Install XP on preloaded Windows 7 System.

Install XP on preloaded Windows 7 System.

Hi there,
If you want to put XP onto a system that is preloaded with Win 7, and assuming that your C drive is just one large partition, there are four essential procedures you need to complete for a successful install :

   1.Shrink your C drive to create new, unallocated space for your new partition.
   2.In this unallocated space you will create a New Simple Volume, assign a drive letter, do a Quick Format and give a name this new partition.
   3.Install XP on your new partition.
   4.Download and install Dot (.)Net Framework 2.0 (32 or 64 bit) version and EasyBCD. (Net Framework is needed so you can run EasyBCD in XP)

There are two ways of achieving a satisfactory outcome. The easy way, using the Disk Management Utility in Computer Management or slightly more difficult using the Diskpart Utility in an elevated command prompt window. We will use the easy way in this tutorial. So let�s get started. To do so follow these steps:

1. In Win 7 Click Start> Right click My Computer> Manage>

2. Select Disk Management under Storage the left-hand pane.

3. In the centre pane, right click on the partition that you want to shrink and click>Shrink Volume.

4. Decide the size that you want your new partition to be in MB. The number in the box labelled �Enter the amount of space to shrink� represents MB and is the maximum amount you can shrink the current partition by. Leave it as it is if you wish. If you do wish to reduce this, remember that 1 GB = 1024 MB. Enter your new size in this box then click>Shrink. You will now have a new, unallocated space to create your partition on.

5. Right click on the empty unallocated partition and click> New Simple Volume.

6. Click on the Next button. Leave the size as it is and click> Next again.

7. Select the next available drive letter from the drop down box, not A or B, click> Next.

8. Type a volume label name for the new partition, and tick the Perform a quick format box, click>Next.

9. Click> Finish and close down Computer Management.

A new primary partition has now been created with the assigned unallocated partition space ready for your XP installation.

1. Insert your XP install disc in the CD/DVD drive, then reboot the computer and press any key to boot from it if prompted.
Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first in the boot order in the BIOS.

2. From XP Setup, Press Enter.
3. Press F8.

4. Select your newly created partition to install XP on by using the arrow keys and press Enter.

5. Continue and complete installing XP.

You may get this �Error loading Operating System� after XP restarts then you need to get to the command prompt, do this by rebooting and pressing F8 at the same time. On the options screen that will appear select Safe Mode with Command Prompt and type in the following commands, pressing Enter after each one.
   a.bootrec /FixMbr
   b.bootrec /FixBoot
c.bootrec /RebuildBcd
When done type Exit>Enter, the computer will reboot into Win 7 as normal.
Go to step 7 below and download, install and run EasyBCD from Windows 7 and continue from step 8.
If you do not get this error and you boot into XP ok, continue with step 6 then from step 8.

6. In XP, Download and install Dot (.)Net Framework 2.0 (32 or 64 bit) version and EasyBCD. (Net Framework is needed so you can run EasyBCD in XP)

7. Run EasyBCD.
This is needed to repair the boot file in Windows 7 and then add XP to the Windows Boot Manager list.

8. In EasyBCD, click on Add/Remove Entries in the left-hand column.

9. In the bottom right section under �Add an Entry�, type Microsoft Windows XP (this is the name displayed in Windows Boot Manager) for the Name.

IMPORTANT- If you have a System Reserved partition with Windows 7, open up Computer Management/Disk Management right click the Reserved Partition and give it a drive letter. Back in EasyBCD and select the letter you assigned in the EasyBCD Drive drop down menu.

OR

If you don't have a System Reserved partition with Windows 7, then select the drive letter that Windows 7 is installed on from the Drive drop down menu in EasyBCD.
11. Select Type, select Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3 from the drop down menu.
12. Click on the Add Entry button on the bottom right.

13. You will now see that this has added Microsoft Windows XP to the upper right section, below the Win 7 entry. Click> Save.

14. In EasyBCD, click> Manage Bootloader in the left-hand panel.
15. In the top section under Bootloader Installer Options, Select>Reinstall the Vista Bootloader, then click> Write MBR. Close down EasyBCD.

16. Reboot and you will now have the option to boot from Win 7 or XP.

Cheers,HTH,

ticker