Installing XP professional

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  1. Posts : 36
    Windows 7 Pro- 32bit.
       #1

    Installing XP professional


    Hello Friends,
    Q: The college (ITT) I'm attending has a program allowing students to download for free, the programs we'll need for classes. The OS's we need are there also which is really a help financially.
    I have vista already, and a friend got rid of a computer which gave me a second hard drive which I installed. I wiped it clean and downloaded a OS from the instrutions given to us on how to do this. There's a long download followed by an unpacking, then a request to burn an image and reinsert the disc to install. We we're given our key at the beginning of the download and are ask for it now. I installed 7 on the clean hard drive which I named j: and was successful. A few days later, I needed to download and install Xp professional. I partitioned the drive and proceeded to do the same as with 7. Combatability issues blocking the installation occurred and from what I've read, it's boot related and I should of installed Xp first. Is this true?

    Also, being that two OS's are on the same drive... does that mean both have to bootup (duel boot) and run, even if there on seperate partitions?

    I think the reason I'm given the option to boot vista, or 7 at startup is because thier on two different drives. Hoping this could still be the case with two OS's on the same drive but on separate partitions.

    Your help would be very welcome...

    Simono
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,795
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #2

    I'm not entirely sure what all you did, but if it was me, and I needed XP for some college classes, I'd virtualize it. VirtualBox is free, and won't muck up your partitions or boot options.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 1,814
    XP / Win7 x64 Pro
       #3

    I definitely agree with Deacon. It sounds like it might be easier to install a virtual machine inside of Vista so you can even transfer files back and forth between the two systems as necessary without having to reboot...

    Downloads - VirtualBox
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  4. Posts : 660
    win7
       #4

    You may find this M$ article of use :- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919529

    "These issues occur because earlier versions of the Windows operating system are incompatible with the new Windows Vista startup method. Windows Vista uses a new Boot Configuration Database (BCD) store. This store contains a boot menu and all the information about operating systems that are installed on the computer. Therefore, a Boot.ini file that is from an earlier version of the Windows operating system cannot be used to start Windows Vista."
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 24
    win 7 ultimate
       #5

    Usually, when installing two OS and one being older than the other, we first install the old one so that we can make the MBR recognize the new one. Anyway, virtualizing it would be rather a good idea. i´d try it if i were you.

    By the way, what´s happened to the Microsoft Virtual pc?

    zorg
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 36
    Windows 7 Pro- 32bit.
    Thread Starter
       #6

    wilywombat said:
    You may find this M$ article of use :- Windows no longer starts after you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration

    "These issues occur because earlier versions of the Windows operating system are incompatible with the new Windows Vista startup method. Windows Vista uses a new Boot Configuration Database (BCD) store. This store contains a boot menu and all the information about operating systems that are installed on the computer. Therefore, a Boot.ini file that is from an earlier version of the Windows operating system cannot be used to start Windows Vista."

    All you guys are a great help! I've heard alot about virtual but stayed away because someone once said to me there are problems with playing around with it. They must of had a bad experience with it... I don't know. I was just talking with someone the other day about setting something up as virtual.... and I guess here's my chance... :) I have the image on a disk, is that enough? I'll head over to virtualbox and read. I will also view your article wilywombat.

    One Q: FliGi7... you mention setting this up with-in Vista. Sense I using 7 and Xp for classes... can I set virtual Xp inside 7 instead?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,814
    XP / Win7 x64 Pro
       #7

    Yes. VirtualBox can be installed for any of those operating systems. I was using Vista as an example since you said you had that already. You can, and should, just as easily do that within 7 instead.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 5,795
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #8

    That's the most common thing people are doing now. I run W7, but I virtualize a copy of XP so I can keep familiar with it and support it until I get the rest of my users all on W7.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 24
    win 7 ultimate
       #9

    you mean, installing win xp as the OS of the virtual box having win 7 as the host pc?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 1,326
    Windows 7 Ultimate RTM (Technet)
       #10

    Ummm, why not use Windows XP Mode in Windows 7? It's available with Enterprise, Professional and Ultimate.
      My Computer


 
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