Want To Set Up Dual-Boot With Windows XP And Windows 7

First of all, let me clearly state that I am no computer expert so
please be gentle... :-)

I have an old desktop that has Windows XP SP3 installed on it. (c:\
drive)

What I would like to do is create a new partition (d:\ drive) by taking
away some of the space occupied by the c:\ drive, install Windows 7 in
it and thus create a dual-boot system.

The catch is that I have purchased an _Upgrade_ version (as opposed to
the _Full Retail_ version) of Windows 7! To be more precise, I have
purchased the DVD version for Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade. (I am
assuming that the DVD has the SP1 version of Windows 7 on it, even
though it does not say so on the package. But that is not the most
pressing problem now.)

So, the major question that I have is: Is there a way to install
Windows 7 Upgrade version (via a clean install, of course) on a
partition other than the one that has Windows XP on it?

If so, can someone point me to a web site that has step-by-step
instructions on how to do it?

I want you to know that I did research this issue on the web. I did
find some information --but it is ambiguous! Some think that only the
Full Retail version will allow a clean install on a partition other
than the one where Windows XP currently resides. Others do not make it
clear what licensed version of Windows 7 they were using when they
created the Windows XP/Windows 7 dual-boot setup. Others do not offer
enough details.

Why do I want to create a dual-booting setup, you ask? Because my
desktop is rather old and Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor has flagged some
hardware (drivers) problems. I have researched solutions on the web
and found some answers, but I don't know if they will work till I
install Windows 7 on the machine. Therefore, I want to be able to use
Windows XP till I know that everything works fine with Windows 7.

--
tb

tb wrote:
> First of all, let me clearly state that I am no computer expert so
> please be gentle... :-)
>
> I have an old desktop that has Windows XP SP3 installed on it. (c:\
> drive)
>
> What I would like to do is create a new partition (d:\ drive) by taking
> away some of the space occupied by the c:\ drive, install Windows 7 in
> it and thus create a dual-boot system.
>
> The catch is that I have purchased an _Upgrade_ version (as opposed to
> the _Full Retail_ version) of Windows 7! To be more precise, I have
> purchased the DVD version for Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade. (I am
> assuming that the DVD has the SP1 version of Windows 7 on it, even
> though it does not say so on the package. But that is not the most
> pressing problem now.)
>
> So, the major question that I have is: Is there a way to install
> Windows 7 Upgrade version (via a clean install, of course) on a
> partition other than the one that has Windows XP on it?
>
> If so, can someone point me to a web site that has step-by-step
> instructions on how to do it?
>
> I want you to know that I did research this issue on the web. I did
> find some information --but it is ambiguous! Some think that only the
> Full Retail version will allow a clean install on a partition other
> than the one where Windows XP currently resides. Others do not make it
> clear what licensed version of Windows 7 they were using when they
> created the Windows XP/Windows 7 dual-boot setup. Others do not offer
> enough details.
>
> Why do I want to create a dual-booting setup, you ask? Because my
> desktop is rather old and Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor has flagged some
> hardware (drivers) problems. I have researched solutions on the web
> and found some answers, but I don't know if they will work till I
> install Windows 7 on the machine. Therefore, I want to be able to use
> Windows XP till I know that everything works fine with Windows 7.

Hello TB,

Sorry I can't help you but, I am in an almost identical hole, so at
least I will try to console you. :-) I also have a Win 7 installed and
I want to set up Win2K in the same box. The hard drive with the Win2K is
already in the same computer. I started thinking about the usual
boot.ini and when I began to look for something similar in Win 7, it
made me wish I had gone to a Linux instead of Lose 7.

