Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

"A much better choice at this late date, however, is to use virtualization freeware like Virtual Box, VMWare, Virtual Player or XP Mode in Ultimate/Pro. "

Thanks Gregrocker. For the virtualization freeware, do you need a bootable version of XP?

Brink said:

Hello Clarkerots, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I find having a bootable ISO of the OS works best to install it on a virtual machine.

What edition of Windows 7 do you have? If you have Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise, then you could use XP Mode to have XP already setup and installed in a virtual machine with Windows Virtual PC.

Windows XP Mode - Install and Setup

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hello Shawn,

Unfortunately I have the Premium version. If I would've known that basically all of my old software would become useless with Windows 7 I never would've gotten the upgrade. :)

You can try installing the software in Compatibility Mode which tricks the program into thinking its being installed to XP.

Next you can try one of the virtualization freewares I mentioned which will install to Win7, to see if they render your XP programs satisfactorily.

If not and the XP CD will not boot and see the HD to install, we can help you find the SATA driver to slipstream into the disk if you'll post back the computer or mobo make/model to check the manufacturer's Support Downloads webpage for XP SATA controller drivers - or google if they are elusive.

Hi I've followed all the steps you advise but I'm having trouble with the install itself. I have Win 7 64 bit Home Premium installed first and when entering the XP install stage (drives are all visible with no need to slipstream SATA etc) the install gets to the first restart portion but doesn't boot to the set up phase of the install. When the computer reboots after the first stage of the install it reads "boot from CD" and doesn't proceed to do anything else. So after this I get out my Win 7 DVD and repair the boot up.

I can't get past this stage, is there anything I can do, or is it simply that I can't install XP on my computer?

Many thanks

-Beta

Try deleting, recreating and full formatting the XP partition from the booted XP CD.

Is this an XP SP3 CD which is clean and unscratched? When was it last used to install successfully?

gregrocker said:

Try deleting, recreating and full formatting the XP partition from the booted XP CD.

Is this an XP SP3 CD which is clean and unscratched? When was it last used to install successfully?

The CD is the XP Home Edition with service pack 1a, brand new and sealed so it hasn't been used until today. I've tried installing it four times so far with no luck.

Sorry, what is Service Pack 1a? I'd find XP with SP3 as anything less is unlikely to work as well at this late date.

Hi All,
I bought an Acer Aspire One D270. It came with Win 7 Starter already installed (hence no disk, but I did save a restore point to external HD). I needed to install Win XP, since a program I am using is only XP Compatible (Pro Tools 7.4).
I updated and setup Win7 to my specs (thought WiFi +modem were working, I didn't get internet connection. Was going to fix this after completing dual boot), then made a partition on the only internal HD. I rebooted and installed XP on that partition. I installed SP2, 2.0 Framework + another component (can't remember right now, was doing this at 2am, but it's right) needed to run Easy BCD I installed Easy BCD, then installed SP3.
I updated the XP and then ran Easy BCD. This is the sequence I followed:

1. To the right of Type, select Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3 from the drop down menu.
2. To the right of Name, you can leave the default Microsoft Windows XP as the name to be displayed in the Windows Boot Manager, or you can type whatever name you would like to have instead.
3. Click on the Add Entry button.
4. On the left side of EasyBCD, click on the BCD Deployment button, select (dot) the Install the Windows Vista/7 bootloader to the MBR option, and click on the Write MBR button.
5. Close EasyBCD
6. Restart the computer to have the option to boot from Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 7.

Point 6 is where the problem happens. After the reboot, the Acer logo appears with F2 for Bios and F12 for boot selection. I let the boot continue, and it starts loading Win 7 (without any propting from me). After about 6 or 7 passes of the scrolling loading bar, a blue screen flashes, then it reboots.
The reboot starts, F2 and F12 then Windows error recovery screen, with "Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause."
I tried Launch startup repair (with external HD + restore point, and USB LiteOn (Original Win XP CD) plugged in. It launches Startup repair, loops for a while, then says it's unable to repair automatically.
"Send information to Microsoft" is useless since WiFi isn't running.
Does anyone know how I can get XP and 7 running on this laptop. I need to use this on Tue for mobile recording, and am stressing, since this should have been a simple procedure.
I would appreciate any help sincerely.
Thank you in advance.