BSOD when dual booting Windows Vista 32bit and Windows 7 64bit

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  1. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit (x64)
       #1

    BSOD when dual booting Windows Vista 32bit and Windows 7 64bit


    Hello,

    I have another laptop and its a HP 2230s. I originally installed Windows 7 professional 64bit. But I have swapped the ram into my Lenovo ThinkPad. So the HP now has 2GB. I created a new partition and installed Vista Business 32bit on it. When I started the install windows .exe program in Windows 7, everything went well until it rebooted. When I rebooted, windows said something like:

    Windows Boot manager:

    The system cannot boot because of a recent change to files/hardware. (Something like that). Insert your windows disk.

    So I just rebooted my laptop with the vista disk inside and installed. After, when everything was working, I wanted to go to the Windows 7 partition to un-install programs and copy some files over to the vista partition, the laptop just booted into vista.

    I downloaded the easy BCD editior and visual BCD editor. (in the vista partition), I clicked the auto fix in visual BCD editor. It detected my windows installations. At the boot screen, I can select either Windows 7 or Vista. But when I select 7, the same error message appears.

    Then I rebooted my laptop with a USB containing the Windows 7 (64bit) recovery tools. After, I don't have the message again. But when it goes to the starting windows animation, it stops halfway and it gets a BSOD. I tried debugging mode, it worked.

    I found out that the larger partition, (Windows 7) is the C: drive. But when I boot into the smaller partition, (Windows Vista), the drive is also C:!. So I don't know what I could do.

    How could I fix this? I insert the windows 7 disk and repaired my installation, it just boots into windows 7. But when I insert the Vista disk and repaired my installation, it just boots into Vista!

    What could I do?

    Thanks,
    Fighter Pilot

    P.S,

    Sorry for long post!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 845
    Windows 7 - Vista
       #2

    Is Vista Business a full retail version?
    Is Windows 7 professional x64 a full retail version?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit (x64)
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Sorry I know I should have included it.

    I believe that my Vista is OEM and also the Windows 7.

    The original Windows 7 disk is a "upgrade media" issued by HP and by my school. (This HP is a school laptop. But now, we can choose our own laptop so this laptop is just a spare). But since I have bought 8GB RAM, I specially requested the school to put the 64 bit edition. But I don't have the 64bit disk. I only have the 32bit OEM disk.

    Thanks!
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 845
    Windows 7 - Vista
       #4

    Hi -

    An OEM version is tied to the system it was originally installed on forever.

    You can't upgrade Vista x86 to Windows 7 x64.

    32-bit or 64-bit: Which version of Windows 7 to install?

    If you're running a 32-bit version of Windows Vista, you can only upgrade to a 32-bit version of Windows 7.
    Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 - Help & How-to - Microsoft Windows

    If you want Windows 7 x64, you'll need to purchase it or obtain it through your school.

    Sorry....

    Regards. . .

    jcgriff2
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit (x64)
    Thread Starter
       #5

    I'm not upgrading. This is kinda messy but here it goes.

    The HP was originally installed with Vista. But the school downgraded it to XP. So when Windows 7 came, they upgraded us to Windows 7. But I'm special because I upgraded my laptop to have 8GB ram. So they specially upgraded me to Windows 7 64bit. Now, the school lets us bring any laptop we want so instead of bring a heavy HP, I swapped the RAM into a Lenovo x61. So now, the HP has only 2GB. There's no point in running a 64bit system with only 2GB ram right? So I wanted to install vista x86 on it.

    I tried dual booting Windows 7 64bit with XP 32bit on the thinkpad with no problems.

    ---
    @jcgiff2,
    after what you said, I don't think it's OEM anymore. Though the product key looks like an OEM one. And I think that the school installed a retail version of windows 7. Because the so called "upgrade media" was only 32 bit.
    Last edited by Fighter Pilot; 26 Jun 2012 at 00:00. Reason: need to add information
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 845
    Windows 7 - Vista
       #6

    Why not forego Vista and just install Windows 7 x64?

    W7 x64 can run anything Vista x86 can except 16-bit apps.

    Regards. . .

    jcgriff2
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit (x64)
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Hi,

    Thanks for your reply but I think that Windows 7 was used to my machine having 8GB RAM. Because it keeps on popping up messages like:

    Your computer memory is low. Close programs and open them again.

    So that's why I wanted to install a 32bit OS
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 845
    Windows 7 - Vista
       #8

    That message usually refers to virtual memory.

    Reset your page file (virtual memory settings).

    My guess is that it is still configured for 2 GB RAM.

    START | type systempropertiesadvanced (you can paste it in) | select 1st "Settings" | "Advanced" tab | "Change" | check box for NO PAGE file

    Reboot.

    Go back into the above; select "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives"

    Reboot again.

    Regards. . .

    jcgriff2
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit (x64)
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Sorry I think you misunderstood.

    My laptop USED to have 8GB RAM. So that's why Windows 7 is so slow because Windows 7 still thinks that my laptop still has 8GB RAM.

    My laptop NOW has 2GB RAM so that's why I wanted to install the 32bit Vista

    Thanks!
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit (x64)
    Thread Starter
       #10

    Sorry I think you misunderstood.

    My laptop USED to have 8GB RAM. So that's why Windows 7 is so slow because Windows 7 still thinks that my laptop still has 8GB RAM.

    My laptop NOW has 2GB RAM so that's why I wanted to install the 32bit Vista

    Thanks!
      My Computer


 
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