Dual boot XP & 7

[andy66]

Now that I have this computer set and booting with two OS on the same hard drive I need to ask still another question;
When I was educating myself with the how to's I read several times that I had to install programs like Anti-vires and other software that I wanted to use in each partition separately in each OS. So I did but wile running a virus scan in the XP partition , files were being scanned in the Win7 partition too, and when I open my computer in either partition I can open files in any folder in either OS. I also have a problem when running XP. I get a warning that "system reserves C:" is full and must close or empty files. When I set this up I didn't make "C" partition. It just showed up after installing Win7 on its one partition. I only made two partition on a new 500gb hard drive each the same size. system reserves C: is only 100MB. What did I do wrong and what do I do to fix it.

Thank you
andy66

 

[Chicano]

1. The antivirus scanns the whole hard drive if you don't select to scan the system drive only.

2. You can access the whole hard drive from any windows OS, so that's perfectly normal.

3. When you partition a hard drive, partitions are automatically assigned a letter starting from C, next D, later E and F... With two patitions only, C and D were created so that's normal... If you installed Windows XP first, it was obviously installed on C, then when installing Windows 7 it also assumes it's installing in C even if from XP it's on partition D... If you use GPT partition tables in Windows 7, it creates the smaller System Reserve partition. Windows XP 32 bit must be geting confused with the 100GB partition as it doesn't understand GPT partition tables..

So, you may have to format the 100GB partition and install Windows XP on it... Maybe merge it with the adjoining partition, maybe convert it to MBR... You didn't say which OS you installed first so, I'm just guessing all this and don't know where to continue.

Read-up on GPT partitions.
http://search.lycos.com/web?q=windows+xp+and+gpt+partition+tables&keyvol=00c86ebe2720c16fa9f2

 

[andy66]

Chicano
You can go here to see what I have done up to this point just follow this link.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1915334/set-dual-boot-system-windows-bit-system-repair-disk-window-bit-system.html

Thank you for the link you posted but I do not understand what it says. It's like a diferant langue to me as I am not that familar with all this. Just learing.

If I Srink the partition that has WinXP on it and then Expand the System resoress partition do you think that will fix the trouble I am experancing with thw worning andut low starage space in that partition?

 

[MidnightDistort]

What was the exact MB size you gave for the C drive (with running XP install disc)? It sounds like you didn't give XP enough space for it to function correctly and it's full. If you can reformat using the XP disk, (make sure you back up any info you need first) give at least 10 or 20GB (which is 10240 to 20480MB) you can use a calculator like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=20GB+to+mb&rlz=1C1SAVI_enUS510US510&oq=20GB+to+mb&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4254j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

after installing the XP partition you can do the W7 partition which should be at least 50GB. If you got a larger hard drive you can create bigger partitions. I would also make sure that you either just use the entire hard drive for both partitions or create a 3rd for extra storage but you would be better off using the system hard drive for XP and W7, so you can even out the partition or give W7 extra storage space either way you want at least 10GB for XP but if you plan installing bulky applications i suggest giving it a higher capacity, but W7 will be best at 50GB and 100GB should be plenty.

 

[Chicano]

For starters, I got the 100 figure wrong, I thought you meant 100GB but it's 100MB, so that is probably what causes the warning message. But let me see if I have it all correct... You have partition C 100MB (System Reserved) partition D 128GB with Windows 7 and partition E 336GB with Windows XP(?)... If I'm correct, what you need to do is install Minitool Partition Wizard to resize your partitions... one at a time so you don't cause problems in the installed OSs. The Windows 7 Disk Manager can also change partition sizes but it doesn't look so capable.

Start by shrinking partition E and reboot, extend partition D to the unallocated space left from shinking partition E and reboot, shrink partition D and reboot, extend partition C and reboot. Idealy you should install Windows XP in partition C and later repair Windows 7 or just repair the Bootloader... because Windows P will probably mess it up. I don't think the contents in partition C are so important that deleting or moving them should cause much of a problem.

