Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista

How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista​

   Information

This will show you how to install Windows 7 and Vista to dual boot with when you already have either Windows 7 or Vista 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

Windows 7 Minimum Hardware Requirements:

NOTE: For more iformation 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.

Vista Minimum Hardware Requirements:
NOTE: For more information, see: Microsoft Windows Vista: Recommended System Requirements

Vista Home Basic

• Processor: 1GHz (32 or 64 bit)
• System Memory (RAM): 512MB
• Hard Drive: 20GB with 15GB available for Vista
• Video Card: 32MB Memory and DirectX 9 Support
• DVD-ROM Drive

Vista Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate

• Processor: 1GHz (32 or 64 bit)
• System Memory (RAM): 1GB
• Hard Drive: 40GB with 15GB available for Vista
• Video Card: 128MB Memory, DirectX 9 Support with: WDDM Driver, Pixel Shader 2.0, 32bits per pixel
• DVD-ROM Drive

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.



Here's How:
1. If Installing Second OS on a Separate Hard Drive
NOTE: This is if you are going to install the second OS (Windows 7 or Vista) on a separate hard drive than the first OS in installed on.
A) Go to step 3.
2. If Installing Second OS on another Partition on the Same Hard Drive
NOTE: This is if you are going to install the second OS (Windows 7 or Vista) on a different partition on the same hard drive than the first OS is installed on.
A) If Vista was installed first, then create a new partition for Windows 7 (second OS) to be installed on later if you do not already have one to use. (See screenshot below)

B) If Windows 7 was installed first, then create a new partition for Vista (second OS) to be installed on later if you do not already have one to use. (See screenshot below)

3. Insert the second OS (Windows 7 or Vista) installation DVD, and restart the computer to start installing it.
A) If Vista was installed first, then select the new partition (step 2A) or drive and do a clean install of Windows 7 (second OS) on it. (See screenshot below)

B) If Windows 7 was installed first, then select the new partition (step 2B) or drive and do a clean install of Vista (second OS) on it. (See screenshot below)

4. When the second OS is finished installing you will now have the option to select which OS to start to in the Windows Boot Manager screen at start up. (See example screenshot at the top of the tutorial)
NOTE: Whatever OS you install last will be the OS listed first in the Windows Boot Manager screen at startup.

5. This is what you will see in Disk Management below if you installed the second OS on another partition on the same hard drive (step 2).
A) If Vista was installed first. (See screenshot below)

B) If Windows 7 was installed first. (See screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Use Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor
• How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP
• 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 Install with a Full Version of Vista
• How to Do a Clean Install of Vista with a Upgrade Version
• 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 Fix Missing Vista Hard Disk Partition Letter in Windows 7
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Windows 7
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Vista
• How to Recover a Partition Used by an Older OS in a Dual Boot
• How to Properly Delete a OS in a Dual Boot

 

[XGUNTHERC]

Thanks. This is exactly what I needed to know.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Gunther.

 

[rohit]

can i install W7 on the same Partition..as a Fresh OS
i am using XP

This will not disturb the Data in d other Partitions.

I M Using C for Installing OS
D:\ for Softwares
E:\Movies
F:\Music

kindly help

 

[nonpasaran]

hi

i m sory but my english not so good.There fore i cant understand this tuttorial perfectly want to ask you some questions
i have an asus notebook f3sv.i have one hdd with two partition as C: and D:
In C: allready vista installed.Now i m downloading seven rc .
i want to be sure this tuttorial is fit to may pc
1-when i ll finish download i will burn it a blank dvd
2-then i will boot may pc from dvd
3-then i will choice custom installation and i ll choice D: partition for installation seven
4-and ı will have two os
is that all steps correct?

note:i have a recovery partition in C in same time and i dont want to loose it because i have no recovery dvd.if i install seven in C over vista will i loose that recovery partition?

 

[Brink]

Hello Nonpasaran, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Almost. After your step 1, you will need to create a new partition (Step 2A in tutorial) to install Windows 7 to. You cannot use the D: partition since that is your recovery partition.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Brink]

can i install W7 on the same Partition..as a Fresh OS
i am using XP

This will not disturb the Data in d other Partitions.

I M Using C for Installing OS
D:\ for Softwares
E:\Movies
F:\Music

kindly help

Hello Rohit, and welcome to Seven Forums.

This tutorial can help show you how to dual boot with Windows 7 and XP instead.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[nonpasaran]

Hello Nonpasaran, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Almost. After your step 1, you will need to create a new partition (Step 2A in tutorial) to install Windows 7 to. You cannot use the D: partition since that is your recovery partition.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

hi shawn
i m sory but i can t understand
you said you have to create a new partition but where?
in C which one still installed vista? and how? is there any tutorial about it?
this is my disk. its in fact same disc D is only a partition.i have just one hdd

 

[Brink]

Nonpasaran,

You can see if you are able to shrink your C: Vista partition to have enough unallocated space to create a new partition for Windows 7 with.

Disk Management - Shrink Partition - Vista Forums

 

[SIW2]

Hi nonpasaran,

Try shrinking the C partition to create unallocated space.

Then right click the unallocated and create a partition to install 7 on.

Disk Management - Shrink Partition - Vista Forums

Disk Management - Delete and Extend - Vista Forums

Hope it helps

 

[nonpasaran]

thanks shawn

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Nonpasaran.

 

[nonpasaran]

Hi nonpasaran,

Try shrinking the C partition to create unallocated space.

Then right click the unallocated and create a partition to install 7 on.

Disk Management - Shrink Partition - Vista Forums

Disk Management - Delete and Extend - Vista Forums

Hope it helps

sory but the point i cant understand: why i have to make a new partition
i still have one (D) partition?
why i cant use D for installation seven
or am i have to use C definitely?
sory i keep you busy

 

[Brink]

No problem.

D: is your OEM Vista recovery partition. If you use it, then you will not be able to restore your OEM Vista back to a factory default condition with it.

 

[nonpasaran]

No problem.

D: is your OEM Vista recovery partition. If you use it, then you will not be able to restore your OEM Vista back to a factory default condition with it.

ok now i understand
but are you sure?
because you can see in first picture there is a partition about 6 Gb i know it s the recovery partition is it correct? and i always know that partition in included C. but i guess i m wrong

 

[Brink]

Sorry Nonpasarn. I meant to say that your first partition is the OEM recovery partition instead.

If you do not have anything on the D: drive that you want to keep, then yes you can select it during the installation of Windows 7, format it, and finish installing Windows 7 on it.

 

[nonpasaran]

Sorry Nonpasarn. I meant to say that your first partition is the OEM recovery partition instead.

If you do not have anything on the D: drive that you want to keep, then yes you can select it during the installation of Windows 7, format it, and finish installing Windows 7 on it.

ok great thanks shawn at least we deal

 

[nonpasaran]

hi

i did it
i created a new partition in and i named it as S and i install seven there and results
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/2054/ekranalnts.png
thanks shawn

 

[Brink]

That's great news Nonpasaran. I'm happy to hear that you got Windows 7 installed in a dual boot with Vista.

 

[Roy Shopland]

Thanks for a very clear set of instructions which enabled me to instal Windows 7 first time!! This is probably a silly question but is it possible to switch from one operating system to another without having to reboot each time? Once again many thanks for an excellent tutorial. Roy