Windows 7 Installing XP after Windows 7

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minneola24

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Jul 5, 2009
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Hello,

I have Windows 7 curently installed on my personal computer. I uninstalled Windows XP to get it. After trying Windows 7 I like it alot except I changed my mind.

I would like to have Windows XP installed on the machine just in case I ever need it. I want to keep Windows 7 as the primary operating system however.

How can I install my Windows XP copy after I already installed Windows 7? I would like to have both operating sytems on this one personal computer.

Thankyou
-Justin
 
What you are describing is called a 'Dual boot' this is when you have two opertaing systems installed on one computer, and when you boot your computer, you have the option to boot into either one. The way you do this is simple, first of all you need to split your hard-drive into two partitions, one one partition will be Windows XP and on the other Windows 7. To do this, follow these instructions:
1) In Windows 7 go to 'Start' and right click 'Computer', then click 'Manage' you will recieve a UAC promt, click accept.

2) Once the window appears, on the left hand bar, click 'Disk Management' wait for it to load and then right click your current partition (Usually named local disk and it has the letter 'C:' and click 'Shrink Volume'

3) When another new window appears, select how big you want the new partition to be (By default it splits it equally into two) once you have decided, click 'Shrink'

4) Once you have clicked 'Shrink' Windows will split the partition into two, and all the Windows will close, on the diagram in the remaning Window, you will se a block named 'Unallocated Space' this means that Windows has completed this succesfully, although, if you selected 'Format this drive' during the shrinking process, this will be given a letter, either way, youre done here.

5) Now, Install Windows XP on the new partition, either 'Unallocated Space' or 'E:, F:' or another letter.

6) After this, you will have discovered Windows XP boots without a choice, to get a choice (If not already there) instert your Windows 7 disc and go to 'Repair my computer' follow the setup and the next time you boot your PC, you will have the option of XP or 7!

Hope this helped, if you have any questions, just leave a reply...
 
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Thank you Jack for the reply,

I have a question on the "shrink" option. I want to put 15 Gigabytes on the second drive for Windows XP. This comes out to be 15360 Megabytes.

Well, I went to the disk management, right clicked on my C: drive and went to shrink and am a bit confused on the process which the drive will undergo.

By shrink does it mean it is changing the C: drive from 326 gigabytes all the way down to the 15 gigabytes and deleting the information that doesn't fit?

Or is it going to create a new partition with 15 gigabytes left? Is it going to change the C: drive to 15 gigabytes and create a new partition with the 300+ gigabytes?

I also have another quick question. When it automatically boots from the XP at start up, when I repair my computer with the windows 7 CD's is it going to delete any files? Should I back up my computer?



Thank you again Jack for all of your support.
 
Hi,

Shrinking with Disk Management only shrinks free space - it will not damage anything.

Your original 7 partition will seem exactly the same - just a bit smaller - it won't be affected in any other way.

Th C drive will then be 311gb approx and you will have 15gb "unallocated space".

Rt click the unallocated space , select New Simple Volume , and format as ntfs ( select Quick ) - it will also offer a drive letter for the new partition - accept that , click Finish - that's it.

Startup Repair with 7 dvd should not damage any of your files.
 

Thankyou kind sir,

I have no more questions at this time and I will see how it goes, if I have any questions I will post here.

Its great to have this forum as Microsoft does not offer any official support.
 
You might find this useful - it says Vista - it's the same thing, as I'm sure you know:

Link Removed due to 404 Error
 
This is actually giving me quiet a headache, I installed windows XP on the F: drive like you said and it worked perfect. My computer was booting in Windows XP each time. What is becoming extremely stressful is the fact that it wont connect to the internet. I have the Ethernet cable connected the modem that works just fine in Windows 7 and worked fine in my Windows XP before I had Windows 7. Everything is hooked up and its not connecting. I am not sure if this forum is the right place to get help for that issue since it is a Windows XP problem.

Anyhow, I put in the windows 7 disc, repaired it and now it only boots in Windows 7, there is nothing that asks me to choose Windows XP or Windows 7.

Did I do something wrong? If you need any more information just let me know, thank you.
 
I am not sure about XP internet problem .

Otherwise all is as it should be.

You now add an XP entry to 7 bcd.

You can do it with the command prompt - but will find it easier to let EASYBCD (free) to do it for you - it's useful to have if you are dual booting.

http://neosmart.net/downloads/software/EasyBCD/EasyBCD%201.7.2.exe

Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies

On Easybcd program main window, Click Add/Remove Entry.

Make sure NT/2K/XP/2K3 is selected in "Type" exactly as in the screenshot.

