Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

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

   Information

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

To stop XP from deleting your Windows 7 System Restore Points everytime XP is started, then see System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete to hide Windows 7 from XP.

Windows 7 Minimum Hardware Requirements


NOTE: For more information 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.

Windows XP Minimum Hardware Requirements

NOTE: For more information on this, see: System requirements for Windows XP operating systems

• PC with 300 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor clock speed recommended; 233-MHz minimum required;* Intel Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processor recommended
• 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended (64 MB minimum supported; may limit performance and some features)
• 1.5 gigabyte (GB) of available hard disk space.*
• Super VGA (800 × 600) or higher resolution video adapter and monitor
• CD-ROM or DVD drive
• Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device

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.

OPTION ONE

When XP is Installed First

NOTE: If you have a RAID setup, you will need to have the Windows 7 RAID drivers on a USB flash drive available to select and load while installing Windows 7.
1. Do step 2 or 3 below for where you wanted to install Windows 7 at.

2. To Create a New Partition from the XP Hard Disk Drive
A) With your Windows 7 installation disc boot into the Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options screen.
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.

B) In the command prompt, select and shrink the XP volume by how many MB (1024 MB = 1 GB) you want to have for this Windows 7 partition. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You would do steps 2 to 9 in METHOD TWO at that link. Windows 7 will need a minimum of 16 GB (16384 MB).

C) Click on the X at the top right corner to close the command prompt. (See screenshot above)

D) Click on the X at the top right corner to close System Recovery Options. (See screenshot below)

E) Go to step 4.
3. To Use a Separate Hard Disk Drive than the XP Drive
A) Boot from your Windows 7 installation disc.
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.
4. Click on the Install now button. (See screenshot below)

5. When you get to this point, select the partition (step 2) or hard drive to install Windows 7 on. (See screenshot below)

6. Finish installing Windows 7.
NOTE: You would start at step 9 in that link to finish installing Windows 7.

7. When finished, restart the computer to have the option to boot from XP (Earlier Verision of Windows) or Windows 7. (See screenshot below)

   Note

If you are only booting into Windows 7 and do not have XP listed in the Windows Boot Manager, then you can install only EasyBCD (step 8 Option Two below) to add XP (or Windows 7) while started in Windows 7 the same way to the boot list.

OPTION TWO

When Windows 7 is Installed First

   Warning

• If you have a RAID setup, you will need to have the XP RAID drivers for your specific motherboard on a Floppy disc available to select and load at the F6 prompt while installing XP.
• If you have a SATA drive, then you will need to do either one of these options to load the SATA drivers for XP for your specific motherboard.
  • How to Slipstream SATA drivers into Windows XP setup CD with Dual Boot of Windows 7 or Vista
  • How to Load SATA Drivers in Windows XP Setup on your Dual Boot PC with Vista or Windows 7 for how to load your SATA drivers from a Floppy disc at the F6 prompt while installing XP.

1. To Create a New Partition from the Windows 7 Hard Disk Drive
NOTE: If you want to install XP on a separate internal hard drive instead, then skip this step and go to step 2.
A) In Windows 7, select and shrink the Windows 7 volume in Disk Management by how many MB (1024 MB = 1 GB) you want to have for this XP partition. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: You would do all of Method One at that link.





2. Insert your XP installation disc, then restart the computer and press any key to boot from it when prompted. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.

3. From XP Setup, Press Enter. (See screenshot below)

   Warning

• If you have a RAID setup, you will need to have the XP RAID drivers for your specific motherboard on a Floppy disc available to select and load at the F6 prompt while installing XP.
• If you have a SATA drive, then you will need to do either one of these options to load the SATA drivers for XP for your specific motherboard.
  • How to Slipstream SATA drivers into Windows XP setup CD with Dual Boot of Windows 7 or Vista
  • How to Load SATA Drivers in Windows XP Setup on your Dual Boot PC with Vista or Windows 7 for how to load your SATA drivers from a Floppy disc at the F6 prompt while installing XP.

