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

 

[Brink]

Thank you very much. I will try tonight and tell you the result.
Was anxious to get rid of Vista, but it brought me problems, like the capture card that does not work with 7.
I installed 7 on multiple computers using the tips I read this forum. Always via USB stick.

You're welcome. I hope it goes smoothly.

 

[Fernando4100]

I can not make the pendrive installation through that program, when I installed windows 7 I used option 2 this link: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html?ltr=U

Can I do it again?

 

[Brink]

Hello Fernando,

What is preventing you from being able to use it? Any errors?

Sure, you could use OPTION TWO to create one for Vista as well if you like. The tutorial below has specifc details for Vista instead to help better.

USB Bootable Vista Installation Flash Thumb Drive - Vista Forums

 

[Fernando4100]

Thank's again.
The first few times I installed 7, the program did not recognize the .ISO file. Today's error I can not remember in details, but I can try again and post here a print screen.

 

[Brink]

You may have a corrupted ISO file, and may need to download a new copy.

 

[Fernando4100]

I do not think it is.
Always used the same ISO file unpacked to install 7 using that tutorial I mentioned. And it worked. Just does not work using the procedure of the program from microsoft, and I've read several reports of people in the same situation.

The error message this time was this:

 

[Fernando4100]

More questions: I want to install vista on the external hd, but was wondering if I need to create a partition specifically for him in hd?
Another: He will not format my external hd to install?

 

[Brink]

Fernando,

You will not be able to install Vista to external HDDs unless it's and eSATA HDD connected via SATA and not USB to the motherboard.

 

[Fernando4100]

Hum... So should I just create a new partition for him?

 

[Brink]

That would be much easier for you if you have enough HDD space to do so.

 

[Fernando4100]

But I do. Just wanted to leave separately.
Should I create a new partition?

 

[Brink]

Yes, that would allow you to install to the new partition and be able to dual boot.

 

[echo69]

Does this apply to two seperate hard drives on the one PC? Will windows boot manager appear on startup?

 

[theog]

Does this apply to two seperate hard drives on the one PC? Will windows boot manager appear on startup?

Yes, it will apply.

 

[echo69]

Many thanks for that...

 

[bazza89]

Thanks this was extremely helpful

 

[oldschool55]

Microsoft says that you can not install a older version of windows as the second operating system. You can not install Vista with Windows 7 installed.
Warning

• You must install the older operating system first, and then install the more recent operating system. If you don't (for example, if you install Windows Vista on a computer already running Windows 7), you can render your system inoperable. This can happen because earlier versions of Windows don't recognize the startup files used in more recent versions of Windows and can overwrite them.