Dual boot Windows 7 & Xp? Suggestions?

[riveroak]

Hello, I'm new to the forum. I used Macs for years, now I using a Dell D630 Latitude laptop running Windows 7, so I'm a beginner with Windows OSs. I recently upgraded the primary hard drive from a 120 GB to a 400GB West. Dig. and changed the OS from XP to Windows 7, so I have an extra hd I could use with either an optical drive slot caddy or in a 2nd primary hd slot caddy or with USB/Firewire connection. I would like to be able to dual boot Windows 7 and XP because I have some applications that run best with XP. I been reading on different forums about dual booting and there seem to be a few options available, but I'm not sure which is the safest and most reliable for a novice like myself. The options I'm considering are as follows: 1) Repartition the primary 400GB hd using EASEUS software, load XP in the new partition and use EASYBCD software for any boot issues, 2) buy an optical drive caddy, mount the old 120GB hd in it, install XP on it and use it as a 2nd hd, 3) buy, instead, another primary hd slot caddy, mount old 120GB hd in it, swap the 400GB hd with the 120GB hd, boot, install and use XP that way 4) use old 120GB hd with USB/Firewire connection and try and boot & load XP to it.
Sorry for the long entry or if I'm incorrect or unclear, but I just wanted to lay out the options I know of. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello riveroak, welcome to Seven Forums!



Here is the best place to start for now; have a look at this tutorial at the link below and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

It's not possible to run a Windows OS using a USB/Firewire connection.


Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

 

[gregrocker]

It's best to install OS's on separate HD's and then boot via either BIOS boot order or Dell's F12 one-time BIOS boot menu key. This keeps your HD's independent to come and go as you please.

To achieve this, unplug first OS when installing the second.

At this point XP is so old that it won't install on most SATA HD's without providing the SATA controller driver during the initial driver-loading phase F6 prompt, and this requires a floppy drive. Without a floppy, you'll need to slipstream the driver into the installer: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/72185-sata-drivers-slipstream-into-windows-xp-cd.html?ltr=S

A better option at this late stage of XPired's life might be to run it virtually using Virtual Drive or Virtual Box: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/124103-dual-boot-windows-7-windows-xp.html#post1071362

 

[riveroak]

If I want to install XP onto a 2nd laptop hd, i.e., to a hd mounted in an optical bay hd, how do I install the software without the optical drive to load it from? Sorry for my ignorance, but I don't know how to solve this dilema? If it can be done, will I be able to to use the OEM XP disks. The laptop originally came with XP, but I had it replaced with Vista which came with a free Windows 7 upgrade and Windows 7 is now what is on the primary hd? Thanks.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Have a look at this tutorial at the link below.


USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

 

[gregrocker]

With only one HD you should probably use a Windows-managed Dual Boot. The tutorials linked by BFK will show you how to install from a flash stick, shrink your Win7 partition to install Win7, then add Win7 to XP bootmanager after install using EasyBCD 2.0.