Win 7 system: I want to add an old XP boot drive as D:

I currently have a windows 7 Ultimate x64 system with a single boot partition (C: ).

I have an old XP drive that used to be a C: on an older system. I would like to add this drive as a D: multi-boot drive.

I understand that simply renaming the drive and adding it into the system won't allow it to be a 2nd boot. But is there a way to do this without reinstalling XP all over again? And if I simply reinstall XP (to D: ) then I've read that I'll have to use the Windows 7 install disk to repair the boot of the current Win 7 installation.

There is a legacy program installed on the XP drive that just will not cooperate under Windows 7 under any compatibility mode, XP compatibility install wizard, etc. I'd like to use it on rare occasions, and am willing to quickly boot to XP for it.

Thanks

gregrocker said:

You'll likely need to Adjust Win7 to boot on new hardware with Paragon Adaptive Restore CD

(?) My Windows 7 disk boots just fine as it is. The windows 7 isn't on "new hardware". The XP disk (from the old system) would be when put into the new system. (It would be a ton of drivers to install for that installation, which I'm ok with.)

Ztruker said:

It's unlikely the old XP drive will boot in your new system. I would expect it to blue screen or hang as the hardware is very different. Be interesting to see what happens though.

It'll be a lot of back and forth with driver downloading and installing, if my past experience is any barometer.

You would apply the fix in Make Windows 7 bootable after motherboard swap to the XP hard drive after moving it to the new hardware.

You can also try a Repair Install if that fails, but I've never had Paragon fail to adjust a OS to boot on new hardware.

gregrocker said:

You'll likely need to Adjust Win7 to boot on new hardware with Paragon Adaptive Restore CD

There is no reason to involve either OS with the other in a Dual boot since they are on separate HD's. Just keep Win7 HD set to boot first in BIOS, then to boot the XP HD use the BIOS Boot Menu key at boot to trigger it. This keeps the HD's independent to come and go as you please. Each OS will correctly boot as C, but be seen from the booted OS as D or another letter for accessing data. If not just add or change the non-booted OS's drive letter in Disk Mgmt - you can never change a booted OS's drive letter.

If this isn't to your liking, then install EasyBCD (click Download - no Name or Email required) to Win7 to add XP on the Add OS Entry tab. It should autocomplete the drive letter for you. If not enter the drive letter shown in Win7 for XP.

Thanks for the heads up---I had no idea that a utility like Paragon's existed!

I've since decided upon a different route, but will store this away for future reference.

EasyBCD however will be employed by me soon.