Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP​

   Information

This will show you how to install Windows 7 and XP to dual boot with when you already have either Windows 7 or XP installed first.

   Note

With a dual boot installaton, you will have two operating systems (OS) installed. When you start the computer, you will have the choice to choose which OS you would like to start up to. This method is the easiest way of doing a dual boot with these two operating systems.

   Tip

When dual booting with another OS (ex: Vista or XP), you may not always have that OS partition show up in Computer with a driver letter in Windows 7. If this happens, then you will just need to add a drive letter to the OS (ex: Vista or XP) partition in Windows 7 Disk Management for it to show up in Computer with a driver letter.

   Warning

To stop XP from deleting your Windows 7 System Restore Points everytime XP is started, then see System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete to hide Windows 7 from XP.

Windows 7 Minimum Hardware Requirements


NOTE: For more information on this, see: Windows 7 system requirements

• 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
• 1 GB RAM for 32-bit Windows 7 OR 2 GB RAM for 64-bit Windows 7
• 16 GB available disk space 32-bit Windows 7 OR 20 GB for 64-bit Windows 7
• Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (in order to enable Aero theme)
• DVD-R/W Drive
• Internet or phone access to activate Windows 7.

Windows XP Minimum Hardware Requirements

NOTE: For more information on this, see: System requirements for Windows XP operating systems

• PC with 300 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor clock speed recommended; 233-MHz minimum required;* Intel Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processor recommended
• 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended (64 MB minimum supported; may limit performance and some features)
• 1.5 gigabyte (GB) of available hard disk space.*
• Super VGA (800 × 600) or higher resolution video adapter and monitor
• CD-ROM or DVD drive
• Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device

EXAMPLE: Windows Boot Manager
NOTE: This is the boot screen where you select what operating system that you would like to start. By default, you have 30 seconds to choose another operating system before the default operating system will start automatically.

OPTION ONE

When XP is Installed First

NOTE: If you have a RAID setup, you will need to have the Windows 7 RAID drivers on a USB flash drive available to select and load while installing Windows 7.
1. Do step 2 or 3 below for where you wanted to install Windows 7 at.

2. To Create a New Partition from the XP Hard Disk Drive
A) With your Windows 7 installation disc boot into the Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options screen.
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.

B) In the command prompt, select and shrink the XP volume by how many MB (1024 MB = 1 GB) you want to have for this Windows 7 partition. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You would do steps 2 to 9 in METHOD TWO at that link. Windows 7 will need a minimum of 16 GB (16384 MB).

C) Click on the X at the top right corner to close the command prompt. (See screenshot above)

D) Click on the X at the top right corner to close System Recovery Options. (See screenshot below)

E) Go to step 4.
3. To Use a Separate Hard Disk Drive than the XP Drive
A) Boot from your Windows 7 installation disc.
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.
4. Click on the Install now button. (See screenshot below)

5. When you get to this point, select the partition (step 2) or hard drive to install Windows 7 on. (See screenshot below)

6. Finish installing Windows 7.
NOTE: You would start at step 9 in that link to finish installing Windows 7.

7. When finished, restart the computer to have the option to boot from XP (Earlier Verision of Windows) or Windows 7. (See screenshot below)

   Note

If you are only booting into Windows 7 and do not have XP listed in the Windows Boot Manager, then you can install only EasyBCD (step 8 Option Two below) to add XP (or Windows 7) while started in Windows 7 the same way to the boot list.

OPTION TWO

When Windows 7 is Installed First

   Warning

• If you have a RAID setup, you will need to have the XP RAID drivers for your specific motherboard on a Floppy disc available to select and load at the F6 prompt while installing XP.
• If you have a SATA drive, then you will need to do either one of these options to load the SATA drivers for XP for your specific motherboard.
  • How to Slipstream SATA drivers into Windows XP setup CD with Dual Boot of Windows 7 or Vista
  • How to Load SATA Drivers in Windows XP Setup on your Dual Boot PC with Vista or Windows 7 for how to load your SATA drivers from a Floppy disc at the F6 prompt while installing XP.

1. To Create a New Partition from the Windows 7 Hard Disk Drive
NOTE: If you want to install XP on a separate internal hard drive instead, then skip this step and go to step 2.
A) In Windows 7, select and shrink the Windows 7 volume in Disk Management by how many MB (1024 MB = 1 GB) you want to have for this XP partition. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: You would do all of Method One at that link.





2. Insert your XP installation disc, then restart the computer and press any key to boot from it when prompted. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.

3. From XP Setup, Press Enter. (See screenshot below)

   Warning

• If you have a RAID setup, you will need to have the XP RAID drivers for your specific motherboard on a Floppy disc available to select and load at the F6 prompt while installing XP.
• If you have a SATA drive, then you will need to do either one of these options to load the SATA drivers for XP for your specific motherboard.
  • How to Slipstream SATA drivers into Windows XP setup CD with Dual Boot of Windows 7 or Vista
  • How to Load SATA Drivers in Windows XP Setup on your Dual Boot PC with Vista or Windows 7 for how to load your SATA drivers from a Floppy disc at the F6 prompt while installing XP.

