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

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Ivox, but a separate partition will be fine if you do not already have a separate hard drive.

 

[ivox69]

have got a 750gb drive that is partitioned 50 gb win 7 on it ,other 700 is storage with about 50 gb used , as i understand it if i try to partition the 700 gb i will lose all the saved stuff , will take ages to burn it all to disks to save , so thought east option would be to get a 160 gb drive and put XP on that ????

 

[BuzzFuzz]

Hello freaks, great forum, nice look...
I have problem, i know i'm noob so please be patient.

Problem: dual boot, Windows 7 installed first and now old Windows Xp and EasyBCD.
EasyBCD is installed at drive F with Windows Xp. Coz, when was Xp instaled i could not access to Windows 7. In your tutorial is this normal.
I can't load Windows Xp, coz of NTLDR error... Windows 7 boot is Ok.
Here is screen from cmd-bcdedit

What I did wrong? Can i fix this from Windows 7?
THANKS!

Regards, T

 

[SIW2]

In Folder Options , show Hidden files and look for ntldr, ntdetect.com and boot.ini

 

[BuzzFuzz]

Hey SIW2,
Thanks for the prompt response but i need your solution step by step, plz!
I'm on drive C-Win7, i see ntldr, ntdetect and boot.ini in main C folder, what now?

 

[SIW2]

Open Easybcd - go to Add/Remove entries, Click on the existing XP entry to highlight it.

Click Delete, click Save.

In the Drive dropdown Select C - then select NT/2K/XP/2K3 , then click Add Entry.

 

[BuzzFuzz]

Open Easybcd - go to Add/Remove entries, Click on the existing XP entry to highlight it.

Click Delete, click Save.

In the Drive dropdown Select C - then select NT/2K/XP/2K3 , then click Add Entry.

Thx dude. Respect! Works like a charm now.

Well, if i understand complete situation, all depends on where is the boot file located.

 

[SIW2]

You're welcome.

 

[Brink]

have got a 750gb drive that is partitioned 50 gb win 7 on it ,other 700 is storage with about 50 gb used , as i understand it if i try to partition the 700 gb i will lose all the saved stuff , will take ages to burn it all to disks to save , so thought east option would be to get a 160 gb drive and put XP on that ????

Getting the 160GB would probably be easier then.

 

[fount]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the information.
My problem:
XP Pro is installed on the first 100 Gig partition of a 250 Gig Drive. Works fine.
Then I installed Windows 7 on the 2nd 100 Gig partition and it works fine, boot menu works fine also.
However, when I returned and booted to XP, it hangs when it reaches the desktop. Will not finish loading.
Deleted the Windows 7 partition, boot menu with choice of Windows 7 or XP remains and XP again starts booting and working normally.
Installed Windows 7 to a separate HDD. This added a 2nd instance of Windows 7 in the boot menu, Windows 7 boots fine but returns my XP to hanging at the desktop. Booted XP in safe mode, disabled all startup programs, retried with same result of hanging at the desktop. Remove the Windows 7 Drive and XP returns to normal.
Has me puzzled. Am I missing something simple? Sorry if I missed this in an earlier post.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[ivox69]

hi thanx for sorting my account ,

have decided to clear the hard drive partition , most of it was rubbish that i can get again , my problem is i have set my boot from as CD , but when i get to the press any key and press 1 all it does is load up the Win 7 O/S ,i dont get chance to install XP any ideas what i am doing wrong .

 

[Brink]

Ivox,

Double check to make sure that the installation disc is in the drive, and try pressing the spacebar instead to see if it may just be that key. Are you able to boot from the disc on another computer?

 

[ivox69]

Hi Brink , found the problem for sum reason my new usb keyboard ( Microsoft 600 ) wouldent recognised i was pressing a key , plugged my psu k/b in as well and let me carry on ,so that problem solved .

New problem is after following method 2 after running EasyBCD. when it reboots i dont get any option to pick a O.S goes straight to Win 7 ,
the only thing i might have got wrong is that in section 10 the window with the drive was grey and showing c drive so i left it at that , not sure if that was the right thing to do , can you help me in that matter please.

 

[Brink]

Ivox,

While in Windows 7, double check to see if you may have XP listed as in the tutorial below.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2285-operating-system-start-change-display-list-time.html

If not, then run EasyBCD again to add XP to the boot menu.

 

[ivox69]

have looked in start-up and recovery and the drop down bit under DEFAULT OPERATING SYSTEM only shows windows 7

If not, then run EasyBCD again to add XP to the boot menu.

do you mean in Win 7 for the above ???

 

[Brink]

You can run EasyBCD from either one to add XP to the boot menu.

 

[ivox69]

Should i mark the drive as D as that is the partition XP is on ?? in EasyBCD
Ok Brink got it sorted now ,works like a charm thanks for all your help, will tell my friends about this site that have got Win 7.Just got a couple of things to sort now , see if i can shrink the partition that XP is on to give me some storage space , and also find out why this USB Microsoft Keyboard 600 wont let me pick which O.S to boot from , having to use psu 1 .Once again thanks for all your help and patience .

 

[relliott]

Thank you Brink,
Just tried this on my Sony Vaio VGC-V2M all in one destop and it worked perfectly. Excellent clear instructions.
I now have XP and 7 running

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Ivox and Relliot.

 

[dnguyen93]

I have a problem.
I had Windows 7 on my laptop already, and I installed Windows XP on another drive, and yes it all went smoothly.
Then when I had just done the easyBCD, and restarted and tried to load my Windows 7. If t wouldn't allow me, and I have been searching for an answer for a while, so I'm here now posting.