Windows 7: Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

Hello,

I have managed to make my C drive mark as active and convert it into a system drive (Current Disk Management Map/snip is uploaded with it). Now my C drive is system with windows 7 installed, D is primary with Windows Xp installed and G is also primary with no O.S. installed. Can I change D now into logical Drive (It was my system drive initially)

Now coming back to my old problem. My Windows XP is no booting. In the boot manager the option is there but when I try to boot, it restarts to the same screen. I dont want to reinstall or repair it..so plze help me so that I can use both Windows7 and XP. Thanks.

In disk management right click the D: and click open and post a snip of the contents.

Ok...here is the contents of the 'D' ....

Have a look at Option One of this tutorial at the link below to un-hide protected system files and post a snip of that, make sure they're all visible in the snip; be sure to re-hide them after you get the snip.

Hidden Files and Folders - Show or Hide

You can try installing EasyBCD 2.02 to Windows 7 to delete XP listing, then Add it again.

If Xp still won't boot then it has become corrupted and you'll need to run an XP Repair Install to correctly write the System boot files to D which cannot exist on the existing Logical partition.

You will know if you have an intact XP installation if it will run the Repair Install following the steps given in the tutorial I posted above.

If so, after Repair install add Windows 7 from XP following Steps 7-12 in Method Two of tutorial.

First of all, thanks for the tutorial. Really nice and complete

Secondly, I have this configuration on my machine, and I'd like to know where should I make the XXgb partition for installing Windows XP (I'm on Windows 7 right now).
The Disk 1 is a SSD disk, from where Windows 7 boots. The other ones are SATA drivers...
Disk 2 and Disk 3 are currently used for files storage




My question is, should I create a partition (let's say 20gb) on the C:\ SSD drive, or should I make it anywhere else?

Thank you again

I'd unplug the other HD's, set Disk2 as first HD to boot in BIOS setup after DVD drive, then boot XP CD to full format a Primary Partition for install.

If XP CD doesn't see the SATA drive you'll need to add the SATA controller drivers:
SATA Drivers - Load in Windows XP Setup on Dual Boot
SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD

Once XP is installed, plug back in the other HD's, set preferrred OS as first HD to boot in BIOS setup, then boot the other OS when needed by using the one time BIOS Boot Menu key to trigger it's HD to boot.

Thank you very much

You have green Free Space which indicates the former presence of a Logical Extended partition on Disk2. You should be able to format a Primary partition on it with XP CD by Creating a New Partition of desired size to full Format. If not, follow these steps to wipe the HD first: SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

I installed Windows 7 standalone on new HD . No issues, went fine

Place power cable in PC back on the previous HD that had Windows XP installed. SEt it to HD boot priority 2 in Bios. new HD with Win 7 is the First disk in priority

Start PC, Windows 7 comes up and loads.

using EasyBCD, I add the entry for Win XP. Autodetect

Reboot, and now I have dual boot dialog screen, with Windows XP. Success.

Can boot into Windows 7 and it is seen in Windows 7 as the C:drive parition. Windows 7 still running too, I see the D: drive partition is the WinXP partition

All is well. When I boot into Windows 7 from Dual Boot screen, the WinXP partition is seen as C: while the XP is running. And the Windows 7 is seen as D:

So what's the problem... my data drive for everything, including My Documents has been on a D: partition. So, all drive paths for everything in the previous WinXP installation point to D: for data.

This means that the XP will never work correctly. And I could not now install any software to access data on a :
D: partition

The Best Solution would be to change a Drive Letter on the WinXP partition to Z:

I know that if an original install was done this way, Windows would still see it as C; when it booted up and all is well, BUT I've never done this with Windows 7 dual boot.

Can anyone comment please? Once I change the drive letter in XP it could cause havoc. Even with ghost image backups it could be a mess.

If anyone has knowledge or experience, it would save me a Ship Load of time.

Thanks very much

J Gregory