Dual install: Win 7 32 and 64 bit

[Gurthang]

I have win 7 home premium 64 bit preinstalled on my new laptop. I am considering to dual install win 7 ultimate 32 bit on the same machine in order to assuage some compatibility problems. That is, I would like to install the latter OS without deleting the former.

I already have the necessary drivers. Can you address me to a guide detailling the process of dual install?

All help appreciated!

 

[Brink]

Hello Gurthang,

The tutorial below can help show you how to. It's the same procedure, but just substitute Vista in it for your 32-bit Windows 7. Do note, that you cannot use the same product key number that you activated your 64-bit Windows 7 with on the 32-bit Windows 7 as well. A second installation of Windows 7 will require a new legally purchased product key number.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5166-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-vista.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Gurthang]

Hi Brink,

thanks for your valuable suggestion. However, I just discovered that the preinstalled version of Win 7 64bit is already set up in four primary partitions: system, data, recovery and HP (Hewlett-Packard) tools.

I think it is not possible to create more than four primary partitions. Does it mean that I can't perform a dual install at all? Or is there a way out of this scam?

As a side note, I ask myself whether they used up all four primary partitions on purpose, just to force people to use their cozy 64bit system

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

Usually it's done to prevent folks from messing with the HDD and mistakenly delete the recovery partitions, and/or to force them to add a second HDD to use for backups or whatever for the same reason.

Go ahead and post a screenshot of your Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) window showing the full layout of your HDD. I'll be happy to take a look at it to see if you may be able to work with it without losing anything.

 

[gregrocker]

What works best to preserve bootable HP Recovery and Diagnostics Tools partitions while adding new partitions is to use Partition Wizard bootable CD to convert C to Logical, then shrink it to add as many adjacent Logical partitions as desired:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/146694-partition-extended-logical-drives.html

Video help on how to set partition as Primary or Logical.
How to Move/Resize Partition with partition manager? Partition Wizard Move/Resize Partition Video Help.
How to Create Partition with partition manager? Partition Wizard Create Partition Video Help

 

[Gurthang]

Go ahead and post a screenshot of your Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) window showing the full layout of your HDD.

Here it is. Please let me know your thoughts...

 

[Brink]

Gurthang,

Yep, you have plenty of room on your C: drive to use the tutorial below to shrink C by how much you would like to create unallocated space with to then create a logical partition with the unallocated space. Afterwards, you could install the 32-bit Windows 7 on the new logical partition.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/146694-partition-extended-logical-drives.html

Did you have another product key number to use other than the same one you are using with your 64-bit Windows 7? If not, then one or both Windows will eventually automatically get unactivated and found as non genuine.