How to dual boot Windows XP and Windows 7 (XP installed first)

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James Bannan14 January 2009, 10:00 AM

Got your hands on the Windows 7 beta and want to dual boot it alongside Windows XP? Here's our step-by-step tutorial to get you up and running with Microsoft's latest OS.

Page 2 - Step 1 - Introduction

Scenario: You want to install Windows 7 on your PC alongside your XP installation, on the same drive. You have already installed XP.

Tutorial Summary: We're going to shrink the Windows XP partition on the hard disk and create enough space for an installation of Windows 7 Beta Home Premium. There are two easy methods of doing this - using the GPartEd Live CD and the DISKPART utility on the Windows 7 DVD. On some systems, depending on the primary storage controller, We'll then install Windows 7 and use the EasyBCD utility to modify Windows 7's bootloader to get XP loading properly.

This tutorial was tested on a VMWare Workstation 6 virtual machine.

Continue to page 3: Step 2 - Create Free Space for Windows 7
Page 1 Intro
Page 2 Step 1 - Introduction
Page 3 Step 2 - Create Free Space for Windows 7
Page 4 Step 3 - Now Install Windows 7
Page 5 Step 4 - Managing the Bootloader

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Daren (New user):

Why must you run Windows 7 within XP? For that you will need some kind of virtual machine. Why would you change from wanting to use XP with Windows 7 to just using Linux as an alternative? Why not set up dual boot with XP and Windows 7 using a product like Portlock Leap Frog? You would still be able to transfer files between the two operating systems.

13 November 2009, 4:14 AM (1 week ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

The Big Baboo (Advanced Forumologist):

Quoting Daren:
Why must you run Windows 7 within XP?
Actually "Daren" I have no intention of ever running another new Microsoft OS on this computer ever again.At The moment I have WinXP plus Ubuntu 9.10 and as soon as I can sort out a few more small problems with "The Penguin" it's bye,bye Windows forever. As for transferring files over between the two,apart from actual "Windows Program Files" which are on C:/ all my stuff is on external drives and can be accessed by whatever system I want:)
Oooooooo yea and besides :) Why should I outlay $45AUD for a piece of software that I think would be of very small use to me."Leapfrog" my foot:) They must think I fell out of the woodwork :)




13 November 2009, 8:04 AM (1 week ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Sanjaycelos (New user):

How to dual boot windows7 and Linux (Windows7 installed first)

19 November 2009, 5:01 AM (3 days ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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