Windows 7 and Windows XP

[ndoggfromhell]

I've got a Toshiba laptop that came with Windows 7 preinstalled. I wanted to run Windows XP on it in conjunction with Windows 7. I shrunk the win7 volume and created a new partition. Installed Windows XP to it and then used EasyBCD to boot both... and this worked, but made my windows xp install on a gdrive. This wouldn't work since the reason for xp to be installed is for legacy apps that require the os to be on the c drive. So i deleted that partition, created a new one and set it active... installed windows xp pro and it worked fine. If i set the other partition to active, i can run windows 7. problem is, i don't feel like booting hirens and changing the active partition all the time when i wanna switch. Is there a way to edit the bootloader to see Windows 7 and Windows XP?

[Sikh]

Well I know is, when I installed 7 on my computer, the boot loader that comes with 7 installed and works very well.

I can boot xp or 7 without problems. I think there is a way if you pop in your windows 7 disc or a windows 7 disc that you can install the boot loader that came with it.

This should work. http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/EBCD/Recovering+the+Vista+Bootloader+from+the+DVD

[bolus14]

I think the best way to accomplish what you're looking for what be to install Windows 7 as a VHD.

This would allow you to keep Windows XP installed normally on C: and then have Windows 7 boot as a VHD which wouldn't affect your drive letters. Here's one of the better write-ups I've found on doing this.

Windows 7 as VHD

[mzta cody]

In my experience with this, XP will only install as C: if it is installed first, as far as I know.

A couple of XP's hidden files, located on XP's root directory, will need to be copied to the 7 partition. These would be the boot.cfg, ntldr.sys, and ntdetect on both drives, if I remember this correctly. They need to be on both OS partitions.

After that you need to edit the bootloader from within 7, using EasyBcd. You will probably have to "reinstall the Vista bootloader" after adding the XP drive to the boot list. Don't worry Vista's bootloader must be very similar to 7's, it worked for me.

[ndoggfromhell]

I've botched it up to the point where i'm reinstalling 7 from the Toshiba recovery partition. I'm going to start over from there and see if i have any luck.

[mzta cody]

I meant to say "boot.ini" before, sorry.

Try installing XP first, if you have the SATA drivers slipstreamed or whatever..

XP first is much much easier.

7 will then install to what it "thinks" is C:

So both will see themselves on the C: drive.

Actually, scratch that unless you have a copy of 7, not the recovery image.

Won't work with that. Try my first post.

[devHead]

I've botched it up to the point where i'm reinstalling 7 from the Toshiba recovery partition. I'm going to start over from there and see if i have any luck.

Why not just download the Windows XP Mode and run XP in a virtual machine for the apps you need to run in it? That seems to me the easiest way.

[ndoggfromhell]

The software i run says it's not supported under xp mode in Windows 7. The tech support said they will not even talk to me unless it's running the OS. Otherwise yeah, either a virtual machine or xp mode would be easier. The problem seems to be that I have the following layout on the HD.

1Gb system partition (this is default active and will boot windows 7)

345Gb windows 7 partition

120Gb Windows XP partition (which when set active will boot xp)

20Gb HDD Restore partition (hidden)

I just want to leave the 1Gb system partition as the active one and have bootloader on it give me the choice of either XP or 7. I used EasyBCD (not as easy as it says) to add the windows xp entry to the bootloader, but when i select it on boot the system just restarts. Any idea what i'm doing wrong?

[ndoggfromhell]

Nevermind, I wasn't thinking and forgot to copy the NTdetect.com over to the System Partition. That along with bootini and ntldr and it's all working good.

[still1]

type "msconfig" in run command window and edit the config file to display two OS

[soldier1st]

what about this as an alternative to xpmode? http://vmlite.com/index.php/products/vmlite-xp-mode

[LiquidSolstice]

booting hirens

I hope you realize that Hiren's BootCD is far from legal, and that I would not admit to using it on a forum like Neowin if I were you.