The drive letter needs to be the letter of the System , Active partition .

Click Add entry.

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It doesn't work, when I boot XP it says something is wrong if you need a picture let me know and ill get my camera. Here are my settings. Does it have an issue with the entry #2 where it says "Bootloader Path: \NTLDR"

I posted screen shots since I think that would help you out more, thanks.




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The drive letter when you add XP needs to be for the SYSTEM , ACTIVE partition - not necessarily the same as the drive letter XP o/s files are on.

My guess is that is C. That is the drive letter that should be selected in the first screenshot you posted.

Look in 7 Disk Management and see which is the System Actiuve partition.
 
Check the screenshot I posted below of my summary page of EasyBCD taken from Win 7.
See the red arrow, it points to the entry BCD ID. Mine says {ntldr} yours has a rather long Hexadecimal number.
Yours should probably read the same as mine. I dunno. Can't find a way to change this setting.
You might try first, while in Win 7 and Easy BCD selecting the Manager Bootloader button and select the "uninstall the Vista bootloader radio button. Then click Write MBR. First copy the EasyBCD installer you used to install EasyBCD to a thumb drive.
You should now be able to access XP on reboot. When in XP install EasyBCD to XP and open the program and create the bootloader entries like you did before. XP will be C: and win 7 will be F:. Now restore the Vista bootloader using the Manage Bootloader option.

Click Thumbnail.

 
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Thanks fj - he was already dual booting fine since he had selected the Active partition on the second attempt.


Minneola -

Not sure what you mean .

Do you mean when you are in XP - the program installer wants to install to a different drive?

There is normally an option to select the install location - as part of the program's own installation process - you sometimes need to select Custom install or similar to get those options.

I had a link to an enormous selection of XP drivers - will try and find it.
 
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Its not a big deal actually, nevermind. You're right there is an option to install to a different location but you have to create folders. This isnt a big deal thoe since I will only be installing around 3 or 4 programs.

My internet still doesn't work thoe on the XP side and this is a big issue, I think I'll post this on a forum that has an XP section.

Thanks thoe!
 
Actually go to the computer makers web site and find all the drivers you need for XP. Use Win 7 to access the net for this.
Save them to your XP partition for installation when you atre in XP. My guess is that you NIC driver is one of them.

As to the program/ drive letter issue, when you are in XP your XP install is C:\ so any programs would want to install there.
Win 7 will be assigned a different drive letter by XP. This is as it should be. My setup has Win 7 designated as J: while I'm in XP because that is what I assigned it using Disk Manager. While I'm in Win 7 my XP partition is also J: again because that is what I want.

In your case Win 7 has selected F: as the XP partition leave it as is.

When in Win 7, C:\ is what Win 7 is installed to.
 
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Thanks,

I actually built my computer so there is no driver page for everything.
 
minneola24 said:
Thanks,

I actually built my computer so there is no driver page for everything.
Click to expand...
OK but I bet you can find the drivers from the NIC makers website. All you need is the model number.
If it is integral to the MB it is still likely that it is a third party card.

Belarc Advisor (free)

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit

Can tell you make and model of most hardware on you machine.
Install and run.

I'm almost sure that is your issue. Whenever I install XP on my laptop the first thing I have to do is install the NIC
drivers before I can access the internet. I have all the drivers needed saved on an external drive just for this eventuality.
It's also likely your video card needs the manufacturers drivers for best results as well as many of you other hardware items.

This issue is resolved with Win7. A fresh install of Win 7 on my machine installs drivers for all but three of my hardware items (my ATi X1400 video card and my USB webcam and my Texas Instruments PCIMCIA controller/built-in SD cardreader). The first Windows update fixes the video card and webcam issues. Installing the drivers for the Texas Instruments devices is accomplished from a driver installer I found on the net. Full internet access (both wired and wireless) is available from the first boot.

BTW, you could have saved a lot of grief by doing a repartition from you earlier XP install and installing Win 7 to that partition then.
XP like to be on the first partition anyway.

You say you built your machine, how did you install XP then? Where did you get the drivers you needed then?
 
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Thankyou so much for the reply,

I am a bit confused however. What is the NIC you are talking about? Where do I download these drivers?

Sorry I am not that tech savvy.
 
minneola24 said:
Thankyou so much for the reply,

I am a bit confused however. What is the NIC you are talking about? Where do I download these drivers?

Sorry I am not that tech savvy.
Click to expand...
NIC, is short for Network Interface Card.

Belarc Advisor shows the below for my system.



My NIC is outlined in red.

Knowing that I would do a google search for Broadcom and find the drivers there.
 
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