4. Press F8. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: On some multimedia keyboards, you may need to press the F-Lock or Function key before pressing F8.

5. Select the partition (step 1) or hard drive that you want to install XP on using the arrow keys and press Enter.

6. Finish installing XP.

   Tip

If you get Error loading Operating System after XP restarts:

• Using your Windows 7 installation disc, boot to the command prompt at startup.
• Type in these comands below, and press enter after each one.
  • bootrec /FixMbr
  • bootrec /FixBoot
  • bootrec /RebuildBcd
• Exit the command prompt and restart the computer.
• At this point, Windows 7 should boot up the same way before trying to install XP.
• Continue to step 8 below and run EasyBCD from Windows 7 instead.

7. In XP, download and install .Net Framework 2.0 (32-bit) version or .Net Framework 2.0 (64-bit) version first, and EasyBCD (free version) for your 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x86) XP.
NOTE: In XP, Net Framework is required to be installed to run EasyBCD. After you click on Register (at bottom of link) for the free EasyBCD, registration is not required to download it.

8. Run EasyBCD (free version).
NOTE: This is required to repair the Windows 7 boot file and add XP to the Windows Boot Manager list.

9. On the left side of EasyBCD, click on the Add New Entry button. (See screenshot below)
A) In the top section under Operating Systems, click on the Windows tab. (See screenshot below)
B) To the right of Type, select Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3 from the drop down menu. (See screenshot below)
:warn:WARNING: Be sure to leave the Automatically detect correct drive box checked.

C) To the right of Name, you can leave the default Microsoft Windows XP as the name to be displayed in the Windows Boot Manager, or you can type whatever name you would like to have instead. (See screenshot below)
D) Click on the Add Entry button. (See screenshot below)

10. On the left side of EasyBCD, click on the BCD Deployment button, select (dot) the Install the Windows Vista/7 bootloader to the MBR option, and click on the Write MBR button. (See screenshot below)

11. Close EasyBCD.

12. Restart the computer to have the option to boot from Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 7. (See screenshot below)

   Tip

If Windows 7 will not start up when selected, then use your Windows 7 installation DVD to do a Startup Repair.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista
• 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 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 Do a Custom Installation of Windows 7
• How to Load SATA Drivers in Windows XP Setup on your Dual Boot PC with Vista or Windows 7
• How to Slipstream SATA drivers into Windows XP setup CD with Dual Boot of Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Load SATA Driver Using Shift+F10 to Open Command Prompt
• How to Recover a Partition Used by an Older OS in a Dual Boot
• How to Properly Delete a OS in a Dual Boot
• How to Stop System Restore Points from being Deleted in Vista and Windows 7 when Dual Booting with XP

 

[NedNewB]

Can I really do it?

This looks to be a very good tutorial and I was very keen to add an XP partition to my new laptop. But I have made mistakes trying to do something clever on computers before and I don't want to replicate this and when I see 52 pages of forum messages my knees get a bit weak. I'm using a Packard Bell Butterfly Touch netbook (10.6 inch screen or thereabouts, Dual core 2 X U4100 processor @ 1.30GHz, 4GB Ram 320GB hard drive but no optical or floppy drive. When I read that I must install drivers from a floppy not a USB memory stick I wonder if I can get it working. I think that I have a SATA hard drive (or so it said in the advertising spec. It is a WD3200BEVT-22ZCT0).
Do you think I can do the dual boot installation without too much risk of messing up the computer - is it easy to undo anything I might do wrong. I have some XP programs which I would like to use on this laptop/netbook. I do have a floppy and an optical drive on my desktop computer and I've got a caddy which I think I can put them in but I'm pretty certain that they connect via a USB cable.
I realise that there are hundreds of members asking questions and I apologise for what may be rather silly questions and for the demands on members and administrators time.

