Jul242012

How do I dual boot Windows XP and Windows 7?

?ÁV? ??? asks:

I have already Installed Windows 7 Ultimate 32Bit on my C:\ Drive, I want to install Windows XP also. How should I proceed?

Do I need to format Windows 7 first? Please provide ample guidance so that I don’t encounter any problems when dual booting.

Thanks.


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15 Answers -

0 votes

Bruce Epper

July 24, 2012

I have yet to find a reliable way to install WinXP in a dual-boot config on a Win7 system. Since you are running Ultimate, you can install XP Mode instead. If you are adamant about dual-booting, you should back up your existing system (the entire drive, not just your data files), blow away the entire drive, install XP, then reinstall Win7. Once you hit this point, you should be able to restore your Win7 backup to get your original Win7 configuration back with all of your data and applications.

0 votes

ferdinan Sitohang

July 24, 2012

In order to have a dual boot, you need an empty media Hard drive, so backup all your data first or you can create the image of your current system. After that, install windows XP. When installing XP create 3 minimum partition, 1 for XP operating system, 1 for Windows 7 and 1 for your data. That’s it, and follow the step based on the installer instruction.

Phúc Ng?c

After following ferdinan’s approach, you should use BCDEdit to control the dual-boot menu.

July 24, 2012
0 votes

Bo Yans

July 24, 2012

You have to create free space on disk for XP.
1. Optimize “c:” so files are moved towards beginning of disk/partition.
2. Run Disk Management. Shrink c: to create say 30 GB for XP. Do not format or create partition on freed space – it will be created during XP installation.
3. Reboot to XP installation CD/USB.
4. Install XP to free space on disk – XP install will create a partition, format it and install itself there.

5. Reboot. XP will be default system.
6. When in XP download and install Visual BCD Editor. It comes with “Dual-boot repair” utility.
7. Run “Dual-boot Repair”, click on “Automatic Repair”.
This will make Windows 7 boot by default.
8. Reboot to Windows 7.
9. In Windows 7 install Visual BCD Editor.
10. Run VBCD Editor, right-click in treeView and select “Create missing loaders”.
This will create a boot menu entry for XP.

So you will have a dual-boot system with Windows 7 and XP.

0 votes

George Monroe

July 24, 2012

http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/
very easy to use.

0 votes

Mike

July 24, 2012

The best approach is too start the Windows XP installation and format the hard drive to have 2 partitions (one for XP, one for 7). Once Windows XP is installed start the Windows 7 installation as usual and simply select the second partition as installation target.
The Windows 7 boot loader will detect the Windows XP installation and add it as a boot option automatically.

Having that said you don’t necessarily have to reformat the drive and lose all your data. Fortunately Windows 7 is capable to shrink the volume it is installed on:
1. click Start
2. put “Disk Management” into the search box and open the corresponding result
3. once in Disk Management right-click “C” drive and select to shrink volume
4. chose an appropriate size for Windows XP and all applications, data, etc.
5. right-click the free space on the drive and create a new NTFS partition

Once that is done start from the Windows XP CD and start the installation as usual. Select the previously created (empty) partition to install to.

After Windows XP is installed your computer will boot XP without giving you the option to boot Win7. To fix this put the Windows 7 DVD in the drive and boot from it
1. go into System Recovery and start the Command Prompt
2. type the following commands
bootrec /FixMbr
bootrec /FixBoot
bootrec /RebuildBcd

Once you restart your computer from the hard drive you will now have two options, one is probably called “Earlier version of Windows” (that is XP) and the other one is Windows 7.
If you want to you can download EasyBCD and rename the first option to Windows XP.
http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/

0 votes

Irshaad Abdool

July 24, 2012

what u r trying to do, is quite tricky as after the installation u will have to repair the booting of your computer. here are two websites that explain how to install the OSs and how to repair the ‘boot system’
hope that helps

http://webtrickz.com/how-to-install-windows-xp-over-windows-7-in-a-dual-boot/
http://lifehacker.com/5126781/how-to-dual-boot-windows-7-with-xp-or-vista

0 votes

Kyle Zhou

July 24, 2012

First, use something like gparted (get the live CD from here: http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php) to resize the windows 7 partition (the larger partition). Then, create a new NTFS partition in the empty space created. Now, install windows XP to the new partition that you have created, and after it finishes installing, install vistabootpro from http://www.vistabootpro.org/ and use it to reinstall the Windows 7 bootloader. Once you’ve done that, reboot and you’ll see that you can boot back into both Windows 7 and Windows XP!

0 votes

Kenice Noel

July 25, 2012

You can partition the hard drive and install WIndows XP on a partition and then configure the boot menu using EasyBCD which is free for non commercial use. Alternatively, there is windows XP Mode for Windows 7 ultimate.

0 votes

Janeesh VJ

July 25, 2012

install xp on another drive

0 votes

Facundo Ortiz Gallego

July 25, 2012

Maybe XP Mode can supply your needs for a legacy OS (almost):
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

0 votes

Gian Singh

July 25, 2012

I could tell you but it might be simpler for you to watch a youtube video

0 votes

Simranjeet Singh

July 26, 2012

If you want to install windows xp along with windows 7, you can install windows xp in any other partition which has atleat 15 Gb free space ( for software instillation ). Now boot with cd or whatever the source is and install windows xp as normally in any other partation, now make this clear that when you install windows xp , the boot files of windows 7 will become inactive and the system will only boot windows xp, inorder o recover boot menu you can use software Easy BCD, Using that you will be able to get you windows 7 running along with your newly installed windows xp……

0 votes

Adit

July 26, 2012

Just install Xp, and then Boot your Pc with a windows 7 disk and install windows 7 in another partition, That’s all

0 votes

Adit

July 26, 2012

But, You should install XP first, and then Windows 7

0 votes

Gagry Mudaliar

October 2, 2012

Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP in c driver. i want both in c: driver as is possible to me to installs……….