For a start I know that you cannot install Win Xp first and then Lose 7.
Going with Lose 7 first will very likely work but how to add Win Xp
afterwards is likely to be a messy one. That's the same hole that I am
in. Hopefully, some of our super experts will get us on track soon. Let
us thank them in advance :-)

"tb" <> wrote in message
news:...
> First of all, let me clearly state that I am no computer expert so
> please be gentle... :-)
>
> I have an old desktop that has Windows XP SP3 installed on it. (c:\
> drive)
>
> What I would like to do is create a new partition (d:\ drive) by taking
> away some of the space occupied by the c:\ drive, install Windows 7 in
> it and thus create a dual-boot system.
>
> The catch is that I have purchased an _Upgrade_ version (as opposed to
> the _Full Retail_ version) of Windows 7! To be more precise, I have
> purchased the DVD version for Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade. (I am
> assuming that the DVD has the SP1 version of Windows 7 on it, even
> though it does not say so on the package. But that is not the most
> pressing problem now.)
>
> So, the major question that I have is: Is there a way to install
> Windows 7 Upgrade version (via a clean install, of course) on a
> partition other than the one that has Windows XP on it?
>
> If so, can someone point me to a web site that has step-by-step
> instructions on how to do it?
>
> I want you to know that I did research this issue on the web. I did
> find some information --but it is ambiguous! Some think that only the
> Full Retail version will allow a clean install on a partition other
> than the one where Windows XP currently resides. Others do not make it
> clear what licensed version of Windows 7 they were using when they
> created the Windows XP/Windows 7 dual-boot setup. Others do not offer
> enough details.
>
> Why do I want to create a dual-booting setup, you ask? Because my
> desktop is rather old and Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor has flagged some
> hardware (drivers) problems. I have researched solutions on the web
> and found some answers, but I don't know if they will work till I
> install Windows 7 on the machine. Therefore, I want to be able to use
> Windows XP till I know that everything works fine with Windows 7.
>
> --
> tb

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...stem-multiboot

NoBeef wrote:
> "tb" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> First of all, let me clearly state that I am no computer expert so
>> please be gentle... :-)
>>
>> I have an old desktop that has Windows XP SP3 installed on it. (c:\
>> drive)
>>
>> What I would like to do is create a new partition (d:\ drive) by taking
>> away some of the space occupied by the c:\ drive, install Windows 7 in
>> it and thus create a dual-boot system.
>>
>> The catch is that I have purchased an _Upgrade_ version (as opposed to
>> the _Full Retail_ version) of Windows 7! To be more precise, I have
>> purchased the DVD version for Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade. (I am
>> assuming that the DVD has the SP1 version of Windows 7 on it, even
>> though it does not say so on the package. But that is not the most
>> pressing problem now.)
>>
>> So, the major question that I have is: Is there a way to install
>> Windows 7 Upgrade version (via a clean install, of course) on a
>> partition other than the one that has Windows XP on it?
>>
>> If so, can someone point me to a web site that has step-by-step
>> instructions on how to do it?
>>
>> I want you to know that I did research this issue on the web. I did
>> find some information --but it is ambiguous! Some think that only the
>> Full Retail version will allow a clean install on a partition other
>> than the one where Windows XP currently resides. Others do not make it
>> clear what licensed version of Windows 7 they were using when they
>> created the Windows XP/Windows 7 dual-boot setup. Others do not offer
>> enough details.
>>
>> Why do I want to create a dual-booting setup, you ask? Because my
>> desktop is rather old and Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor has flagged some
>> hardware (drivers) problems. I have researched solutions on the web
>> and found some answers, but I don't know if they will work till I
>> install Windows 7 on the machine. Therefore, I want to be able to use
>> Windows XP till I know that everything works fine with Windows 7.
>>
>> --
>> tb
>
> http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...stem-multiboot

Nice job No Beef. Thanks for the link :-)

