Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

Strife18 · Jan 11, 2011

Alright thanks for the help guys. Dual boot is the best option for us as we use fairly system intense programs that require XP. The XP mode may not be sufficient.

Well for some odd reason the Dell BIOS has 3 SATA settings, ATA, AHCI, and Raid On. It came preinstalled on the Raid On setting, but in order to boot from XP i needed to switch it to ATA. However, when it was switched to ATA I couldn't boot Win7 but I could boot XP, and vice versa when I switched back to Raid On. I just talked to our IT person and it seems like they also recommended what Theog has.
I'm going to first backup the Utility and Recovery partitions as disk images on an external drive, then commence the install of SATA drivers and reinstall of XP. Now to find those drivers

Thanks again for your insight and I will let

theog · Jan 11, 2011

Strife18 said:
Alright thanks for the help guys. Dual boot is the best option for us as we use fairly system intense programs that require XP. The XP mode may not be sufficient.

Well for some odd reason the Dell BIOS has 3 SATA settings, ATA, AHCI, and Raid On. It came preinstalled on the Raid On setting, but in order to boot from XP i needed to switch it to ATA. However, when it was switched to ATA I couldn't boot Win7 but I could boot XP, and vice versa when I switched back to Raid On. I just talked to our IT person and it seems like they also recommended what Theog has.
I'm going to first backup the Utility and Recovery partitions as disk images on an external drive, then commence the install of SATA drivers and reinstall of XP. Now to find those drivers

Thanks again for your insight and I will let

If your Dell has a Intel Sata Controller.
You can download your F6 Sata Controller drivers from here:

Intel Sata Controller Drivers

Check your model first.

Strife18 · Jan 11, 2011

Ya I found the driver in there. However, these laptops do not have a floppy drive to install with F6. Does this mean that I will be required to slipstream an XP disk with the drivers?

Strife18 · Jan 11, 2011

Well thats good. I downloaded the Intel Rapid Storage Tech drivers and went through the nlite slipstream process. Though when I got to the driver loading process there is a iaAHCI and iaStor to choose from, either one gives the same drivers to choose from. However it lists about 20-25 different drivers, none of which give any indication of which one is for XP32bit, they all should be 32 bit, but different OS's. The only thing that they hint to is different intel chipsets (i think). What I tried was a multiple driver select and added them all to the boot disk. Unfortunately after burning, the xp disk will not boot.

Edit: So I looked up my RAID controller and the file was listing different types. So I found which one the computer has but now I have the choice in drivers for that controller of either "hdc" or "scsiadapter" type.
Im thinking that if I add one of these then there would be a chance that the disk would be bootable.

Update: Tried burning/boot from the "scsiadapter" type. Once again does not boot. I select boot from dvd-drive at startup, and it does not even get to the blue load screen before it restarts the computer. Same with the other XP disks I've made (besides the factory XP which does).

It is looking as if the slipstream is not working at all, and ive looked around town for a usb floppy drive and it doesn't look like I'll find one. I've been thinking of starting from square one (comp is new anyways). So I thought i might start by creating backup system images just in case. Then delete xp/7 partitions and do a fresh install of XP, set that up, install the raid drivers while in xp, then dual boot windows 7.
Good idea or bad idea?

gregrocker · Jan 11, 2011

You didn't need the SATA drivers the first time you installed XP, correct? Maybe theog can help you slip the RAID drivers since it appears Win7 was installed in RAID mode but won't run now that you changed it to SATA mode to install XP.

Can you find an old IDE HD to install XP? This is the best Dual Boot method anyway.

Strife18 · Jan 11, 2011

At the moment, all I have are external hdd which I assume are 2.5" SATA drives.
Though i was just wondering if this would theoretically work:
- In windows 7, delete the installed windows xp partition
- Then boot up off of windows xp disk, delete windows 7 partition (keeping the dell recovery/util partitions intact)
- Repartition unallocated space, install windows XP on first partition, after installation install dell drivers, install windows 7 raid/sata drivers, Install Acronis Home
- Follow first page instructions to setup the unused partition
-Run Acronis Recovery and restore unused partition using a system image created of my current windows 7 drive
- Install EasyBCD and continue instructions

Of course I would create the partitions in exactly the same sizes for the operating systems. I also created full system images with acronis to get back to where I am right now if anything went wrong.

