Upgrade XP partition to Windows 7 in dual boot

I can only recommend Partition Wizard bootable CD which has successfully helped hundreds of these types of operations here without fail. But always back up your files and a System Image before any type of Resizing operation as there is a fail possibility.

Why do you want to reinstall current Win7? When you delete XP, you can resize Win7 at the same time to make more space for your new Win7 install, then create and format the partition in that space during the new WIn7 install. There is no reason to reinstall old Win7, just resize it some.

It is best to do the resizing first rather than after you install new Win7 as it lessens the risk by about half. Resizing copies over files in the shrunken space which is extremely tricky. If it fails using PW it simply reboots and starts over until you interrupt it during boot process at which time Win7 will start, as it is preserved at all times.

Best think to do is to have word with her Company IT Administrator; you may be in breech of use.

I'm already pushing the limit on the current Win 7 partition, so any space taken away from it for the new Win 7 would make it even worse.

Luckily none of the apps/docs on the XP partition need to be saved, since all that data is kept on the company servers, and my WHS has nightly backups of that partition anyway.

I think I'll just do the new Win 7 on its own hard drive and resize the current Win 7 partition on its current hard drive.

theog said:

Best think to do is to have word with her Company IT Administrator; you may be in breech of use.

It's OK, I'm good friends with the company help desk lead who helped me do the initial XP/7 dual boot last November.

Crackertron said:

I think I'll just do the new Win 7 on its own hard drive and resize the current Win 7 partition on its current hard drive.

Good choice.

Make it even better by using a BIOS-managed Dual Boot so that the HD's remain independent to come and go as you please.

Again, once you resize into deleted XP space and recover the MBR into Win7 using steps given earlier, then unplug that HD while you install to the new HD which you have set to boot first in BIOS setup (after DVD).

After install plug back in the old OS HD and boot it using the key given on first boot screen for one-time BIOS Boot Menu.

As you determine which OS you want to use most, you can change it to first HD to boot in BIOS setup.