to get the booting in the BIOS on SSD device working well.???
Perhaps restablishing the MBR in seven disk with easyBCD???
Thank you in advance for your answers....I stay listening for more information that you will need.
I hope for your answer.
jean Luc Ferré
 

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My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
OS
windows 7 home premium 32 bits
CPU
athlon
Motherboard
asus
Memory
3go
Hard Drives
80gohard drive
120 go hard drive
120go ssd
Antivirus
norton
Browser
ie11
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