want to dual boot with a xp system hard drive from another machine

[wpatters1229]

I have a new machine with 64 bit windows 7 and is running just fine. Another machine is running windows xp pro 32 bit and I want to take it's C: drive with xp running and stick it into my new machine and use it for a dual boot drive without messing up the register.
I have several apps running on that machine that would like to keep running just as they are but under the cover of the new machine.

Both machines are sata drives. I can put the old C: drive into the bay on the new box but obviously can't run the XP apps that I want to run.

I also do not want to mess up my nice new windows 7 OS. Are any of the tutorials addressing this where the XP OS is already installed?

 

[Jonathan_King]

Welcome!

You probably will have issues with drivers, moving a hard drive from one machine to another. I have to recommend a clean install of XP.

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

You may try adding the XP boot entry into 7's boot loader using EasyBCD 2.0: Download EasyBCD 2.0.2 - NeoSmart Technologies

 

[wpatters1229]

I wonder if I just update the drivers. I know the drive works OK in the new box since I have plugged it in but naturally it is using the windows 7 drivers for the drive which is actually the same type and speed etc. as the C: drive for windows 7...but not 64 bit.
Will try the app you mentioned. Wonder if I did a repair after setting up the dual boot if the repair would fix the old drive with new drivers and not mess up the register so these programs will work. Ya Think?

 

[Barman58]

This should work as has been stated - one potential issue I can foresee, is activation. moving the drive as you want to do will require re-activation and this may prove difficult if you are dealing with an OEM copy of XP, less so with a retail copy.

One other option you have to dual boot is to add the drive and run two completely separate OS's - just use the BIOS boot option to select the HDD to boot from when you start the system

 

[alphanumeric]

I wonder if I just update the drivers. I know the drive works OK in the new box since I have plugged it in but naturally it is using the windows 7 drivers for the drive which is actually the same type and speed etc. as the C: drive for windows 7...but not 64 bit.
Will try the app you mentioned. Wonder if I did a repair after setting up the dual boot if the repair would fix the old drive with new drivers and not mess up the register so these programs will work. Ya Think?

Drivers in this case refers to more than just the driver for the hard drive XP is on. When XP was installed on the original PC, the drivers for that motherboard chip-set, Video card, sound card, and other hardware were installed. Windows will initially try to load the drivers for the old hardware not the new stuff when you try to boot too it on the new PC for the first time. Worst case scenario is a BSOD, stop error. If you get it to the desktop its going to look for drivers for the new stuff. Trouble is a lot of the old drivers will likely be left behind and muck things up. I personally wouldn't swap it like that. I recommend a clean install on the new hardware to avoid instability.

 

[wpatters1229]

These thoughts are good!!! Thanks guys. I am an old retired IBMer so much of what you are talking about makes sense. I have actually been able to setup the virtual XP app in windows 7 and may just go with that since I probable only have one or two apps that I really care about trying to run. My biggest is a symantic WinFax pro which I have use for years and is a pain in the ass to get to work right in XP. I managed to get it pretty stable but not sure if it will even run on a virtual XP. I guess maybe I will try that first and see if it goes. If miracles do exist then I can just move this xp OS drive and pick off stuff I need much the way a buzzard picks the bones of an old kill!! Love this forum...Thanks

 

[gregrocker]

To move XP to other hardware requires a Repair Install from booted CD: Repair Windows XP - How to Perform a Repair Installation of Windows XP - Part 1 of 2 Activation will be reset.

Since you have separate HD's, then use the cleanest method of Dual Booting which is via the BIOS Boot Order, and one-time Boot Menu key given on first screen.

Set Win7 as first HD to boot by default, then if you want XP instead trigger it with that key. This leaves the HD's independent to come and go as you please.

 

[wpatters1229]

This I will try...interesting. I can play with the xp hard drive and also use as a repository of old files and downloads I have collected. Funny I got this as I am watching Bicentennial Man....