Seum wrote:
> NoBeef wrote:
>> "tb" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> First of all, let me clearly state that I am no computer expert so
>>> please be gentle... :-)
>>>
>>> I have an old desktop that has Windows XP SP3 installed on it. (c:\
>>> drive)
>>>
>>> What I would like to do is create a new partition (d:\ drive) by taking
>>> away some of the space occupied by the c:\ drive, install Windows 7 in
>>> it and thus create a dual-boot system.
>>>
>>> The catch is that I have purchased an _Upgrade_ version (as opposed to
>>> the _Full Retail_ version) of Windows 7! To be more precise, I have
>>> purchased the DVD version for Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade. (I am
>>> assuming that the DVD has the SP1 version of Windows 7 on it, even
>>> though it does not say so on the package. But that is not the most
>>> pressing problem now.)
>>>
>>> So, the major question that I have is: Is there a way to install
>>> Windows 7 Upgrade version (via a clean install, of course) on a
>>> partition other than the one that has Windows XP on it?
>>>
>>> If so, can someone point me to a web site that has step-by-step
>>> instructions on how to do it?
>>>
>>> I want you to know that I did research this issue on the web. I did
>>> find some information --but it is ambiguous! Some think that only the
>>> Full Retail version will allow a clean install on a partition other
>>> than the one where Windows XP currently resides. Others do not make it
>>> clear what licensed version of Windows 7 they were using when they
>>> created the Windows XP/Windows 7 dual-boot setup. Others do not offer
>>> enough details.
>>>
>>> Why do I want to create a dual-booting setup, you ask? Because my
>>> desktop is rather old and Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor has flagged some
>>> hardware (drivers) problems. I have researched solutions on the web
>>> and found some answers, but I don't know if they will work till I
>>> install Windows 7 on the machine. Therefore, I want to be able to use
>>> Windows XP till I know that everything works fine with Windows 7.
>>>
>>> --
>>> tb
>>
>> http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...stem-multiboot
>
>
> Nice job No Beef. Thanks for the link :-)

Seum, your situation is different, in that you have Windows 7 already
installed and want to install Win2K. That violates the "newest OS last"
rule, and the recipe will be a bit different for that.

For the OP, the OP is installing Windows 7 after WinXP SP3, so the
install will take less work, and then NoBeef's link is perfect.

If this is a desktop computer, I prefer to install one OS per
disk drive, because then the disk drives can be managed completely
independently. If you put two OSes on the same drive (and one
OS provides boot manager menu services for the other), if you later
decide to delete the OS managing the boot, additional work must be
done to repair the other OS so it can boot again. If you use separate
disks, that avoids that nuisance.

To shrink the C drive down, to make room for C and D, I'd probably
use my copy of Partition Magic. There may be a free, third party
utility, with that capability as well.

Windows 7 has the ability to shrink partitions. I've used that feature
on my Windows 7 laptop. One of the limitations, is the file system can
only be shrunk to 51% of the original size. Windows 7 doesn't know how
to move some of the metadata of the file system, which is why shrinkage stops
at 51%. Using a third party defragmenter utility (30 day trial), I was
able to "move stuff to the left", and alternate between shrink and
third party defragment, until I got down to the desired partition
size (320GB down to 30GB or so). A proper partition management tool,
would take some of the pain out of a solution like that. I did it
my way, just for fun (to show how stupid Microsoft was, for not
being able to move the metadata, like the Raxco PerfectDisk could).

If you booted the Windows 7 install DVD, it will include access to
the command prompt (almost like running MSDOS from the DVD).

http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/...02/image19.png

One of the programs in there, would be "diskpart". Maybe even WinXP has
DiskPart, but I don't know whether WinXP supports "shrink" or not.

"DiskPart Command-Line Options"
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...65(WS.10).aspx

shrink [DESIRED=<N>] [MINIMUM=<N>] [NOWAIT] [NOERR]
shrink QUERYMAX [NOERR]

Diskpart requires a sequence of commands, like select
a certain disk, select a certain partition, then issue a
command against the selected partition. It helps to examine
someone else's command sequence examples, to see how it's done.

So one way or another, it might be possible to cobble together
a solution to shrink the size of the partition. Even a
Linux GParted CD could do it, but not without scaring you
in the process.

Before attempting a shrink, I'd do a backup for safety. If I
made a silly mistake, my whole disk backup would allow me to put
everything back the way it started. This is one of the only
reasons I can use tools like GParted - I waste a couple hours
on a backup first, just so I can "live dangerously".