4. Press F8. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: On some multimedia keyboards, you may need to press the F-Lock or Function key before pressing F8.

5. Select the partition (step 1) or hard drive that you want to install XP on using the arrow keys and press Enter.

6. Finish installing XP.

   Tip

If you get Error loading Operating System after XP restarts:

• Using your Windows 7 installation disc, boot to the command prompt at startup.
• Type in these comands below, and press enter after each one.
  • bootrec /FixMbr
  • bootrec /FixBoot
  • bootrec /RebuildBcd
• Exit the command prompt and restart the computer.
• At this point, Windows 7 should boot up the same way before trying to install XP.
• Continue to step 8 below and run EasyBCD from Windows 7 instead.

7. In XP, download and install .Net Framework 2.0 (32-bit) version or .Net Framework 2.0 (64-bit) version first, and EasyBCD (free version) for your 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x86) XP.
NOTE: In XP, Net Framework is required to be installed to run EasyBCD. After you click on Register (at bottom of link) for the free EasyBCD, registration is not required to download it.

8. Run EasyBCD (free version).
NOTE: This is required to repair the Windows 7 boot file and add XP to the Windows Boot Manager list.

9. On the left side of EasyBCD, click on the Add New Entry button. (See screenshot below)
A) In the top section under Operating Systems, click on the Windows tab. (See screenshot below)
B) To the right of Type, select Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3 from the drop down menu. (See screenshot below)
:warn:WARNING: Be sure to leave the Automatically detect correct drive box checked.

C) To the right of Name, you can leave the default Microsoft Windows XP as the name to be displayed in the Windows Boot Manager, or you can type whatever name you would like to have instead. (See screenshot below)
D) Click on the Add Entry button. (See screenshot below)

10. On the left side of EasyBCD, click on the BCD Deployment button, select (dot) the Install the Windows Vista/7 bootloader to the MBR option, and click on the Write MBR button. (See screenshot below)

11. Close EasyBCD.

12. Restart the computer to have the option to boot from Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 7. (See screenshot below)

   Tip

If Windows 7 will not start up when selected, then use your Windows 7 installation DVD to do a Startup Repair.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows Vista and XP
• How to Do a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Dual Boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu
• How to Correctly Setup a Dual Boot with Windows 7 and LinuxMint13
• How to Change Time to Display Operating Systems at Boot in Windows 7
• How to Change the Listed OS Arrangement Order in Windows Boot Manager Screen
• How to Change the Default Operating System to Start in Windows 7
• How to Delete an Operating System Listed in Windows Boot Manager
• How to Change the OS Name in Windows Boot Manager
• How to Do a Clean Installation with Windows 7
• How to Install Windows 7 FAST without a DVD or USB Device
• Install Windows 7 Without Using Any External Device
• How to Setup Windows 7 to Boot from a VHD (Virtual Hard Disk)
• How to Create a Windows 7 VHD at Boot to Start with from Boot
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Windows 7
• How to Load SATA Drivers in Windows XP Setup on your Dual Boot PC with Vista or Windows 7
• How to Slipstream SATA drivers into Windows XP setup CD with Dual Boot of Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Load SATA Driver Using Shift+F10 to Open Command Prompt
• How to Recover a Partition Used by an Older OS in a Dual Boot
• How to Properly Delete a OS in a Dual Boot
• How to Stop System Restore Points from being Deleted in Vista and Windows 7 when Dual Booting with XP

 

[VoLtrex31]

And again what do you expect from me to do- i have 2 partitions - 1)Windiows7 2)My files over 200 giga..

I can not delete anything so where is the solution?

 

[gregrocker]

In Disk Mgmt, rightclick>delete the Logical Partition you created for XP, then rightclick again to Delete the Logical volume if it remains as shown by the green box below. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2668-partition-volume-delete.html



Now boot the XP CD to install, see if it detects the HD so you can create a partition in the deleted space. Be sure not to touch the other partitions!

If not create a fourth primary partition there using free Partition Wizard bootable CD following Option One here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html

Try install again, if necessary insert SATA controller drivers if the HD is not detected on screen shown just above. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/66010-sata-drivers-load-windows-xp-setup-dual-boot.html

If this is too much trouble, consider virtualizing XP using XP Mode in Ultimate or Pro versions, or free Virtual Box, Virtual Machine or VMWare.

 

[theog]

And again what do you expect from me to do- i have 2 partitions - 1)Windiows7 2)My files over 200 giga..

I can not delete anything so where is the solution?

You have five partitions.

 

[gregrocker]

You have five partitions.

Which is why he needs to delete both 4 & 5 Logical volume and partition in Disk mgmt, then create for XP fourth Primary using XP CD or free Partition Wizard bootable CD, correct?

This is only possibly the problem since XP will sometimes store boot files on first active Primary partition. But I would try the steps given first to see if slipstreaming SATA drivers can be avoided.