 

[andy66]

What was the exact MB size you gave for the C drive (with running XP install disc)? It sounds like you didn't give XP enough space for it to function correctly and it's full. If you can reformat using the XP disk, (make sure you back up any info you need first) give at least 10 or 20GB (which is 10240 to 20480MB) you can use a calculator like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=20GB+to+mb&rlz=1C1SAVI_enUS510US510&oq=20GB+to+mb&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4254j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

after installing the XP partition you can do the W7 partition which should be at least 50GB. If you got a larger hard drive you can create bigger partitions. I would also make sure that you either just use the entire hard drive for both partitions or create a 3rd for extra storage but you would be better off using the system hard drive for XP and W7, so you can even out the partition or give W7 extra storage space either way you want at least 10GB for XP but if you plan installing bulky applications i suggest giving it a higher capacity, but W7 will be best at 50GB and 100GB should be plenty.

 

[andy66]

MidnightDistort: Is there a way for me to find out how mush I set this up for at this point? I have looked in computer properties, It says 6.90GB used and 309GB free space

 

[MidnightDistort]

MidnightDistort: Is there a way for me to find out how mush I set this up for at this point? I have looked in computer properties, It says 6.90GB used and 309GB free space

Ok, was that for the C drive? You should have at least 2 partitions in order for XP and W7 to work correctly so check both partitioned drives to see which usually is C and D. I don't think Windows ask you to assign a drive letter, XP defaults on C: but W7 will have a second partition set at C: as well, that can be confusing but usually XP will store on the first partition while W7 will store on a second (or 3rd partition depending on what else you install). An easy way to check how many partitions you got is to use W7's start menu type in "Computer Management" in the search bar, then click on disk management, your primary hard drive should be on disk 0 or 1 depending on how your system is hooked up.

You should see a boot partition with lines across that will be your OS, let me know how many partitions you got and what size each of them is. I don't know where you are getting system reserve on the C: drive being 100MB, something must be screwed up.. if you know how to print screen for a photo and put it up on the internet, do a screenshot on that OS partition. That's print screen, paste it in something like paint, then upload it to a site like facebook and provide a link (if you can, put in the direct jpg link)

 

[Chicano]

The 100MB partition is the boot sector, the Windows installer creates it depending on the installation circumstances.. read the detailed explanation.

the 100 mb reserved partition is something that the installation wizard itself creates when your installing Os on an unallocated space,, if there is a partition already and if you choose to install on that same partition then you may not get the reserved partition option.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1936898/questions-system-reserved-partition-windows-pro-bit.html

If the "system reserves C:" 100MB partition is losing free space it must be because something is filling it which should not, that partition is reserved for the boot sector and it should not be used. Check what is in it and move non system files out of it.

 

[andy66]

Thank you Chicano & Midnightsirtort for taking all this time to help me.
This is what I have found. In Disk Management in the Win XP partition, there 3 partitions labeled “System Reserved (C” 100MB Healthy (system), “Windows 7 (D” 148.95 GB Healthy, and “ Windows XP (E” 316.71GB Healthy (boot). When clicked on each partition is full with Diagonal lines. WHEN opened in Win 7 Partition Disk Management shows the same except System Reserved has no drive latter. Calls Win7 drive C & winXP D. I cannot open system reserves in win7 mode But it says there are 38.3mb used space and 61.6mb free space.

Before I started this mail I booted in the WinXP mode and opened the system reserves partition in my computer. I found 3 folders. The first one was labeled “col3927” I opened it and found another folder and 10 or so other files with an “hp” type label on them.
The 2nd folder was labeled “program files”; Hewlett-Packard; hp print screen utility; and so on.
The 3rd folder was a driver I downloaded form Dell to have Internet access.

I then opened the system reserve partition and the XP partition on the same screen. I made a new folder in xp and moved the folders from SR to XP. I did move the programs files folder to the existing HP folder, made a new print screen utility folder and moved the files one at a time. Now when I open the SR partition there on files but properties says there 38.3mb used and 61.6mb free space but I cannot them.

