Can I install a copy of Windows XP on a different partition on my hard drive?

[Craig M]

I have Windows 7 currently installed on my computer, but I want Windows XP as another option so that I can play my game better with it. I previously had Windows XP on this computer and it played my game decently well, but after the Windows 7 install, it has been with more lag during AoE situations in my game. I've found that Windows 7 is too demanding on my computer's hardware and that's why. Can I create a partition on my hard drive and install Windows XP so that I can have the option of loading whichever one I need? and if so, could you please tell me the exact steps as to how I would go about doing this? I've heard about the partition thing, but I have no idea how to do that. Thanks in advance.

 

[Iamsoda]

I have Windows 7 currently installed on my computer, but I want Windows XP as another option so that I can play my game better with it. I previously had Windows XP on this computer and it played my game decently well, but after the Windows 7 install, it has been with more lag during AoE situations in my game. I've found that Windows 7 is too demanding on my computer's hardware and that's why. Can I create a partition on my hard drive and install Windows XP so that I can have the option of loading whichever one I need? and if so, could you please tell me the exact steps as to how I would go about doing this? I've heard about the partition thing, but I have no idea how to do that. Thanks in advance.

If windows 7 is to demanding on your computer, you need a new computer. However in answer to you question yes you can. I have done so before. Yes you get the option on boot what you wanna load as.

 

[SBMfromLA]

I have Windows 7 currently installed on my computer, but I want Windows XP as another option so that I can play my game better with it. I previously had Windows XP on this computer and it played my game decently well, but after the Windows 7 install, it has been with more lag during AoE situations in my game. I've found that Windows 7 is too demanding on my computer's hardware and that's why. Can I create a partition on my hard drive and install Windows XP so that I can have the option of loading whichever one I need? and if so, could you please tell me the exact steps as to how I would go about doing this? I've heard about the partition thing, but I have no idea how to do that. Thanks in advance.

If windows 7 is to demanding on your computer, you need a new computer. However in answer to you question yes you can. I have done so before. Yes you get the option on boot what you wanna load as.

Actually... it CAN be done but the process is different. If Windows XP was installed first ... then doing Windows 7 would be a piece of cake... but going backwards to a previous OS... it becomes difficult.

I will link a site that will show the process of doing that:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/8790/dual-boot-your-pre-installed-windows-7-computer-with-xp/

 

[Iamsoda]

I have Windows 7 currently installed on my computer, but I want Windows XP as another option so that I can play my game better with it. I previously had Windows XP on this computer and it played my game decently well, but after the Windows 7 install, it has been with more lag during AoE situations in my game. I've found that Windows 7 is too demanding on my computer's hardware and that's why. Can I create a partition on my hard drive and install Windows XP so that I can have the option of loading whichever one I need? and if so, could you please tell me the exact steps as to how I would go about doing this? I've heard about the partition thing, but I have no idea how to do that. Thanks in advance.

If windows 7 is to demanding on your computer, you need a new computer. However in answer to you question yes you can. I have done so before. Yes you get the option on boot what you wanna load as.

Actually... it CAN be done but the process is different. If Windows XP was installed first ... then doing Windows 7 would be a piece of cake... but going backwards to a previous OS... it becomes difficult.

I will link a site that will show the process of doing that:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/8790/dual-boot-your-pre-installed-windows-7-computer-with-xp/

If you do it backwards, you have trouble getting the boot loader to see more then windows XP. Make sure settings in bios are legacy and IDE for windows XP.

 

[Craig M]

I have Windows 7 currently installed on my computer, but I want Windows XP as another option so that I can play my game better with it. I previously had Windows XP on this computer and it played my game decently well, but after the Windows 7 install, it has been with more lag during AoE situations in my game. I've found that Windows 7 is too demanding on my computer's hardware and that's why. Can I create a partition on my hard drive and install Windows XP so that I can have the option of loading whichever one I need? and if so, could you please tell me the exact steps as to how I would go about doing this? I've heard about the partition thing, but I have no idea how to do that. Thanks in advance.

If windows 7 is to demanding on your computer, you need a new computer. However in answer to you question yes you can. I have done so before. Yes you get the option on boot what you wanna load as.

Actually... it CAN be done but the process is different. If Windows XP was installed first ... then doing Windows 7 would be a piece of cake... but going backwards to a previous OS... it becomes difficult.

I will link a site that will show the process of doing that:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/8790/dual-boot-your-pre-installed-windows-7-computer-with-xp/

Thanks a lot. I will have a look at this and see what I can do. I hope none of this will somehow mess up my files on my windows 7 haha I have like 100 gb worth of stuff that I don't want to lose. That's one of the reasons why I didn't want to completely remove my Windows 7 that I have on here now. I have another question. If I can't figure this out and if I somehow get another hard drive, can I just install a copy of Windows XP on that? I figure if I could do it that way, then maybe it wouldn't be a risk at all with my already installed windows 7 since it would be on a completely different hard drive. I think I read somewhere that the risk of this partition thing with putting XP on after 7 is installed was something about the files or something. If I had a separate hard drive, then maybe that would eliminate that problem?

 

[Craig M]

I have Windows 7 currently installed on my computer, but I want Windows XP as another option so that I can play my game better with it. I previously had Windows XP on this computer and it played my game decently well, but after the Windows 7 install, it has been with more lag during AoE situations in my game. I've found that Windows 7 is too demanding on my computer's hardware and that's why. Can I create a partition on my hard drive and install Windows XP so that I can have the option of loading whichever one I need? and if so, could you please tell me the exact steps as to how I would go about doing this? I've heard about the partition thing, but I have no idea how to do that. Thanks in advance.

If windows 7 is to demanding on your computer, you need a new computer. However in answer to you question yes you can. I have done so before. Yes you get the option on boot what you wanna load as.

Actually... it CAN be done but the process is different. If Windows XP was installed first ... then doing Windows 7 would be a piece of cake... but going backwards to a previous OS... it becomes difficult.

I will link a site that will show the process of doing that:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/8790/dual-boot-your-pre-installed-windows-7-computer-with-xp/

If you do it backwards, you have trouble getting the boot loader to see more then windows XP. Make sure settings in bios are legacy and IDE for windows XP.

Thank you for your time and help. I will make sure that the settings are fixed right with those.