How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

Information
This will show you how to install Windows 7 and XP to dual boot with when you already have either Windows 7 or XP installed first.

Note
With a dual boot installaton, you will have two operating systems (OS) installed. When you start the computer, you will have the choice to choose which OS you would like to start up to. This method is the easiest way of doing a dual boot with these two operating systems.

Tip
When dual booting with another OS (ex: Vista or XP), you may not always have that OS partition show up in Computer with a driver letter in Windows 7. If this happens, then you will just need to add a drive letter to the OS (ex: Vista or XP) partition in Windows 7 Disk Management for it to show up in Computer with a driver letter.

Warning
To stop XP from deleting your Windows 7 System Restore Points everytime XP is started, then see System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete to hide Windows 7 from XP.

Windows 7 Minimum Hardware Requirements

NOTE: For more information on this, see: Windows 7 system requirements 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor 1 GB RAM for 32-bit Windows 7 OR 2 GB RAM for 64-bit Windows 7 16 GB available disk space 32-bit Windows 7 7

OR 20 GB for 64-bit Windows

Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (in order to enable Aero theme) DVD-R/W Drive Internet or phone access to activate Windows 7.

Windows XP Minimum Hardware Requirements

NOTE: For more information on this, see: System requirements for Windows XP operating systems PC with 300 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor clock speed recommended; 233-MHz minimum required;* Intel Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processor recommended 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended (64 MB minimum supported; may limit performance and some features) 1.5 gigabyte (GB) of available hard disk space.* Super VGA (800 600) or higher resolution video adapter and monitor

CD-ROM or DVD drive Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device

EXAMPLE: Windows Boot Manager

NOTE: This is the boot screen where you select what operating system that you would like to start. By default, you have 30 seconds to choose another operating system before the default operating system will start automatically .

METHOD ONE
When XP is Installed First
NOTE: If you have a RAID setup, you will need to have the Windows 7 RAID drivers on a USB flash drive available to select and load while installing Windows 7 .

1. To Create a New Partition from the XP Hard Disk Drive

A) With your Windows 7 installation disc boot into the Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options screen. NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS . B) In the command prompt, select and shrink the XP volume by how many MB (1024 MB = 1 GB) you want to have for this Windows 7 partition. (See screenshot below) NOTE: You would do steps 2 to 9 in METHOD TWO at that link. Windows 7 will need a minimum of 16 GB (16384 MB) .

C) Click on the X at the top right corner to close the command prompt. (See screenshot above) D) Click on the X at the top right corner to close System Recovery Options. (See screenshot below)

E) Go to step 3.

2. To Use a Separate Hard Disk Drive than the XP Drive

A) Boot from your Windows 7 installation disc. NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS . 3. Click on the Install now button. (See screenshot below)

4. When you get to this point, select the partition (step 1) or hard drive to install Windows 7 on. (See screenshot below)

5. Finish installing Windows 7 .

NOTE: You would do step 9 on at that link to finish installing Windows 7 .

6. When finished, restart the computer to have the option to boot from XP (Earlier
Verision of Windows) or Windows 7. (See screenshot below)

Note
If you are only booting into Windows 7 and do not have XP listed in the Windows Boot Manager , then you can install EasyBCD (step 8 Method Two below) to add XP (or Windows 7) while started in Windows 7 the same way to the boot list.

METHOD TWO
When Windows 7 is Installed First

Warning
If you have a RAID setup , you will need to have the XP RAID drivers on a Floppy disc available to select and load at the F6 prompt while installing XP. If you have a SATA drive , then you will need to do either one of these options to load the SATA drivers for XP. o o How to Slipstream SATA drivers into Windows XP setup CD with Dual Boot of Windows 7 or Vista How to Load SATA Drivers in Windows XP Setup on your Dual Boot PC with Vista or Windows 7 for how to load your SATA drivers from a Floppy disc at the F6 prompt while installing XP.

1. To Create a New Partition from the Windows 7 Hard Disk Drive

NOTE: If you want to install XP on a separate hard drive instead, then skip this step and go to step 2 . A) In Windows 7, select and shrink the Windows 7 volume in Disk Management by how many MB (1024 MB = 1 GB) you want to have for this XP partition. (See screenshots below) NOTE: You would do all of Method One at that link .

2. Insert your XP installation disc, then restart the computer and press any key to boot from it when prompted. (See screenshot below) NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS .

3. From XP Setup, Press Enter . (See screenshot below) Warning

If you have a RAID setup , you will need to have the XP RAID drivers on a Floppy disc available to select and load at the F6 prompt while installing XP. If you have a SATA drive , then you will need to do either one of these options to load the SATA drivers for XP. o How to Slipstream SATA drivers into Windows XP setup CD with Dual Boot of Windows 7 or Vista

How to Load SATA Drivers in Windows XP Setup on your Dual Boot PC with Vista or Windows 7 for how to load your SATA drivers from a Floppy disc at the F6 prompt while installing XP.