 

[gregrocker]

It would be easier to run XP virtually from within Win7 if you want to try one of the free programs for that. http://lifehacker.com/238071/geek-to-live--run-windows-xp-inside-vista-with-virtual-pc
http://lifehacker.com/5485879/run-xp-mode-in-virtualbox-instead-of-virtual-pc

You can boot the XP CD now to see if it detects the HD during the "Where do you want to install Windows" stage of the Install Process, then bail out once you confirm if it sees HD. If not, you'll know you need to do the SATA driver slipstreaming into XP, unless you have a floppy drive and can insert that driver from your chipset (unzipped) at F6 prompt during initial file loading.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/72185-sata-drivers-slipstream-into-windows-xp-cd.html?ltr=S

 

[NedNewB]

Thanks for the advice gregrocker. I did consider installing Virtual Machine, which I think may be a Sun System's program that Microsoft suggest maybe ok. However I downloaded a program to check suitability and it said my processor wasn't up to it. There seems to also be hints that some programs don't like being run this way although I have no idea why this might be. I'd certainly rather have done it this way - if you think the program you mention may be less demanding I could give it a try as long as there isn't a risk of messing the computer up - I really don't want to get into reformats etc.
i think I might be able to take the floppy drive out of my desktop and fit it in a caddy - but not at the same time as using the CD drive because that will need to caddy too. I don't understand what the unzipped driver from my chipset is. Surely the chipset doesn't have a zipped driver installed on it? I also don't know what the f6 prompt is unless it becomes obvious when I run the XP installation.
As I understand it this slipstreaming involves putting the XP operating system setup files into a folder where i also put the SATA folders. I then make an "improved" XP setup disc from this. Have I got that right?
I may have to leave this idea for a while since I've a lot on in the next month without getting into a pickle with this laptop.
I greatly appreciate your advice and time.
Thank you.

 

[hedgehoghappy]

This turns out to be exceedingly pointless, as my N5030 laptop is incompatible with xp,

Thanks everyone for your help ^_^
i may be back after i get paid and purchase vista though if that goes epicly tits up

 

[theog]

Thanks for the advice gregrocker. I did consider installing Virtual Machine, which I think may be a Sun System's program that Microsoft suggest maybe ok. However I downloaded a program to check suitability and it said my processor wasn't up to it. There seems to also be hints that some programs don't like being run this way although I have no idea why this might be. I'd certainly rather have done it this way - if you think the program you mention may be less demanding I could give it a try as long as there isn't a risk of messing the computer up - I really don't want to get into reformats etc.
i think I might be able to take the floppy drive out of my desktop and fit it in a caddy - but not at the same time as using the CD drive because that will need to caddy too. I don't understand what the unzipped driver from my chipset is. Surely the chipset doesn't have a zipped driver installed on it? I also don't know what the f6 prompt is unless it becomes obvious when I run the XP installation.
As I understand it this slipstreaming involves putting the XP operating system setup files into a folder where i also put the SATA folders. I then make an "improved" XP setup disc from this. Have I got that right?
I may have to leave this idea for a while since I've a lot on in the next month without getting into a pickle with this laptop.
I greatly appreciate your advice and time.
Thank you.

First check for all the Win XP drivers for your hardware.
Choose your country | Packard Bell

If your Win XP CD, does not support your Sata Controller, you will need to load drivers to uses at F6.
Load Sata Controller drivers with a floppy disk is the best way.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/66010-sata-drivers-load-windows-xp-setup-dual-boot.html
OR
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/72185-sata-drivers-slipstream-into-windows-xp-cd.html

Your Packard Bell Butterfly Touch has a Intel Sata Controller.
You can download your F6 Sata Controller drivers from here:

Intel Sata Controller Drivers

You will need a USB CD/DVD Drive, & a USB Floppy Drive.

 

[Throwdest]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to Dual Booting and did not know where to begin. I read through the entire tutorial and grasp almost everything it was saying.

The only problem I have was with the SATA Drivers that I need to Slipstream into XP. I do not know where to begin to look for these SATA drivers.

The computer I am using is a Pavilion Magnesium Gray Edition p6540f PC. Can someone please help me.

