Windows 7 32 bit, - want to add W2K8R2-64bit to make dualboot laptop

I have a i5 laptop, 4GB ram with Windows 7 Enterprise 32 bit running on a single partition, which takes up the entire 240Gb HDD.

I would like to keep this OS, and install a second OS - W2K8R2-64 bit. (I want the W2K8R2 OS to be a nice stable area for running DJ software)

Would the best way to achieve this be to shrink the current partition, and literally just put in the W2K8R2 disc, and install it on the newly created partition? Or, am I going to run into problems? Will W2K8R2 cause problems to my current Windows 7 install?

I don't want to go the VHD route...

Any help would be much appreciated.

Well if you want another is on your pc, you need to get the x32 os version. Then you partition your hard drive in disk management.
Then you have a partition and make it as a hard drive. Now you have another hard drive for dual booting. Now install the x32 so on that partition. Now you have dual boot. Reply to me if you need help

Randycool79

ThrashZone said:

Hi and welcome to SevenForums,
I've never seen or heard of anyone having both 32 and a 64 bit system on the same machine in dual boot :/

Seems you'd have a better chance with the 64 bit installed first but would it work either way ?
Cheers.

It will work. I tried it on my windows xp pc. Windows xp was installed as a 32 bit os then I installed Windows 7 on my partition which was x64 bit version

Randycool79 said:

ThrashZone said:

Hi and welcome to SevenForums,
I've never seen or heard of anyone having both 32 and a 64 bit system on the same machine in dual boot :/

Seems you'd have a better chance with the 64 bit installed first but would it work either way ?
Cheers.

It will work. I tried it on my windows xp pc. Windows xp was installed as a 32 bit os then I installed Windows 7 on my partition which was x64 bit version

I done this as well

Here is what I had

Windows 7 64 bit
Windows 10 32 bit preview
Lubuntu 32 bit.

I also had
Windows 7 32 bit
Windows 10 64 bit preview
Lubuntu 32 bit.

I got Lubuntu 64bit 14.10 once I realized that I could install wine 32 and still run windows 16 bit programs.

It can be done on a single HD/SSD with multiple partitions, or with each OS on a different storage device (HD/SSD).
Right now my test box is a triple boot on a single SSD with W8.1 x64, W7 x64, and W7 x86.
The W7 OS's were installed over 5 years ago, and 8.1 was an "upgrade" from XP less than a year ago.
My primary box is a dual boot, each OS is on a different SSD/HD.

You have Enterprise now, is this a business/company PC ?

imho the best way is to have each OS on a different HD/SSD, if possible.

ThrashZone said:

Hi and welcome to SevenForums,
I've never seen or heard of anyone having both 32 and a 64 bit system on the same machine in dual boot :/

Seems you'd have a better chance with the 64 bit installed first but would it work either way ?
Cheers.

Hey - thanks - and thanks everyone for all the quick replies :) - seems like a busy forum :)

Randycool79 said:

Well if you want another is on your pc, you need to get the x32 os version.

Randycool79

Sorry - I'm not clear on what you mean here?

So, it's perfectly possible to create a dual boot laptop with a 32-bit6 & 64-bit OS's.

You're saying above that I need to get the 32-bit version of W2K8-R2 though?

DavidE said:

It can be done on a single HD/SSD with multiple partitions, or with each OS on a different storage device (HD/SSD).
Right now my test box is a triple boot on a single SSD with W8.1 x64, W7 x64, and W7 x86.
The W7 OS's were installed over 5 years ago, and 8.1 was an "upgrade" from XP less than a year ago.
My primary box is a dual boot, each OS is on a different SSD/HD.

You have Enterprise now, is this a business/company PC ?

imho the best way is to have each OS on a different HD/SSD, if possible.

Yes, this is a company laptop. It's a Toshiba A11-11H - so single HDD.




What about my suggestion of shrinking my current drive (I have loads of free space). And install W2K8R2 on that? Do you think it'll be as straight forward as that, or will I need to modify any of the boot files or whatnot?


Cheers :)