4. Press F8 . (See screenshot below)

NOTE: On some multimedia keyboards, you may need to press the F-Lock or Function key before pressing F8 .

5. Select the partition (step 1) or hard drive that you want to install XP on using the arrow keys and press Enter.

6. 6. Finish installing XP.

Consejo Tip
Si obtiene un error de carga del sistema operativo despus de reiniciar Windows XP: If you get Error loading Operating System after XP restarts: Uso de Windows 7 disco de instalacin, arranque a la lnea de comandos en el arranque . Using your Windows 7 installation disc, boot to the command prompt at startup . Escriba estos comandos de abajo, y presione ENTRAR despus de cada uno. Type in these comands below, and press enter after each one. o o o bootrec / fixmbr bootrec /FixMbr bootrec / Fixboot bootrec /FixBoot bootrec / RebuildBcd bootrec /RebuildBcd

Salga del smbolo del sistema y reinicie el equipo. Exit the command prompt and restart the computer. En este punto, Windows 7 deber arrancar de la misma manera antes de tratar de instalar XP. At this point, Windows 7 should boot up the same way before trying to install XP. Contine con el paso 8 a continuacin y ejecutar EasyBCD de Windows 7 en su lugar. Continue to step 8 below and run EasyBCD from Windows 7 instead.

7. En XP, descargue e instale . Net Framework 2.0 (32 bits) versin o . Net
Framework 2.0 (64 bits) Versin y EasyBCD para el de 32 bits (x86) o 64 bits (x86) Windows XP. 7. In XP, download and install .Net Framework 2.0 (32-bit) verison or .Net Framework 2.0 (64-bit) version and EasyBCD for your 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x86) XP. NOTA: En XP, Net Framework debe estar instalado para ejecutar el programa gratuito EasyBCD. NOTE: In XP, Net Framework is required to be installed to run the free program EasyBCD .

8. Ejecute EasyBCD. 8. Run EasyBCD.

NOTA: Esto es necesario para reparar el archivo de inicio de Windows 7 y XP aadir a la lista del Administrador de arranque de Windows. NOTE: This is required to repair the Windows 7 boot file and add XP to the Windows Boot Manager list .

9. En el lado izquierdo de EasyBCD, haga clic en el botn Agregar nueva entrada. 9. On the left side of EasyBCD, click on the Add New Entry button. (Ver imagen
abajo) (See screenshot below) A) En la seccin superior en virtud de los sistemas operativos, haga clic en la pestaa de Windows. A) In the top section under Operating Systems , click on the Windows tab. (Ver imagen abajo) (See screenshot below) B) A la derecha de Tipo, seleccione NT/2k/XP/2k3 Windows desde el men desplegable. B) To the right of Type , select Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3 from the drop down menu. (Ver imagen abajo) (See screenshot below) ADVERTENCIA: Asegrese de dejar el cuadro de detectar automticamente

correcta de la unidad seleccionada. WARNING: Be sure to leave the Automatically detect correct drive box checked . C) A la derecha del nombre, puede dejar el valor predeterminado de Microsoft Windows XP como el nombre que se muestra en el Administrador de arranque de Windows, o puede escribir el nombre que le gustara tener en su lugar. C) To the right of Name , you can leave the default Microsoft Windows XP as the name to be displayed in the Windows Boot Manager, or you can type whatever name you would like to have instead. (Ver imagen abajo) (See screenshot below) D) Haga clic en el botn Entrada dd. D) Click on the A dd Entry button. (Ver imagen abajo) (See screenshot below)

10. En el lado izquierdo de EasyBCD, haga clic en el botn Configuracin del gestor
de arranque, seleccione (punto) la instalacin de Windows Vista / 7 gestor de arranque para la opcin de MBR, y haga clic en el botn Escribir MBR. 10. On the left side of EasyBCD, click on the Bootloader Setup button, select (dot) the Install the Windows Vista/7 bootloader to the MBR option, and click on the Write MBR button. (Ver imagen abajo) (See screenshot below)

11. Cierre EasyBCD. 11. Close EasyBCD. 12. Reinicie el equipo para tener la opcin de inicio de Microsoft Windows XP o Windows 7. 12. Restart the computer to have the option to boot from Microsoft
Windows XP or Windows 7 . (Ver imagen abajo) (See screenshot below)

Consejo Tip
Si Windows 7 no se pondr en marcha cuando se selecciona, a continuacin, utilizar su instalacin de Windows 7 DVD para hacer una Reparacin de inicio . If Windows 7 will not start up when selected, then use your Windows 7 installation DVD to do a Startup Repair . Eso es todo, That's it, Shawn Shawn