It sounds feasible to me, but I thought I would ask.
Thanks

gregrocker · Jan 11, 2011

I just re=read the thread as SATA controller issue has sidetracked us a bit. If you changed RAID to SATA to install XP then you likely don't need SATA drivers, but possible RAID drivers would allow you to install XP to the RAID.

The RAID presents a complication which makes it hard to advise you to proceed to reinstall XP and reimage 7. We see many problems with Win7 installs to RAID and generally advise to un-RAID the HD's to install Win7 with SATA controller set to ACHI or IDE mode.

I cannot say for sure if an Acronis image of RAIDed Win7 would work if you un-RAID the HD's to install XP first, but I know for sure the Recovery partition and OEM utlities partition would not work. If you make the Recovery Disks first, you might be able to restore everything to unRAIDED HD's.

What you might consider at this point is unRAIDing your HD's then clean installing XP to one HD with the others unplugged. After that is set up as you want unplug the XP HD to clean install Win7 from Recovery Disks, or from a Win7 installation DVD to get the cleanest possible install without the factory bloatware or useless utilties which have better versions built-into Win7. Here's how to get a purrfect clean reinstall of factory preinstall: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/125874-re-install-windows-7-a.html#post1086729

This will leave you with the best method for Dual Booting anyway: separate HD's via the BIOS.

I hope I haven't confused you more, but wanted to lay out your options as thoroughly as possible. Feel free to ask back all the questions needed to make a sound decision.

Strife18 · Jan 11, 2011

Well this is a laptop with just one hard drive. And I don't think that it is actually setup as a RAID.
What I meant by doing the switch is that in the BIOS there is a tab 'System Configuration' which inside contains another tab called 'SATA'. In this you can switch the setting between disabled, ATA, AHCI, and Raid On. So im not sure if it was setup as a Raid, but I know that the default is selected on the Raid On option, but I think ive also read that this is like a Raid autodetect mode. Is there a way to check in windows 7 if the partitions are set up in raid?
If I could determine if it is Un-raided then it would be safe to do the XP install and re-image of 7.
At the same time I'm looking into the possibility of upgrading all our software to work with windows 7, It will hinge on the ability to install and the costs, but Im in the process of finding this out.
That would of course be ideal as we would no longer need XP (other than maybe XP mode for some smaller programs). But I still need to have a fall back of XP/7 dual boot in case we are unable to upgrade.

Thanks again

gregrocker · Jan 11, 2011

If you only have one HD then it isnt' set up as RAID. Are you certain that the controller was set to RAID On before you changed it to install XP?

Were you planning to install XP and then reimage Win7 with controller set to ATA? It is not certain the image will work if you change the setting, and almost certain the REcovery Partition will not. This is a lot of risk and trouble to Dual Boot an XPired OS.

If you're determined then I'd back up files, make my Recovery Disks and a Win7 image. Next change the controller setting to ATA, wipe the HD and attempt to reimage Win7. IF this fails I would run the Recovery Disks. Then I would shrink if necessary, boot XP to create and format its partition and install. It doesn't matter which order since neither of these Win7 methods will configure the Dual Boot. So you'll have to mark Win7 Active and run Startup Repair to start Win7, install EasyBCD 2.0 to add XP. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105541-startup-repair-run-3-separate-times.html

The alternative is to find a Win7 installation DVD, install XP first, then do a clean install of Win7 which should configure the Dual Boot while shedding all of the factory bloatware and useless factory utilities which have better versions built into Win7: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/125874-re-install-windows-7-a.html#post1086729

While you mull this over I've asked a RAID expert to look at it.

Strife18 · Jan 11, 2011

K well I just went to the BIOS, I loaded the default settings and it does have Raid On as the default. Though in the description it says SATA is configured to support RAID mode (Intel Rapid Restore Technology). This page talks about it:
Intel® Rapid Storage Technology — What is Intel® Rapid Recover Technology?
It seems to be a mode to help with recovery rather than RAIDS.
However, I switched it back to the ATA setting and it went back to Windows 7 not booting. So I am having a little difficulty trying to find a way to handle that with the recovery.
Like you mentioned, it is looking unlikely that a system image would take in ATA setting if it won't boot when I switch to it.
In my last post I had mentioned that we may still be able to upgrade all our software to win7, and at this point im really hoping we can do this.

