Windows7 and XP

mojgarg · 18 Jan 2010

Hi,

I got HP Laptop with Wondows 7 Pro installed. Can some one suggest me the best way to do the followings

1. Install XP
2. Later I want to installed Windows7

I don't have Windows7 installation DVD.

Thanks
Manoj

**Pauly** · 18 Jan 2010

Why not leave win 7 on there and create a dual boot with XP, have a read through this link, method 2 will apply to you as 7 is already installed
Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

You may need to shrink win7 partition to make way for a new partition for XP depending on your setup, heres how
Partition or Volume - Shrink

mojgarg · 28 Jan 2010

thanks for suggestion.

I have one more question. What if after sometime I don't want XP..In that case I will be easily able to uninstall XP and merge the disk back..Right? or do I have to follow some other process.

also during partition I am getting the below message. Is that expected?

gregrocker · 28 Jan 2010

You do not want to convert to a Dynamic Disk.

Please post back a screenshot of your full Disk Management drive map.

https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...en-forums.html

Kari · 28 Jan 2010

If your HP laptop came with Win7 pre-installed, you should have a recovery partition D:. In this partition you should find a tool to burn a recovery DVD set, depending on your model it's two to four DVD's.

So burn the recovery DVD set, then you can test and play as you like and later (if you want to), return your laptop to the factory defaults.

Kari

mojgarg · 28 Jan 2010

Please find the full screen shot

Kari · 28 Jan 2010

mojgarg said:

Please find the full screen shot

OK, the HP Recovery Partition is there. Here's HP's instructions how to create a recovery DVD set.

Read the instructions, come back if you have questions. Please be careful, HP allows you to run recovery disk creator only once.

Kari

gregrocker · 28 Jan 2010

You already have 4 primary partitions on the HD. To install XP, you'll need to use one of those Primary partitions.

If you make the Recovery DVD's as Kari suggests, test them to make sure they boot and cue up Recovery correctly. Then would you want to use the Recovery Partition to install XP?

Others may have another suggestion, but if you decide you want to install XP in the Recovery Partition space, I would first make a Win7 Backup image of the entire HD to save externally so you have the Recov partition backed up besides the Recovery DVD's (which sometimes dont' work).

Then you can delete the Recovery partition, shrink some more space from C to add to it if you want, then Create a new primary partition there to install XP. Boot from the XP CD and use it's drive tools to Create and Format the partition in the unallocated space you create for it.

Make sure you make the Win7 REpair CD offered when you create the System Image in Backup Center. This is what you would use to reimage the HD from the saved System Image. And back up your files separately, always.