Dual Boot XP 32 on existing W7 64 Machine???

[John Vere]

My Xp Toshiba laptop is gunna die one of these days ( 2004) I have a few programs that only run on XP like Front Page. I have an extra W7 desktop as a back up for my DAW I can mess with without worry.
According to Mirco soft you have to install the older OS first as to avoid booting issues. So I find nothing about if it is possible to install XP to a fresh drive on a W 7 machine? . It seems the only way this will work is to mess with the Bios each time??
I really don't need this so badly that I am willing to re install W7.

So anybody have a solution? Thanks

 

[mrfatbox]

there are a lot of ways to do what you want but this guide looks to be a complete set of instructions
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/8790/dual-boot-your-pre-installed-windows-7-computer-with-xp/

 

[John Vere]

Thanks for the link, That was actually the first site I ended up at but did not find that exact thread using search.
I just read it and I see they use a 3rd party utility to fix the boot loader issue so I guess MS info was correct. If you don't change the boot loader then you'll loose the ability ti launch W7. There instructions are for a C drive partition, I was going to use a second drive I have on hand.

I'm thinking to disconect the present W7 OS drive, put a blank drive and intall XP on that , then re connect the W7 drive

 

[mrfatbox]

there are command line tools and options from within widows to sort the boot loader problems/configuration that you will still need to use to setup windows to dual boot, if you just remove drive with windows on it then install a second copy of windows on a second drive when both drives are reconnected it will just start the first drive in the cable order.

but you will not get an option to start the second OS till you configure the windows boot menu

installing the older OS first is only a best practice and will not require any user configuration to make it work
the other way round is just a bit more complicated but STILL works just as well