Solved Windows 7 installation on an older desktop with xp pro s/p 3

[DavidE]

I haven't done it this way but I'll help if i can.

To be sure we're on the same page, is this the tutorial you are following?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html

Or this one?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2672-partition-volume-shrink.html

And this is a screen print of the commands you need to use from the Dual Boot tutorial ?

 

[sbuxman]

Thank you.

I wanted to use the first procedure and was moving along fine until I reached step 3, "right-click on the middle pane and select "Shrink" from the drop-down menu." No such selection is available in the drop-down menu on this system, though I'm following the steps to the letter, so that's a red flag.

Then I had trouble getting to the command prompt at boot, though following those instructions as well, so I'm concerned that something is wrong, probably due to this user's error. I don't want to proceed any further until I understand what's happening :/

So close, so far away.

 

[DavidE]

Get back to where you were in Post #33

Hopefully the extra USB drives are disconnected.

If Volume 1 is still "volume 1 C Removable NTFS Partition 465 GB Healthy"

commands from the tutorial you need are:

select volume 1
shrink querymax
shrink desired=nnnnn (nnnnn = you need to decide how many MB to shrink the partition)

exit

 

[sbuxman]

All USB drives are disconnected, except for the mouse and keyboard that I need : )

I'm not sure I can get back to where I was and I'm getting very discouraged, like I'm chasing my tail..

Do you know how to get me back to the elevated command prompt? I don't think I was really there anyway because I didn't have the same line that is in the tutorial. How am I supposed to know how much to shrink to?

Ready to quit.

 

[DavidE]

Are you in a "command prompt at boot" ?
You booted a Windows DVD to get to command prompt ?
If so, it's not an "elevated" command prompt...

From a tutorial:


Here is Brink's tutorial for command prompt at boot:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/682-command-prompt-startup.html

1 GB = 1000 MB (GB=Gigabyte, MB=Megabyte)

If you want to shrink the partition by 250 GB for the Win 7 OS the command is:

shrink desired=250000

 

[sbuxman]

OK, I got to the command prompt again and I'm ready to shrink...but how do I make the decision; what should it be based on? Would it be fair to assume that I should devote 1/2 of the HD to each O/S?

 

[DavidE]

Yea, that's probably best in this case.
The owner only uses one partition now, so that is a good guess and should be ok for this person.

To shrink the XP partition by 250 GB the command is:

shrink desired=250000

 

[sbuxman]

Very inspiring, helpful support, thank you so much! I'll gamble and go to 275000 I just needed to collect myself, take a deep breath and get out of my own way : )

Onward...I'll let you know how it goes

 

[DavidE]

Sounds good.
Yea, when one gets frustrated and confused it's best to step back for a bit...
Win 7 does use more space than XP so 275000 should be fine.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[gregrocker]

Superb help David.

Just stay calm and don't do anything rash. No one has ever failed whos followed our guidance in tens of thousands of cases we've helped with so there's no reason to believe you'd be the first. We will be here

 

[gregrocker]

Superb help David.

Just stay calm and don't do anything rash. No install has ever failed when following our guidance in tens of thousands of cases we've helped with, and there's no reason to believe you'd be the first. We will be here

 

[sbuxman]

Did I have to boot to the command prompt from System Recovery Options? The instructions said -OR- after boot from installation disk or system repair disk...

I didn't go to the recovery options, but chose Brink's method How to open a command prompt at boot.: Is either OK?

 

[gregrocker]

Yes. Either is fine.

 

[sbuxman]

WHEW!! Was feeling panicky : ) DiskPart just successfully shrank the volume by: 268GB...now on to installation...AFTER making sure I choose "unallocated space!!!"

Thank you for the peerless help again.

 

[DavidE]

Did I have to boot to the command prompt from System Recovery Options? The instructions said -OR- after boot from installation disk or system repair disk...

I didn't go to the recovery options, but chose Brink's method How to open a command prompt at boot.: Is either OK?

Yes, either is ok.
Did everything work and you shrank the XP partition ?
If you did shrink it you're good to go...

If you want post a new screen print of Disk Management from XP before you start the Win 7 install.
If anything looks odd, Greg would know for sure.

 

[sbuxman]

No problem...thanks again, sir.

 

[AddRAM]

After windows 7 has been installed post a shot of disk management.

 

[sbuxman]

I forgot this important step, but it appears that the installation went flawlessly because I haven't heard from my buddy,and I sure would have heard if there were problems. I'll still post the screenshot as soon as I get back to his place.

Because the help here is so valuable, instructive and right-on, I was wondering if there are any resources for another desktop,this one an HP about 5 years old with an AMD processor that I suspect has infection problems?

Thanks again to Greg, David and addRAM for impeccable work : )

sbuxman

 

[gregrocker]

Work through the Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7

If you can't start Win7 or it won't run well enough to troubleshoot then use Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start

 

[sbuxman]

Thank you so much!

There are a few more miles between this friend's home and my buddy's, but with almost 4 weeks of recup time from a FMLA for eye surgery beginning this Thursday (with insurance picking up the tab : ), I'll have the time.

Without benefit yet of screenshots or specifics which I'll provide later today, I can tell you that his system has no DVD/CD player capability and is sluggish in mouse performance and keyboard operability, and worst of all, I can't access the Device Manager to even see his new DVD player, which I purchased yesterday. It also will not show up as a drive letter! The purchase was probably a waste of money since I doubt it's the hardware. I'll post a screenshot a little later today of the message which greets him with every new boot/restart (for about one month now).

BTW, the manufacturer's own online troubleshooting service, which I pay for until cancelling today, used a restore point of 12/28 last week in the hopes of getting everything back in order, only to have the CD/DVD fail again yesterday, so like I said, I doubt it's the hardware!

Thanks for the help...BTW, I'll set up his system specs so they show when I comment from that system.

Should I start a new topic since we're already on post #60 for this discussion about a different computer?

sbuxman