Windows 7 Dual-Boot XP and 7 on the same partition

This tutorial describes how to install Windows XP and Windows 7 on the same partition (first tutorial for one partition written).

The short concept: Install XP twice and have 7 replace the first installation.

Warning! Tested once. Need more testers to confirm it works for everyone and the instructions are clear enough.

Requirements:
  • Both Installation discs
  • A Windows XP LiveCD (might work with other OS, but no guarantees)
  • EasyBCD


Step 1
Install Windows XP normally if you're not already running it.
Don't bother installing any drivers or software on it.


Step 2
Start another installation of Windows XP. Choose the same hard drive and leave it unchanged without formatting. When it asks you what to do then choose to install in a different directory "C:\Windows.xp". Finish installing that one and only the necessary drivers afterwards.


Step 3
Install Windows 7 on C: over the regular C:\windows. A warning will tell you that it will move the old files to "Windows.old" directory. The good thing is it doesn't touch the Windows.xp directory.


Step 4
Install and run EasyBCD. Go to "Add/Remove Entries" and add an entry of "Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3" type and a name of your choice. (as shown in the attached image)
Don't forget the "Save" button.
You may also want to adjust the loader timeout from "Change Settings".
Link Removed due to 404 Error

Step 5
In C:\ you will find a (hidden) file "boot.saved". Open it, remove the entry to the "\WINDOWS" directory and make the "\WINDOWS.XP" your default one (if it's not) and save as "boot.ini".


Step 6
Restart and boot from the Windows XP LiveCD (which you should have burned and tested on CD or DVD before starting).
Open the Command Prompt (Run "cmd") and enter the following lines in order:
Code:
C:
cd\
attrib -s -h \"Documents and Settings\"


Step 7 (still from the LiveCD)
Go to "C:\Windows.old\Documents And Settings" and copy:
All Users.WINDOWS.XP
Default User.WINDOWS.XP
LocalService.NT AUTHORITY
NetworkService.NT AUTHORITY
and your account folder to "C:\Documents And Settings".
You might have to copy some of the "Program Files\Common Files" stuff, but for now it seems to work without
them.

Then simply reboot and choose your XP to load.


Potential problems you may experience:
  • Internet Explorer will not start under XP. If you want to fix it you will have to use ruin it for 7. So ultimately you will need another browser. Why would you want to do this? In XP you cannot choose your updates unless you go to the website through IE.
    If you have no other browser you will need to use boot W7 and download the "Internet Explorer 8 for XP" installation from Microsoft's Download Center and Link Removed - Invalid URL. Install Unlocker under XP and use it to delete everything in "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer" and then run the installation and restart. It will be slow to delete them as it is only done be one by one.
  • (reserved for editing)

A possible solution to the IE problem could be to install IE8 before W7. I'll wait for responses on that.
 
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I dual boot XP and Windows 7, but did not have to do any of that. I partitioned my 500GB hard drive into 3. two 100gb, and one 300gb. I first installed Windows XP on the first partition, after completion, i went back and installed Win7 with no problems. All i used was the CD/DVD partition tool at bootup to do this. Let me know if you would like further assistance.
 
I dual boot XP and Windows 7, but did not have to do any of that. I partitioned my 500GB hard drive into 3. two 100gb, and one 300gb. I first installed Windows XP on the first partition, after completion, i went back and installed Win7 with no problems. All i used was the CD/DVD partition tool at bootup to do this. Let me know if you would like further assistance.


When you run xp does it seek out and delete the Win 7 restore points in the other partition? I found a hack to prevent that but I still find it so strange that an OS written 10 years ago would have such a "seek and destroy" "feature" that would delete restore points 10 years later in a different os.
 
I dual boot XP and Windows 7, but did not have to do any of that. I partitioned my 500GB hard drive into 3. two 100gb, and one 300gb. I first installed Windows XP on the first partition, after completion, i went back and installed Win7 with no problems. All i used was the CD/DVD partition tool at bootup to do this. Let me know if you would like further assistance.
And you did it on the same partition? When I have it install on the XP partition it gives me the option of either move XP to windows.old or do not install 7 at all. It offered no middle ground for me.
 
It is on the same hard drive. I have a 500GB HD in 3 partitions. Two 100GB partitions, and 1 300gb partition. I installed Windows XP first on the first partition, and left the other two partitions unallocated. After completion, i installed Windows 7 on the second 100GB partition.
 
When you run xp does it seek out and delete the Win 7 restore points in the other partition? I found a hack to prevent that but I still find it so strange that an OS written 10 years ago would have such a "seek and destroy" "feature" that would delete restore points 10 years later in a different os.


No, i do not have a problem with that.
 
In another thread they say this happens to them. I fond that on google because I couldn't believe it. Wonder why it deletes their restore points and leaves your alone?
 
It is on the same hard drive. I have a 500GB HD in 3 partitions. Two 100GB partitions, and 1 300gb partition. I installed Windows XP first on the first partition, and left the other two partitions unallocated. After completion, i installed Windows 7 on the second 100GB partition.
So "no, they are on different partitions" would have sufficed. that is exactly what is different here, that if your drive is already partitioned and you cannot separate another without losing lots of stuff, then my tutorial would fit you. In your case you have no data to lose from your empty drive, so you can go the easy way of having 1 partition per OS.

However I cannot help with the restore points as I always turn them off to save space and rely on not making irreparable damage to my software. If you would like I can list it as a potential problem.
 
However I cannot help with the restore points as I always turn them off to save space and rely on not making irreparable damage to my software. If you would like I can list it as a potential problem.


A guy just told me a few hours ago that he runs dual xp / 7 boot partitions and xp never deleted the 7 restore points.
 
So for dual boot .. install XP in one partition, 7 in another partition . Got it.
Now I have two qts:
1. How do you choose at startup XP or 7? (sorry for such a noob qt)
More importantly:
2. I want to install XP 32 bit in one partition, 7 64 bit in another partition. .. Can this be done?

I need the 32 bit for games and aps that do not run on 64 bit . I currently have two hard disks, one with XP 32 bit installed and the other with 7 64 bit installed. But it seems unless I swap out the OS hard drive that I don't want to start with, the PC starts with using the hard drive of the OS that was in use when the PC shut down, ... Confusingly express so just ignor this in favor of answering the above two qts, if you can .

Yes I just built a 64 bit machine:
EVGA x58 motherboard
Intel i7 920 CPU
Corsair 6 GB DDR3 RAM (3 sticks / 2GB)

Thanks for any/all advice!!!!! Reply direct to my email is fine with me as well.
Cheers!
Will
 
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