theog · Jan 12, 2011

Strife18 said:
K well I just went to the BIOS, I loaded the default settings and it does have Raid On as the default. Though in the description it says SATA is configured to support RAID mode (Intel Rapid Restore Technology). This page talks about it:
Intel® Rapid Storage Technology — What is Intel® Rapid Recover Technology?
It seems to be a mode to help with recovery rather than RAIDS.
However, I switched it back to the ATA setting and it went back to Windows 7 not booting. So I am having a little difficulty trying to find a way to handle that with the recovery.
Like you mentioned, it is looking unlikely that a system image would take in ATA setting if it won't boot when I switch to it.
In my last post I had mentioned that we may still be able to upgrade all our software to win7, and at this point im really hoping we can do this.

1) A BIOS set to ATA will handle IDE mode only.
2) A BIOS set to SATA will handle SATA mode only.
3) A BIOS set to Raid On will handle SATA mode & RAID mode, But not IDE mode.

Therefore leave your BIOS set to default Raid On.
When you do your Dual with Windows XP, load the Sata controller drivers at F6.

gregrocker · Jan 12, 2011

Excellent, thanks Ray. XP installed the first time because you enabled IDE.

Strife18 · Jan 13, 2011

Well, I really appreciate all your help guys. Personally, I have learned a fair bit on the process of dual booting. But it seems like we are able to upgrade all necessary software up to Windows 7, and rather than have a griphold on an older OS with diminishing tech support, they found it better in the long run to do the switch now with these new computers.
So I have gotten rid of the XP partition and expanded to just have the one Windows 7 partition. Now to get all the programs set up and ready to go.

Thanks again, I really appreciate it

theog · Jan 13, 2011

Strife18 said:
Well, I really appreciate all your help guys. Personally, I have learned a fair bit on the process of dual booting. But it seems like we are able to upgrade all necessary software up to Windows 7, and rather than have a griphold on an older OS with diminishing tech support, they found it better in the long run to do the switch now with these new computers.
So I have gotten rid of the XP partition and expanded to just have the one Windows 7 partition. Now to get all the programs set up and ready to go.

Thanks again, I really appreciate it

Thanks for posting back.
Good luck with all your upgrades.

uremailgoes · Jan 21, 2011

Please help. I have hp dm4-1173CL it has W7 Ultimate 64 bit on it. I followed all the steps and got xp pro installed on second partition of same drive. Then I installed .net 2.0 and Easybcd software, and followed the steps given. Rebooted, and dual boot works, both xp and w7 work. The problem I see is that when I'm in Windows xp, it show Drive C to be the drive which belongs to Windows 7, and Windows XP is installed on partition 2, drive letter F according to DOS, (which by the way in windows 7 is defined as drive letter D). So although both systems boot, I need XP to boot up thinking that the drive letter F on which it is installed is drive C, so that if anything happens to it or data is written to it etc, it is written to XP not to my W7 drive. I think what happened is that Easybsd put msdos.sys io.sys config.sys autoexec.bat ntdetct.com ntldr bootmgr on my C drive, which is here w7 is installed, along with a folder named NST which has ntldr file in it also 291KB, dated 01/21/2011. so I think the screw up is when the dual boot starts, it goes to my w7 partition which is partition 1, and then takes instructions from there to go to partition 2 which is where xp is to boot up. By the way, w7 works fine and all the drive letters work ok, it's XP I'm concerned about. In the past, when I did dual boot, whatever drive you boot from, will somehow take the letter C, it is not happening in this case when I boot from XP. XP thinks C drive is where the W7 is installed, and F is where XP files are sitting. Please tell me what I need to do. Thank you.

gregrocker · Jan 21, 2011

Did you boot the XP installer to do the install?

Please post back a screenshot of your full Disk Mgmt Drive map using Snipping Tool in Start Menu. Label the drives so we know what's on which.

Did you consider running XP Mode in Ultimate, as its a lot less messy option and works quite well according to reports.

fmorto · Jan 23, 2011

Dual Boot Xp and Windows 7 on individual Hard Drives

My computer has Xp on it and I installed another HDD on which I installed Windows 7 Home premium. I now have the opoerating systems on separate HDDs. I have already installed both and they work fine other than having to enter the BIOS to change which drive/OS I boot.

How do I get the "Boot to" selection option to come up.

I have both original install disks.

Sorry if I missed this but I have searched the forums, I see instructions for a fresh install but none on this.