Windows 7 will install on an NTFS partition, so if you're going
to prepare D: and size it the way you like, the type should be
NTFS. Windows 7 uses alternate streams, junction points and the
like, and because of stuff like that, FAT32 just isn't good enough
for all of the Microsoft designer tricks.

A 30GB to 40GB partition would probably be enough. I think my laptop
is around 40GB now (I expanded it a bit, before doing SP1), and
that leaves enough room for a few restore points etc. So if
worse comes to worse, that's the kind of partition size you
might use to get started. If I were to install all the crap
I have on my WinXP machine, in Windows 7, I'd probably need
another 10GB on top of that.

Paul

On 7/18/2011 at 6:08:54 PM Paul wrote:

>
> For the OP, the OP is installing Windows 7 after WinXP SP3, so the
> install will take less work, and then NoBeef's link is perfect.
>

I seem to have read somewhere that Windows 7 Upgrade version wants to
install itself on the _same_ partition where Windows XP is currently
residing. (Via a clean install, of course, so that Windows XP is wiped
out!) Otherwise it thinks that the pre-requisite condition for an
upgrade --i.e. the existence of a licensed copy of Windows XP-- is not
fulfilled. Unfortunately, I cannot locate again the web site where I
read this...

Anyone knows if this is true and, if so, how to get around it? I'd be
interested in hearing a confirmation of feasibility from someone who
has actually installed Windows 7 Upgrade version on a different
partition other than the one where Windows XP resides.

Again, sorry if I am asking some silly question but I am not much of an
expert.

--
tb

Hi, tb.

The link NoBeef pasted should get you onto the right track. I've been
dual-booting for over 10 years but I had not seen that link before. I
especially appreciate the picture (in the link) of the Graphic Display
portion of Disk Management. DM (not Device Manager in this case) is one of
the most useful tools in Windows since it first appeared in Windows 2000
over a decade ago. DM is especially useful as a tool for dual-booting AND
as a reference tool to learn more about hard disks than most users ever
learn. The quickest way to run it is to press Start, type "diskmgmt.msc"
and press Enter.

Since you are using an Upgrade DVD to do a clean install, you'll probably
need to install Win7 in two steps. First install it WITHOUT entering a
Product Key (PK). Then go to the System Properties page and click "Change
product key", near the bottom of the page, and enter your PK. The Retail
and Upgrade disks are identical except for the label and license, so you can
Upgrade with a Retail disk - or vice versa. (My own copy of WinXP stopped
working in 2006, just about the time we finished the Vista beta; I've never
bothered to get it going again and you may also be ready to complete your
upgrade from WinXP after you invest a few days in learning how to use Win7.
Just remember: In spite of their similarities, Win7 is NOT WinXP!) You
might want to read this thread:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...7-version.html

Note that Win7 Setup.exe does several things "behind the curtain" (much like
the Wizard of Oz), keeping them hidden so as not to confuse us. Mainly, in
addition to installing Win7 into the "boot volume" (Drive W: in the example
in the link), it will update the few critical startup files in the System
Partition (your existing Drive C. (Yes, Windows always starts booting
from the System Partition and keeps its operating system files in the Boot
Volume - even when they are the same partition.) After updating Drive C:,
WinXP's startup files (NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM and Boot.ini) will still be
there. But the boot-up process will now start with Win7's "bootmgr" file,
which will use the BCD (Boot Configuration Data) in the new Hidden, System
folder C:\Boot. The BCD will present the OS selection menu each time you
restart, offering to boot into Win7 or into a "Previous version of Windows".
If you select "previous", then the BCD will step back out of the way and
turn control over to NTLDR, which will use Boot.ini to boot WinXP as before.

When Win7 is installed on a virgin disk, it creates a small (100 MB)
partition to use as the System Partition, holding those few startup files.
But when Win7 Setup finds an existing System Partition, such as your Drive
C:, it will use that by updating the files there as I described.