 

[darcypa]

If not create a fourth primary partition there using free Partition Wizard bootable CD following Option One here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html

I don't think a fourth primary is possible (I could be wrong but I think three is MAX for primary). That's why I created my rescue DVD's then removed the recovery partition.

Darcy

 

[gregrocker]

If not create a fourth primary partition there using free Partition Wizard bootable CD following Option One here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html

I don't think a fourth primary is possible (I could be wrong but I think three is MAX for primary). That's why I created my rescue DVD's then removed the recovery partition.

Darcy

Read the tutorial to see how it is done. You are allowed four Primary, but Disk Mgmt will create Logical by default as fourth partition for further expansion.

You may wish to do this is you ever run Recovery Disks, so your Recov partition remains intact since it is more stable method for running Recovery than the disks.

 

[darcypa]

You have five partitions.

Which is why he needs to delete both 4 & 5 in Disk mgmt, then create the fourth Primary using XP CD or free Partition Wizard bootable CD, correct?

I believe this is only possibly the problem, since XP will sometimes store boot files on first Primary partition - though there might not be enough space on SysReserved. But it could still be the SATA driver issue, so the steps given should be tried.

From What I see here it looks like C: is the Win 7.

If V(D is not being used, delete logical partition (W) and expand (V) to include the space used by (W), then delete (V) and expand (C) to included the old (V) and (W)

The Shrink (C) by the amount of space you want for XP ( I used 80g), create a new Primary partition with the new free space.

So Basicly remove all expect for System (1) and C: (2), epxnad all into C: the shrink C by the amount you want for XP and create new primary for XP -

That should leave you with only three partitions.

Darcy


Darcypa

 

[gregrocker]

D has almost 200gb of data on it.

The steps are given above to delete the Logical partition and volume to create a fouth primary partition with XP CD or free PW bootable CD.

This will give XP install it's best shot without having to slipstream the SATA drivers, which may yet need to be done if you can't virtualize XP.

 

[VoLtrex31]

Ok, i have done every thing - Made a different partition 3 which is primary . W)
But XP is only recognize D) and C) which space is not as supposed to be. D) for example shows only 8 giga instead of ~300giga as supposed .. very strange..

I will try to slipstream.. but do i have to do it? have no idea..

 

[theog]

Ok, i have done every thing - Made a different partition 3 which is primary . W)
But XP is only recognize D) and C) which space is not as supposed to be. D) for example shows only 8 giga instead of ~300giga as supposed .. very strange..

I will try to slipstream.. but do i have to do it? have no idea..

Can you post a new screen shot Disk management?

 

[VoLtrex31]

Here..

 

[theog]

Here..

Partition "W" shold be NTFS.

What drives are "I" to "W"?

 

[VoLtrex31]

Why NTFS? XP works better on FAT32 cause NTFS was unstable (used to be)..
I etc are flash memory vs disk drive.. not relevant..

 

[theog]

Are you loading Sata controller drivers at F6?
Remove all USB devices (not keyboard & mouse)

 

[gregrocker]

You likely don't need SATA controller drivers if XP CD sees any partitions.

I would try deleting the XP partition in Disk Mgmt then creating it using XP installer NTFS, full format.

If this fails, create NTFS Primary partition using Partition Wizard bootable CD, then rightclick>Modify>Set to Active to try XP install.

If it fails again, you can use the PW CD to rightclick System Reserved partition to Modify>Set to Active which will remove active flag from XP partition.

 

[VoLtrex31]

Are you loading Sata controller drivers at F6?

Slipstream i didn't done and have no idea what to do.. i am newbie all about..
know hardware well (over clocking etc..)

 

[WindowsStar]

If not create a fourth primary partition there using free Partition Wizard bootable CD following Option One here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html

I don't think a fourth primary is possible (I could be wrong but I think three is MAX for primary). That's why I created my rescue DVD's then removed the recovery partition.

Darcy

Read the tutorial to see how it is done. You are allowed four Primary, but Disk Mgmt will create Logical by default as fourth partition for further expansion.

You may wish to do this is you ever run Recovery Disks, so your Recov partition remains intact since it is more stable method for running Recovery than the disks.

+1 Thanks for the support.

 

[WindowsStar]

And again what do you expect from me to do- i have 2 partitions - 1)Windiows7 2)My files over 200 giga..

I can not delete anything so where is the solution?

You have five partitions.

View attachment 135853

+1 Thanks for the support.

 

[theog]

Are you loading Sata controller drivers at F6?

Slipstream i didn't done and have no idea what to do.. i am newbie all about..
know hardware well (over clocking etc..)

Your drivers are post in:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/72185-sata-drivers-slipstream-into-windows-xp-cd.html

Load drivers at F6:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/66010-sata-drivers-load-windows-xp-setup-dual-boot.html

 

[VoLtrex31]

I don't have a floppy disk... for some reason never got it working properly and since then i even didn't bought one.. Flash disk works perfect in Win7/Vista thats why i need Slip Stream...