Thank You

 

[Brink]

Hello Throwdest, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I found the drivers for your computer at the HP links below, but I do not see any SATA drivers available for it.

XP
Software & Driver Downloads HP Pavilion p6540f Desktop PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

Windows 7 64-bit
Software & Driver Downloads HP Pavilion p6540f Desktop PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

 

[Throwdest]

Thanks a lot! Will I be able to dual boot even though there is no SATA Drivers.

 

[Brink]

Without XP SATA drivers, you will not be able to dual boot with XP installed on a SATA HDD.

 

[Throwdest]

I am looking for drivers for the hard drive then? If so this is the hard drive I am using and this is the only place where I found a XP Driver.

SAMSUNG HD103SJ Driver Download - PC Pitstop Driver Library

 

[Brink]

You might give it a try to see how it works.

 

[Throwdest]

No luck with that, but I happened to run into the answer and it is not good.

Taken from the HDD Installation Guide:

"We don't release any firmwares. Because the product has been already optimized with its own configurations. IDE (PATA & SATA) drive does not need any drivers. You just have to make a partition and format your drive for using. Please make sure whether you had partitioned and formatted. First of all, you must partition and format for recognizing the new drive in the Windows Explorer. When installing Win-XP, the installation process includes the new drive in the Windows Explorer."

The last line is most interesting because if that is the case. I would just have to proceed with installation?

 

[gregrocker]

Perhaps you can add an old IDE HD, since Dual booting works better anyway when the OS"s are on separate HD's and booted via BIOS Boot Order or one-time BIOS Boot Menu key.

If not consider running XP using Virtual Machine or Virtual Box in Windows 7. http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

Or we can help you try to install non-compatible programs or drivers in Win7 Compatibility mode: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html

 

[Throwdest]

I found an old Maxtor 80GB SATA / 150 HDD laying around, but it's only the HDD and no cables.

 

[theog]

Without XP SATA drivers, you will not be able to dual boot with XP installed on a SATA HDD.

Hi Shawn

Hi Throwdest

I have post in
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...windows-xp-setup-dual-boot-6.html#post1102847

HP/Compaq Sata Controller drivers.

 

[DrDetroit101]

EacyBCD modification

Hi,

I have successfully installed windows 7 on one HD and have XP on another (xp was first)

Now, when i modifiy my boot record using easyBCD and restart, no dual boot option shows up. And when i open up EasyBCD, the xp entry i created is gone. I followed the steps in this guide and all looks good until i restart.

Any ideas on the issue?

 

[gregrocker]

The best way to set up a Dual Boot on separate HD's is to boot via BIOS. This leaves the HD's independent to come and go as you please.

Try choosing the XP HD to boot now by tapping the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key given on first boot screen:

• Asus - F8
• HP/Compaq - Esc
• Sony - F2
• Acer - F2
• Gateway - F10
• eMachnes - F10
• Toshiba - F12
• Dell - F12
• IBM/Lenovo - the blue Thinkvantage button

If XP won't start then post back a screenshot of your full Disk Mgmt Drive map using Snipping Tool in Start Menu and we can advise you how to set up Dual Boot via BIOS, or Windows if you prefer.

 

[DrDetroit101]

I'll do that when i get home from work.

Im just a puzzled why the easyBCD method isnt working. I just installed win7 on a HD on the same machine and used easyBCD and it worked great. Only problem was the HD was making alot of noise so i returned it for the exact same model. And now after reinstalling win7 on this HD, the easyBCD method doesnt work. Strange. What do you think of that?

Thanks for your quick response.

 

[DrDetroit101]

I pressed F12 and changed the boot HD to the XP drive and it booted to XP fine. I was able to restart multiple times and switch between the 2 drives in the F12 boot menu with success.

 

[gregrocker]

See how much easier it is to dual boot via the BIOS?

All of the complications involving editing the BCD (even with superb EasyBCD) are removed from the equation, and it becomes purely mechanical again.