SIW2 · Jan 23, 2011

The simplest way is to boot into windows 7 HD.

Install Easybcd 2.0.

Ad XP entry.

That's it.

Then Always boot via the windows 7 HD.

uremailgoes · Jan 26, 2011

Dual Boot Giving Wrong Drive Letter in XP

uremailgoes said:
Please help. I have hp dm4-1173CL it has W7 Ultimate 64 bit on it. I followed all the steps and got xp pro installed on second partition of same drive. Then I installed .net 2.0 and Easybcd software, and followed the steps given. Rebooted, and dual boot works, both xp and w7 work. The problem I see is that when I'm in Windows xp, it show Drive C to be the drive which belongs to Windows 7, and Windows XP is installed on partition 2, drive letter F according to DOS, (which by the way in windows 7 is defined as drive letter D). So although both systems boot, I need XP to boot up thinking that the drive letter F on which it is installed is drive C, so that if anything happens to it or data is written to it etc, it is written to XP not to my W7 drive. I think what happened is that Easybsd put msdos.sys io.sys config.sys autoexec.bat ntdetct.com ntldr bootmgr on my C drive, which is here w7 is installed, along with a folder named NST which has ntldr file in it also 291KB, dated 01/21/2011. so I think the screw up is when the dual boot starts, it goes to my w7 partition which is partition 1, and then takes instructions from there to go to partition 2 which is where xp is to boot up. By the way, w7 works fine and all the drive letters work ok, it's XP I'm concerned about. In the past, when I did dual boot, whatever drive you boot from, will somehow take the letter C, it is not happening in this case when I boot from XP. XP thinks C drive is where the W7 is installed, and F is where XP files are sitting. Please tell me what I need to do. Thank you.

here are the screen shots, as you can see in w7 all drive letters are fine W7 is on C drive, XP on D, L (Library) is another partition where I store docs, E (HPTOOLS) was there when I bought the laptop, last partition is a partition created by Acronis Secure Zone. and everything works fine. By the way, the laptop came with w7 preinstalled, I upgraded to Ultimate version only.

Then I followed all the procedure given here to create the D Drive 3GB, booted from XP pro cd and installed XP. XP installed itself on what it calls F drive. It boots fine. Where I need help is that when I boot into XP, I want it to be think its on C drive and think W7 is on F if you want to call it. It is not swapping the letter. As you can see in second snapshot taken in XP, the W7 partition is called C, XP is called F. That is crazy. I've also attched easybcd snapshot. Please tell me how to fix this. And if you want to shed some light on why xp installed it the way it did. Thanks

And yes, I do know that you can have xp within windows, but the reason why i put xp on a seperate partition totally is because sometime I download softwares from the net, and symantec security will usually delete those file, not let me open them because it suspects malware, virus or whatever. So I need a seperate partition, where I can go open the files without symantec, get password etc, try it out and if I like it come back to W7 and install it but now I have the password or crack or serial etc. Speaking of which, does anyone know, if I was to open the downloaded software in XP within the Windows 7 enviornment, and not install symantec there, and if i was to open a file and it does have virus or something, does it get copied to my w7 enviornment or no? My goal is to keep w7 safe.

EverWin · Jan 27, 2011

@uremailgoes

it can be done but its seriously time-consuming & risky. First you need to get some winpe bootable in case to transfer boot files & also when something goes wrong.

Wait lets assume you have not got Winpe but you got Windows XP bootable. Mark Windows XP drive ie,. D drive as Active partition (in Windows 7) also move hidden system files such as boot.ini, ntdetect.com & ntdlr to Windows XP drive D: from Windows 7 drive C:.

Once done reboot PC into Windows XP bootable by pressing 'r' in recovery conscol, type this command fixmbr & fixboot. restart PC it should start PC in Windows XP. in case something went wrong you may have to "repair" Windows XP (no need to format). This method will set Windows XP drive to (C:\>)

afterwords move hidden "boot" folder & bootmgr file to Windows XP drive (C

from within Windows XP

(Note: boot folder & bootmgr are windows 7 system boot loaders it should be in primary active drive)

Fix windows 7 using bootable Windows 7 media & then use EasyBCD to fix dualboot.

Before proceeding to this Method get it approved from the Experts eg,. SIW2/ theog or Brink

Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

When XP is Installed First

When Windows 7 is Installed First

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