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Dual Boot Windows 7 & XP

(14 posts)
  • Started 3 years ago by Tampatexan
  • Latest reply from marks100
  • Topic Viewed 635 times

Tampatexan
Posts: 3

I just read the daily article on how to set up a Win7/XP dual boot. My question is: I have a new 500GB drive for my laptop that has Win7 installed. My old 320GB drive has XP installed. I got a SATA wire and Apricorn EZ Gig II cloning software with the new drive. What I would like to do, is create the new partition on the 500GB drive and then to clone the XP drive (including the system) onto the new partition created for dual booting. That way, I would retain the XP drive as-is. I would like to know if this is possible. Thanks in advance,

Tampatexan

Posted 3 years ago #
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raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

Tampatexan,
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The boot manager would have to be manually re-configured and the image restore would write over the Win7 pre-configured disk partition table. (Not Good)
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Have the capability to try it for you but am not in a position to do so as I struggle to learn other things about Win7 configuration. (lol) (lol)
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Regards,
Rick P.

Posted 3 years ago #
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DarrellRaines
Posts: 82

If you don't have windows 7 already installed, you could just clone the drive and then install 7 afterwards to dual boot. However that is assuming 7 hasn't been load yet.

Why would you clone the drive to the new one though? Just keep the old drive in and then install 7 to the new drive installed as another HDD.

Posted 3 years ago #
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Tampatexan
Posts: 3

DarrellRaines: I'll try the first option you offered. The answer to the second part is because my laptop only has provisions for one hard drive.. thus, the need for the cable to clone the old drive...

Raphoenix: Thanks for the warning! I guess the best way will be to clone the old drive to the new one, and then install Win7 and set up the dual boot...

Thanks for all the replies...

Posted 3 years ago #
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DarrellRaines
Posts: 82

Be sure to turn that old drive into an external USB for backup when you're done imaging it. A decent enclosure should only set you back about 20 bucks.

Posted 3 years ago #
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raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

Tampatexan,
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Actually if you have Win7, really no need for XP unless you have a special setup which requires it.
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I ran dual boot for awhile but decided to get XP off the machines because I found myself using it continuously as a crutch. :(
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Regards,
Rick P.

Posted 3 years ago #
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DarrellRaines
Posts: 82

I just use a virtual machine for XP on windows7. But I'm weird like that :)

Posted 3 years ago #
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raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

Virtual is the correct way if the machine has the HP to do it well. :) :)

Posted 3 years ago #
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DarrellRaines
Posts: 82

Too true. Luckily I have the HP and the HP (PC) :)

Posted 3 years ago #
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raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

HP ???? OH NOoooooooooo - Minor League (LOL) (LOL)
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Only Run Large Tower Asus(s) here with +(5) HDs and and all you can go memory ........... :) :)

Posted 3 years ago #
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DarrellRaines
Posts: 82

Well it's more or less a internet station for the family versus a work tool but the processor is a quad core with virtualazation support built in. It is a nice little toy when I want to play with it or want to run a few games.

I use a Quad Core AMD with 3 gigs of ram, 4 sata drives in a raid 5 and a cheap Nvidia 9100GT. Nothing fancy but it does the trick and allows me to keep my 32 bit OSes. Sadly most clients still run on older hardware so it's always good to have a similar system running.

Posted 3 years ago #
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marks100
marks100
Posts: 4507

what's...hp?is a virtual machine in effect part of your computer...but not really there??alright you can stop laughing now...i don't know ive heard the saying (virtual drive/machine.

Posted 3 years ago #
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raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

marks100,
---
This is pretty technical and hard to understand.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_machine
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A more easier way is to think of your computer system as if it were running in the memory sticks.
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Even us old guys have a hard time visualizing the process so no laughing here. :) :)
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HP stands for horse power meaning having a good CPU processor and plenty of memory to run virtual machines or computers in.
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Regards,
Rick P.

Posted 3 years ago #
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marks100
marks100
Posts: 4507

cheers guys, give me something to read up about''watch this space'' interesting stuff i have poweriso which use's a virtual...drive,:)

Posted 3 years ago #
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