Dual Boot Win 7 and XP

[metalmania31]

So I already have Win 7 as my main install, but I'd like to add XP back as some of my old games don't work in Win 7 no matter what. Would it be possible to install XP by unplugging my Win7, plug in a different HDD and install XP then plug my win 7 back in. Will that work at all?

 

[gregrocker]

Yes, in fact that's the best arrangement with separate HD's.

Set the preferred HD to boot first in BIOS setup, then boot the other one using BIOS Boot menu key given on first boot screen: ESC, DEL or F8 on Asus'.

This keeps the HD's independent to come and go as you please, instead of locked together as with a Window-managed Dual Boot.

 

[metalmania31]

Yes, in fact that's the best arrangement with separate HD's.

Set the preferred HD to boot first in BIOS setup, then boot the other one using BIOS Boot menu key given on first boot screen: ESC, DEL or F8 on Asus'.

This keeps the HD's independent to come and go as you please, instead of locked together as with a Window-managed Dual Boot.

Cool thanks.

 

[metalmania31]

So I've successfully installed XP again however I'd like to have my PC boot directly to the boot menu. Is there a way to do that?

 

[gregrocker]

Set the preferred HD (likely Win7) as first to boot (after DVD drive) in BIOS setup.

Then boot the other HD using one-time BIOS Boot menu key which google says is the F11 key on your mobo.

If this is too clumsy, then boot into Win7, install EasyBCD 2.0, add XP on Add OS menu.

 

[metalmania31]

Thanks. So what you described will solve that?

 

[gregrocker]

Solve what? Please be specific.

 

[metalmania31]

Sorry solve the whole booting to boot menu. F11 didn't seem to work. However I fixed the boot issue in bios when it wouldn't boot to any OS. So now it boots directly to my Win 7 drive. I have to hit F8 however if I want to choose to boot to Win XP. Which is not a big deal. One of these days I'll download Easy BCD and make it cleaner to boot to. Thanks for the help.

 

[gregrocker]

Booting via BIOS is actually cleaner than creating a Windows-managed Dual Boot with EasyBCD 2.0. It keeps the HD's free to come and go as you please, whereas Windows Dual boot interlocks them and makes them harder to remove.

If you'll post back a screenshot of your full Disk Mgmt drive map, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu, we can spot any potential problems to make sure each HD remains fully independent to boot on its own.

 

[metalmania31]

I'm at work now but I'll give a screenshot later tonight. But it looks like there shouldn't be an issue. I had both my Main Win 7 drive and storage drives unplugged when I installed xp. I am sure you're right about just booting into XP using the bios boot menu with F8. All drives are seen as independent and I can access them. One mistake I made was I inadvertently erased my thumb drive thinking the space was a partition that was part of my old drive that I slapped in to install XP. I later realized what the 4G I erased was when I tried to access it and it told me I need to format it. Oops. I should have backed it up though since I had my updated resume on it. But I think I can retrieve it from my email attachments.

 

[metalmania31]

Here's a snap shot of my hdd setup.

 

[gregrocker]

I'm not sure why XP didn't mark itself as a System drive since you had the others unplugged during install.

If it is booting independently via BIOS (Boot Order or F8 Boot Menu) then it should be ok, however it should read System Active to know for sure it will boot on its own when the other HD's are removed and it is set first to boot in BIOS.

Perhaps just an anomaly. But I'd test it on its own to know for sure.

 

[metalmania31]

It says Active. Does it usually say the full term you used? "system active"? Also I'm not sure if this would make any difference, but the xp installation is with an IDE connection on the second IDE connection on MB. I have a CD drive connected on the first IDE connection on the MB. My Win 7 HDD, Storage, and Bluray are connected via SATA cables.

 

[gregrocker]

Yes but they are sometimes incorrectly labeled.

The true test is if it will boot on its own, which means the boot files are indeed on the partition and therefore it is System Active.

 

[metalmania31]

I'll give it a try later. Right now I'm scanning my pc with ad aware. And I'm tired. Ready for bed. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Hikertrash]

So I already have Win 7 as my main install, but I'd like to add XP back as some of my old games don't work in Win 7 no matter what. Would it be possible to install XP by unplugging my Win7, plug in a different HDD and install XP then plug my win 7 back in. Will that work at all?

I'm not a gamer but got Windows 7 pro specifically in case I needed XP mode. I haven't had the need but was thinking of installing anyway.

 

[metalmania31]

So I already have Win 7 as my main install, but I'd like to add XP back as some of my old games don't work in Win 7 no matter what. Would it be possible to install XP by unplugging my Win7, plug in a different HDD and install XP then plug my win 7 back in. Will that work at all?

I'm not a gamer but got Windows 7 pro specifically in case I needed XP mode. I haven't had the need but was thinking of installing anyway.

I tried that with simcity4. It would not install. Google search turned up many people with the same issue. I don't know the specifics, but yeah that game won't install with Win 7 no matter what. Plus I was curious about how it would work to install XP after Win 7 on a separate drive.

 

[metalmania31]

Boots up correctly

Yes but they are sometimes incorrectly labeled.

The true test is if it will boot on its own, which means the boot files are indeed on the partition and therefore it is System Active.

I used the same method to install Ubuntu on another old hdd and I unplugged my Win 7 drives and XP indeed does boot up on it's own correctly. Now I'm playing around with Ubuntu 10.10. To boot up to either OS I just hit F8 and select the drive I want. This is cool.

 

[gregrocker]

Much cleaner multi-booting method, too.

Especially with hot-plugging enabled by AHCI, this is the way to go with separate HD's - and I would only multi-boot with separate HD's.