Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

gregrocker said:

You can try partition-specific wipe using Partition Wizard - Use the Bootable CD.

In that case I'd resize enough space at the right end of the HD to store data, then delete and wipe the preceding partitions, repartition for Win7 and XP, boot XP CD to full format the XP partition and install, then boot Win7 DVD to format and install to its partition. Take care not to touch the data partition.

Be aware this is not a truly safe way to backup data, which should always be backed up elsewhere.

Thanks again. I think I will try this route, and will see if I can't backup the data somewhere first before I do

gregrocker said:

Do you have the packaging with COA sticker for Win7, because it they had installed a bootleg copy it could well be interfering.

Been thinking about this some more, and it seems impossible for 7 to interfere with a XP install since none of its files are called or able to execute at any time during the process (and is likely why I have never on the entire internet see anyone mention it before).

This thing has become somewhat personal; between me, the laptop and Windows since in 25 years I can't remember ever having a problem I was not able to eventually solve (very experienced user with a tad of programming knowledge, but no expert to be certain).

Again it would seem just one small thing is out of sync here, and the Microsoft bulletin points to the boot.ini or the like, but it would seem I have exhausted those possibilities.

There must be a solution to this, other than giving up and formatting. Again the XP setup files loaded to the partition I chose, and boot.ini, ntdetect and the other (cant remember name atm) loaded to first 100meg partition. Then it goes to its first reboot in the process, and either comes up with hal.dll error OR hardware configuration problem (depending on which partition it tries to go to apparently) both mentioned in same Microsoft bullentin (and hal.dll is in the files loaded). I have tried changing the default partition and path in boot.ini in order for it to make the connection to the Windows files, yet it does not seem to. What exactly is supposed to happen after the first reboot in the XP installation anyway?

I am likely going to "give up" and take one of several other paths, but this is really bugging me. It may be interesting to note (or not), that OPH Crack shows 4 partitions, numbered sda1, 2, 3 and 5. For some reason 4 is skipped here. All boot files are on 1, 7 on 2, and XP on 5. After XP installs the boot.ini has default and path set to 4, which I think is correct (tried 1 - 5 now).

My understanding is the way which the BIOS SLIC table is emulated (all I know to quote) in a cracked activation can indeed interfere since it involves the boot sector of the HD. We regularly see problems with installs here that are remedied by wiping the boot sector with Diskpart Clean Command.

I do not know what OPH crack is but no discussion of cracks are allowed here and can lead quite easily to being banned. So I'd wipe it clean to install Genuine Win7.

Use an XP SP3 installer. Full format the partition using XP CD.

If installer sees the HD then it is not a SATA driver issue. But I would try install in IDE mode.

I FINALLY got it to work, holy crap what a nightmare.

Turns out it did have nothing to do with Sata As far as I can tell, as we figured. The Bios DID have Sata mode disabled as I mentioned and explains why XP had no issue seeing the drive (though I thought SP2 had Sata drivers included....).

I don't know what was wrong, and it still bugs me, but my best guess is that I was trying to install to the 3rd or 4th partition each of the two times I tried prior, and somehow the lettering or something else was throwing it off. When it worked this last time, I installed it to the very first C partition.

The only other thing I did differently was slipstream SP3 into the install instead of only SP2. I did use the SP2 disc that I was using to do this, so nothing must have been wrong with the disc as I figured.

So either SP3 has something important for my hardware or otherwise that SP2 does not (doesn't seem that likely really), or installing on the first partition was the solution. When I try to enable Sata mode now it won't boot, so I need to install a driver first and go through a little process, then I should have my Sata running optimally hopefully.

Thanks for the help, I would sure still like to know what was wrong

Yes, as explained you must have SP3 to have any chance to install XP on newest hardware.

Thanks. I found slipstreaming and using nLite to be a breeze. I got my original xp cd and was able to to slip in SP3 and remove a lot of bloat [who needs omega tape drives ect ]. I installed xp on D [windows 7 was already installed to C] . I got a problem with booting 7 and followed the restore/repair with a win 7 install disk , afterwards I used easyBCD to success. Now I get a boot menu without problems. I did the same for a frieind using Tinyxp . Its not rocket science. However I read about hiding the Win 7 drive from XP here and wondered if it was necessary. If so can anybody let me know how? Is it an administrator too in 7?