Re: Windows 7 and XP dual boot

["Kari Eveli" lexitec@xxxxxxxx]

>Win-7 does not like to play nice with another OS.

You are quite right there. This is a repetition of what Microsoft tried with OS/2 when Win95 was
published. Now Win7 is made to reject Linux boot loaders, and this is why I did not even try a GRUB
setup. While Win7 is capable of dual-booting Win7 and XP, this setup has problems:

1) It can destroy Win7 restore points
see: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/127417-system-restore-points-stop-xp-dual-boot-delete.html

2) If one installs XP after Win7 without hiding, one cannot get a C drive for XP, which is not what
I wanted.

My conclusion is that one has to make two separate systems that do not see each other. Following the
procedure I described you can get a stable system, but be sure to perform a drive backup before
experimenting and prepare all the utility CDs before going any further. Install Easy BCD in Win7
before proceeding to XP install.

IMPORTANT:
If you want to use Masterbooter, you should keep Win7 Easy BCD configured as follows: In Edit Boot
Menu have only one entry, namely Windows 7 and enable "Skip the boot menu" radio button.
In the BCD Deployment, MBR Configuration Option use only the "Install the Win7 bootloader to
the MBR" option to restore normal Win7. Never the Install XP MBR option. Use Masterbooter CD to
restore dual boot. Use a partion image to restore XP. It is important to follow these guidelines to
the letter, otherwise you may end up with an unbootable system, in which case you can make good use
of the drive backup. I had to restore my system several times before getting it to work.

I think it is wise to install Win7 first and XP afterwards. When you eventually delete XP first
restoring the Win7 bootloader from a Win7 session, you are left with a Win7 system that needs no
fixing. Doing it the other way round, you might end up in trouble.

Best regards,

Kari Eveli
LEXITEC Book Publishing (Finland)
lexitec@xxxxxxxx

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