Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

severedsolo said:

AstaLaVista said:

If I choose the the 160GB Raptor as a first boot option in my Bios, I get on Win XP but don't have an option to even choose Windows 7 and this is where I am now.

My understanding from the above quote, was that you had XP only available after a botched repair job? Or rather an incomplete one :) As I said, steps 7-12 of "With Win 7 installed first" will work, needs to be done from XP though (which I thought was your only option)

Having said that, Gregs advice about booting from BIOS is a damn good one. I just find it... inconveniant to have to always switch BIOS order.

Windows XP was my first install on the 160GB raptor, I had another 74GB raptor gathering dust and I came up with the idea of using Windows 7 + XP mode so I decided to dual boot while I get this working.

I went to the Bios, switch boot priorities so the 74GB would be first thinking that this way, I wouldn't botch the installation of windows 7 and then, use EasyBCD to dual boot.

Once I was done installing Win 7 + EasyBCD I went to test whether I was able to boot with both options and I found that, 1.- I was able to boot to Win 7 but, 2.- if I tried to boot with XP I would get the error.

I figured that the boot manager had gotten corrupted or something like that so I decided to use the XP CD to repair that issue but I ended up loosing the right or option to boot with Windows 7 altogether but I got it back using the Win 7 repair tool but I got the error back if I try to use Win XP.

Pheeeeewww, quiet the tongue twister ain't it?

Check what HD is set to boot first in BIOS setup now. Try setting XP first if it is not set first now, reboot to see what happens.

Check also on first boot screen for the key given to press for the one-time BIOS Boot menu, also known as BBS (BIOS Boot Screen).

Your System boot files for both OS's are now on XP partition which is how Win7 will configure a Dual Boot when it is installed last with both HD's plugged in. But you'd need to have XP HD set to boot first to get it to boot to the Dual Boot menu, which may have been the problem.

If this doesn't solve the problem, then we may need to repair Win7 by rewriting it's System boot files to it's partition, then boot via BIOS Boot Order or one-time BIOS Boot Menu key, or install EasyBCD 2.02 to Win7 to add XP which works better.

gregrocker, thank you, that made more sense to me and I will try that tomorrow when I get to the office and reply back.

Thanks a lot

i recently bought a compaq presario cq56 laptop preloaded with windows 7 home premium 64 bit preloaded however i want to put windows xp on it to run my autocad applications however when i tried following this tutorial xp setup just gets a blue screen error. I backed up my system in the event i need to reinstall windows. Am i going to have format the whole hard drive and start over again or can i make this setup work to install windows xp? I dont have a windows 7 dvd ether.

AstaLaVista - Delete the XP listing in Windows 7 EasyBCD program, on the Edit Boot Menu tab. This will take away the unneeded Windows 7 Boot menu so you can start either OS HD directly from BIOS.

If XP boots from the Windows-managed Dual Boot Menu you get when you boot Win7, and you prefer that method of booting, then set Win7 HD as first to boot in BIOS setup.

Oracle12345 - Are you booting the XP Cd to install? At what point does it bluescreen?

If it gets to the drive-selection screen, try creating and full-formatting the partition with XP CD, in space you have pre-shrunk in Win7 Disk Management. Partition or Volume - Shrink

You may need to insert the SATA controller drivers into the XP CD: SATA Drivers - Load in Windows XP Setup on Dual Boot - Windows 7 Forums
SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD - Windows 7 Forums

Please post back a screenshot of your maximized full Disk Management drive map with listings, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu. Screen Shots

Have you backed up a System Image as well as files? Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

Hi guys! This tutorial is amazing, and i did it like it said! I apologize for grammatical mistakes. I don't speak english very well.

I first installed windows 7 than on second partition windows xp!

When I in windows 7:
windows 7 32bit is on C:
windows xp pro is on D:

When I in windows xp
windows 7 32bit is on C:
windows xp pro is on G:
I think that is ok, because everything work fine for me

Now I want backup windows 7 partition and windows xp partition with acronis true image. I want to do image of both operating system. So i tried to find some solution on this forum but there is nothing. Maybe i wrong so please help me to find link to that tutorial. I knew it when it was only one operating system but now are two and i want to be sure what am i doing.
For example, in which OS I must install acronis true image...? what problems can occur when I will restore image? I want to be sure when i do it that will be good in future if something go wrong!
Thank You!

im using th xp cd to run install and blue screens just after its done loading the files and starting windows setup i never get to the welcome screen.

Oracle - Unfortunately you missed the warning that adding a fourth partition would convert your HD to a Dynamic Disk which you do not want as it is for merging partitions across HD's. The warning is not dire enough so we see this regularly here.

Fortunately there is a freeware tool that can convert your HD back to Basic Disk non-destructively, free Partiiton Wizard version 4.2 (the newer 5.2 version makes this a paid option). partition wizard 4.2 free.zip - Windows Live

Back up your files first, Download and extract files, rightclick PWiz to Run as Admin, Install PW, on Disk tab Convert Disk from Dynamic to Basic.

Let us know how this goes.

cikler - I would install Acronis to Win7, save both partitions along with the MBR and Track 0/1. If you try to later reimage only one partition without the other, if it is not marked System Active in Disk Mgmt then you'll have to mark it Active and repair it to get it to start on its own.

Gregrocker, thank you for quick reply.
So you think that is better save it together, and i also. I will do it tomorrow.
I did something before
First, i saved image of "windows 7 C:" with microsoft tools in windows 7, later I wanted to install second OS-windows xp.
Than I installed acronis true image in windows xp my second OS and backup image of only windows xp G:. And than I figured that something wrong when it aksed me if i really want leave system partition windows 7 C: I leave it and I'm not sure it was a good move.