How to get multiple versions of Windows to boot

[Windows7Trainee]

My notebook boots Win7.

Created an additional partition and restored the old WINxp (Service Pack 3) into it from my old desktop I want to get rid of.

Think the missing ingredient is I need to create a boot sector unless it already exists...then I need to edit it.

My CPU is a Celeron - it can't multitask, therefore it can't use a virtual machine.

How might I go about booting into different versions of Windows?

BTW, Win 7 is working great using all the tweaks mentioned here.

 

[Golden]

Hi,

Please have a look at this tutorial to see if it helps:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

Regards,
Golden

 

[gregrocker]

If you're saying you imaged XP onto a partition on the Win7 HD: boot into Win7, install EasyBCD 2.1.2 to add XP on the Add OS Entry tab.

EasyBCD (free Download at bottom of page - no name or email required)

 

[AddRAM]

Don`t get rid of your old pc, use it to do experiments on.

Dual booting, partitioning etc.

 

[Windows7Trainee]

EasyBCD works!

However, I just realized WinXP is a 32-bit OS running on my 64-bit computer - non-starter?

If this WinXP can run, I've got more work to do....

 

[AddRAM]

EasyBCD works!

However, I just realized WinXP is a 32-bit OS running on my 64-bit computer - non-starter?

What do you mean by this ? Your computer is not 64 bit persay, your cpu is 64 bit capable. Meaning you could install 64 bit or 32 bit.

But not that celeron. Correct me if I`m wrong.

 

[gregrocker]

Yes you can run 32 bit XP. How is performance so far?

 

[Windows7Trainee]

My HP notebook is a 64 bit Celeron

 

[gregrocker]

It can run 32 bit as well as 64 bit. Answer the question.

 

[Windows7Trainee]

^ So far I have not gotten WinXP to run - so I have work to do.

The Celeron on my notebook runs well on Win7.

Hope that answers the questions for now.

 

[gregrocker]

How did you transfer XP from it's old drive onto the partition created for it? I would use an imaging program like free Macrium - Image your system or if you have any WD or Seagate HD the free Acronis cloning/imaging program that comes with it.

Transfer the image without Track0 or MBR, which will be supplied by EasyBCD linking it to Win7 bootloader.

 

[Windows7Trainee]

Update: I joined the NeoSoft forum that supports EasyBCD and was told I'm almost certainly going to need to purchase a copy of Windows xp.

Recap: My old desktop (2005, 4GB RAM) has Windows xp SP3 - no install disks. The hardware on my HP notebook is different enough the anti-piracy detection will reject a copying it to the notebook, says the NeoSoft people. I backed up (not imaged) the desktop without the MBR. Best result is a split second of seeing the xp logo then - poof/reboot.

Wish I had the option of saying: "Run xp on my notebook - not my desktop"

 

[gregrocker]

The steps I gave for reimaging XP assume you have a way to activate it on the new hardware. If it is preinstalled OEM version that came with the PC then you'd need to reinstall it anyway to use a retail installer. In XP the OEM vs. Retail installers are different unlike Win7 which uses the same one for both.

 

[Windows7Trainee]

^ sorry about failing to include that info.

 

[gregrocker]

No prob. The best way to run XP is virtualize it in Win7 as it's almost becoming too old to install on new hardware - or at least more trouble than it's worth.