My thought is that I must not have been paying attention when installing all my hp equipment and by default it was installed in (C instead of (E partition. Since the reboot I have been working right along with no “low disk warning”. I hope this is not just false hope on my part. Do you feel that what I have done is okay? I can change it back if I need too.

Thanks again for all your hepl.
Happy holidays
Andy66

 

[andy66]

I don't know where the happy faces came from

 

[andy66]

I don't know where the happy faces came from

 

[Chicano]

In Disk Management in the Win XP partition, there 3 partitions labeled “System Reserved (C” 100MB Healthy (system), “Windows 7 (D” 148.95 GB Healthy, and “ Windows XP (E” 316.71GB Healthy (boot). When clicked on each partition is full with Diagonal lines. WHEN opened in Win 7 Partition Disk Management shows the same except System Reserved has no drive latter. Calls Win7 drive C & winXP D. I cannot open system reserves in win7 mode But it says there are 38.3mb used space and 61.6mb free space.

Before I started this mail I booted in the WinXP mode and opened the system reserves partition in my computer. I found 3 folders. The first one was labeled “col3927” I opened it and found another folder and 10 or so other files with an “hp” type label on them.
The 2nd folder was labeled “program files”; Hewlett-Packard; hp print screen utility; and so on.
The 3rd folder was a driver I downloaded form Dell to have Internet access.

I then opened the system reserve partition and the XP partition on the same screen. I made a new folder in xp and moved the folders from SR to XP. I did move the programs files folder to the existing HP folder, made a new print screen utility folder and moved the files one at a time. Now when I open the SR partition there on files but properties says there 38.3mb used and 61.6mb free space but I cannot them.

My thought is that I must not have been paying attention when installing all my hp equipment and by default it was installed in (C instead of (E partition. Since the reboot I have been working right along with no “low disk warning”. I hope this is not just false hope on my part. Do you feel that what I have done is okay? I can change it back if I need too.

Thanks again for all your hepl.
Happy holidays
Andy66

The diagonal lines as seen from the Win XP disk management must be unreadable partition space probably in GPT partition tables (XP can't read GPT)... As seen from Win 7, I don't understand what's going on because it should have no problem reading GPT... System Reserve should have no drive letter so that's normal for Win 7. And since it's a system partition with no drive letter it's for system file protection and should normally not be accessible. From XP it's a different story that's probably where you saw the C letter on it.. The HP and Dell folders in System Reserve are probably unessential for system performance and that's why you were able to move them to the XP partition without causing a problem...If the HP and Dell programs work normally there should be no problem, but they should not be in the XP partition but on Win 7 since they were created from Win 7... and if they start causing problems, just move them again to System Reserve. It would probably be better to uninstall and reinstall the HP and Dell "equipment" from Windows 7. To what size do the 3 HP & Dell folders amount to? they are probably most of the 38.3mb used... and the lost disk space warning was most likely because 100MB is very small for any partition, the warning usually comes up when the remaining space is in the hundreds of MB so it was to be expected at 100MB... The part where you said:

"I also have a problem when running XP. I get a warning that "system reserves C:" is full and must close or empty files."

That should have been the clue. You never got the warning from Windows 7 because it's installation created it.. and from there it doesn't have a drive letter, So the quick solution would have been to remove the drive letter from Windows XP and problem solved.
Another quick solution wold be to edit the registry according to the KB555622 article.. (check the link).

You can still return the 3 HP and Dell folders to the System Reserved partition and remove the drive letter from XP if you experience any more problems.
There should be other hidden files in System Reserve that belong to the Windows 7 Boot sector, you can unhide them to verify their existence but don't touch them..

The happy faces are BBCode which you typed involuntarily with C: and E: between parenthesis.

How to remove the low disk space warning
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555622/en

 

[andy66]

CHICANO wrote."If the "system reserves C:" 100MB partition is losing free space it must be because something is filling it which should not, that partition is reserved for the boot sector and it should not be used. Check what is in it and move non system files out of it. "

This turned out to be my problem. I should have trusted you when you posted this answer.

Thank you
andy66