The example in the link starts with the instruction to "1. Turn on your
computer so that your current version of Windows starts normally...", then
insert your disk and let Win7 Setup run. By starting the Win7 install from
the WinXP desktop, Setup can "see" the drive letters that you have assigned
with WinXP. If you've already created a partition for Win7 and assigned it
a letter (W: in the example, but you can assign it D: or any letter not in
use), Setup will use that letter and your Boot Folder will be W:\Windows (or
D:\Windows).

But if you BOOT from the Win7 DVD to install Win7, Setup will not know what
letters WinXP has assigned. It will assign the letter C: to the partition
where Win7 is installed and your Win7 Boot Folder will be C:\Windows, even
though it is the second partition on the disk. Setup will then assign other
letters; WinXP's Drive C: will probably become Win7's Drive D:. That might
confuse you, but neither WinXP nor Win7 will mind. Just be sure to give
each partition a label, which will be written to the disk and will not
change even if the letters shift.

All this is much easier to do than to explain, tb. You can read about it
for a month and just get more confused, but it will become clear as you
actually work through the process. ;^}

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2011 (Build 15.4.3538.0513) in Win7 Ultimate x64 SP1


"tb" wrote in message news:...

First of all, let me clearly state that I am no computer expert so
please be gentle... :-)

I have an old desktop that has Windows XP SP3 installed on it. (c:\
drive)

What I would like to do is create a new partition (d:\ drive) by taking
away some of the space occupied by the c:\ drive, install Windows 7 in
it and thus create a dual-boot system.

The catch is that I have purchased an _Upgrade_ version (as opposed to
the _Full Retail_ version) of Windows 7! To be more precise, I have
purchased the DVD version for Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade. (I am
assuming that the DVD has the SP1 version of Windows 7 on it, even
though it does not say so on the package. But that is not the most
pressing problem now.)

So, the major question that I have is: Is there a way to install
Windows 7 Upgrade version (via a clean install, of course) on a
partition other than the one that has Windows XP on it?

If so, can someone point me to a web site that has step-by-step
instructions on how to do it?

I want you to know that I did research this issue on the web. I did
find some information --but it is ambiguous! Some think that only the
Full Retail version will allow a clean install on a partition other
than the one where Windows XP currently resides. Others do not make it
clear what licensed version of Windows 7 they were using when they
created the Windows XP/Windows 7 dual-boot setup. Others do not offer
enough details.

Why do I want to create a dual-booting setup, you ask? Because my
desktop is rather old and Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor has flagged some
hardware (drivers) problems. I have researched solutions on the web
and found some answers, but I don't know if they will work till I
install Windows 7 on the machine. Therefore, I want to be able to use
Windows XP till I know that everything works fine with Windows 7.

--
tb

On Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:49:08 +0000 (UTC), tb wrote:

> On 7/18/2011 at 6:08:54 PM Paul wrote:
>
>>
>> For the OP, the OP is installing Windows 7 after WinXP SP3, so the
>> install will take less work, and then NoBeef's link is perfect.
>>
>
> I seem to have read somewhere that Windows 7 Upgrade version wants to
> install itself on the _same_ partition where Windows XP is currently
> residing. (Via a clean install, of course, so that Windows XP is wiped
> out!) Otherwise it thinks that the pre-requisite condition for an
> upgrade --i.e. the existence of a licensed copy of Windows XP-- is not
> fulfilled. Unfortunately, I cannot locate again the web site where I
> read this...
>
> Anyone knows if this is true and, if so, how to get around it? I'd be
> interested in hearing a confirmation of feasibility from someone who
> has actually installed Windows 7 Upgrade version on a different
> partition other than the one where Windows XP resides.
>
> Again, sorry if I am asking some silly question but I am not much of an
> expert.

Actually, what you say makes sense to me, since the upgrade says
somewhere (according to my flawed memory) that you can't keep the old
version.

Wait a few minutes for a more knowledgeable person to expand on this.

