How to create a dual boot Windows operating systems?

Question

Hi How do I create a dual boot Windows operating systems for both Windows XP Service Pack3  and  Windows 7 Release Candidate? I backed up Windows XP Service Pack3 with my IOMEGA external hard drive using Acronis True Home Image 11.0 My Dell Dimension 8400 Desktop computer has Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 that came with it. Now I have updated it with Service Pack 3 by Windows Update.  I want to test Windows 7 Release Candidate on this Dell Dimension 8400 computer. I was wondering how I can create dual boot operating systems to have Windows XP on one partition and Windows 7 Release Candidate on second partition. Need your help. Thanks

Mary G · Answer

I've been testing the release candidate on my old Dimension 8400 with Vista, but used a second hard drive instead of partitioning the main drive. I'd recommend that you buy a second hard drive to test the new OS. You might run into a few glitches as I did, but it is possible, although it would be better if you had Vista. I've read that XP and 7 on the same drive can cause problems with the boot record. Go to the Windows 7 web site and research this. There is a new Upgrade Advisor available for Windows 7 that you should run first to see if the old hardware is up to snuff. Windows 7 would work better on newer hardware.

Davet50 · Answer

Mary's advice it right on. I always recommend a dual boot with seperate drives. Note that if you install 7 after XP you will need to recreate the XP boot loader as like Vista the boot loader in 7 is different than in XP

pab49162 · Answer

The best source I have found for dual booting is The definitive dual-booting guide: Windows 7, Linux, Vista and XP step-by-step. The instructions for how to dual boot XP and Windows 7 can be found on Page 8.

Hope this helps ...

Egan1288 · Answer

Hi Pab49162, I checked 'The definitive dual-booting guide: Windows 7, Linux, Vista, and XP step-by-step but there are broken link for instructions for how to dual boot XP and Windows 7. Can you make sure the web page link is correct? Thanks

pab49162s · Answer

Hi Egan1288,

I just looked at The definitive dual-boot guide and did a random check of a couple of the links under Page 8. I looked at 4 or 5 of them and they all worked for me. Which one(s) specifically did you find were not working?

pab49162

Egan1288 · Answer

Hi pab49162,

Is there a website for explaining how to create dual boot Windows operating systems for Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 3 and Windows 7 Ultimate?

Much help is appreciated.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

etow

pab49162 · Answer

Hi Egan1288.

I think you can find information on setting up a Windows 7 & XP dual boot in The definitive dual-booting guide: Windows 7, Linux, Vista and XP step-by-step. On the top of this page, there is a pull-down menu titled "Related how-tos" and last one is titled "How to dual boot Windows XP and Windows 7 (XP installed first)". If you have trouble finding it, here is the direct link http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_windows_xp_and_windows_7_xp_installed_first.htm.

As Vista and Windows 7 dual booting with XP are very similar, you might also want to review the info on dual booting XP and Vista.

Hope this helps.

pab49162

Windows General

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