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

Gene E. Bloch wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:49:08 +0000 (UTC), tb wrote:
>
>> On 7/18/2011 at 6:08:54 PM Paul wrote:
>>
>>> For the OP, the OP is installing Windows 7 after WinXP SP3, so the
>>> install will take less work, and then NoBeef's link is perfect.
>>>
>> I seem to have read somewhere that Windows 7 Upgrade version wants to
>> install itself on the _same_ partition where Windows XP is currently
>> residing. (Via a clean install, of course, so that Windows XP is wiped
>> out!) Otherwise it thinks that the pre-requisite condition for an
>> upgrade --i.e. the existence of a licensed copy of Windows XP-- is not
>> fulfilled. Unfortunately, I cannot locate again the web site where I
>> read this...
>>
>> Anyone knows if this is true and, if so, how to get around it? I'd be
>> interested in hearing a confirmation of feasibility from someone who
>> has actually installed Windows 7 Upgrade version on a different
>> partition other than the one where Windows XP resides.
>>
>> Again, sorry if I am asking some silly question but I am not much of an
>> expert.
>
> Actually, what you say makes sense to me, since the upgrade says
> somewhere (according to my flawed memory) that you can't keep the old
> version.
>
> Wait a few minutes for a more knowledgeable person to expand on this.
>

If you have a backup of the disk drive, it's full speed ahead :-)

Even if you have a recipe fully signed off and approved, a
recipe can go wrong and trash stuff. So you do the
backup anyway, just in case.

I had an example of this the other day. I was testing a Windows
install, and seeing what formatting options the installer had.
I'd selected certain options, but hadn't "pressed the button".
I decided to quit before letting it go ahead. Little did I know,
it had *already* messed with the partition table. It made
a bloody mess. Trashed. Just for fun, I tried fixing it anyway, and
managed to put it all back together again. (Part of the reason
I could, is I had some idea what the partition structure looked
like, and I used TestDisk to fix it.) If you don't want your
install process to be a "learning experience" as mine was,
a backup allows you to make all kinds of mistakes, and not
lose anything.

I didn't have to repair that disk, if I didn't want to. I'd
copied the entire 250GB drive, to another drive, before starting.
So if I hadn't been able to fix it with TestDisk, I could
have just restored it.

If you have a backup, all you lose by getting bad advice, is
some time.

Paul

On Tue, 19 Jul 2011 04:23:05 -0500, tb wrote:

> "Paul" <> wrote in message
> news:j02vo7$viu$...
>>
>> If you have a backup of the disk drive, it's full speed ahead :-)
>>
>> Even if you have a recipe fully signed off and approved, a
>> recipe can go wrong and trash stuff. So you do the
>> backup anyway, just in case.
>>
>> I had an example of this the other day. I was testing a Windows
>> install, and seeing what formatting options the installer had.
>> I'd selected certain options, but hadn't "pressed the button".
>> I decided to quit before letting it go ahead. Little did I know,
>> it had *already* messed with the partition table. It made
>> a bloody mess. Trashed. Just for fun, I tried fixing it anyway, and
>> managed to put it all back together again. (Part of the reason
>> I could, is I had some idea what the partition structure looked
>> like, and I used TestDisk to fix it.) If you don't want your
>> install process to be a "learning experience" as mine was,
>> a backup allows you to make all kinds of mistakes, and not
>> lose anything.
>>
>> I didn't have to repair that disk, if I didn't want to. I'd
>> copied the entire 250GB drive, to another drive, before starting.
>> So if I hadn't been able to fix it with TestDisk, I could
>> have just restored it.
>>
>> If you have a backup, all you lose by getting bad advice, is
>> some time.
>>
>> Paul
>
> Thanks for the suggestion, Paul.
> What (free!) software would you recommend for imaging the used sectors of my
> hard drive? Looking for something that will have a rescue disc and also
> backs up my MBR.
> I need something that will image (as opposed to clone) my c:\ partition
> because I do not have one of those fancy external hard disks and will have
> to do the back up (compressed file) to DVDs.

EASEUS has a couple of programs that can do imaging and can boot & run
from a CD.

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)