Install Windows 7 and keep winxp

[faye]

Hi,

currently running Winxp pro. It is doing so great for now.
but i want to try the Windows 7.

My question:
I want to install Windows 7, in the beginning it will ask me if i want to boot up with Windows 7 or Winxp , is it possible? What do i need?

I don't want Windows 7 to screw up my OS now. So i want to make sure the registry or anything won't be messed with the new OS. Is it possible and how?

First of all, is Windows 7 worth a try?

 

[KeypoX]

yeah as long as you install on a different partition, vista will use its new bootloader and will list xp as a boot option.

Here are detailed guides <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.google.com/search?q=dual+boot+vista+and+xp+xp+installed+first&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US😱fficial&client=firefox-a

[L=LINK here]http://www.google.com/search?q=dual+boot+vista+and+xp+xp+installed+first&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US😱fficial&client=firefox-a">http://www.google.com/search?q...&rls=org.mozilla:en-US</a>

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: faye
Hi,

currently running Winxp pro. It is doing so great for now.
but i want to try the Windows 7.

My question:
I want to install Windows 7, in the beginning it will ask me if i want to boot up with Windows 7 or Winxp , is it possible? What do i need?

I don't want Windows 7 to screw up my OS now. So i want to make sure the registry or anything won't be messed with the new OS. Is it possible and how?

First of all, is Windows 7 worth a try?

Have you played with Vista at all? Just by the look of it, 7 is similiar to Vista, so if you had trouble dealing with the appearance of Vista you might have trouble again. I like the improvements in 7 with regards to performance, and minor tweaks and fixes that they put in there, things that have annoyed me about Windows for years have finally been fixed (you can rearrange the taskbar, and when you remove flashdrives, it will actually tell you the name and not just the drive letter).

So, Windows 7 is worth a try.

First things first, you are going to want a free partition or drive to install 7 to. Once it is installed, you will get to choose which OS you want to run, so that takes care of that problem for you. The issue is going to be the partition. I would recommend making it on your 640GB drive if you can since 36GB is too small for XP and 7.

 

[faye]

Can Win7 recognize all the Winxp programs when i install them?

another question, let say for 3 months later i will uninstall Windows 7, will it screw winxp?
This is a very important point, if it messed my main OS, i honestly can't remember all the setting i have done to it.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: faye
Can Win7 recognize all the Winxp programs when i install them?

another question, let say for 3 months later i will uninstall Windows 7, will it screw winxp?
This is a very important point, if it messed my main OS, i honestly can't remember all the setting i have done to it.

There are almost no 'Win XP' programs. I would say that about 99% of everything that you use in XP will work in 7 no problem. The remaining 1% will either require you to run it as an admin or in compatbility mode. There also is the chance that one of them won't work at all.

Worst case scenario, you will still have to choose between 7 and XP at boot even though 7 is gone.

But, since you should be putting it on another hard drive, you shouldn't have any issues with them interfering at all.

Just a heads up, it is entirely possible that your Windows XP drive will not show up in 'My Computer' in 7, nothing is wrong, this is normal.

 

[13Gigatons]

Originally posted by: faye
Can Win7 recognize all the Winxp programs when i install them?

another question, let say for 3 months later i will uninstall Windows 7, will it screw winxp?
This is a very important point, if it messed my main OS, i honestly can't remember all the setting i have done to it.

I will assume that Windows XP is installed on C drive. First thing to do is make a image of the C partition. Then install 7 on the D partition.

The boot files will be on the C drive so you can format the D drive in 3 months and still boot into Windows XP.

The image of the C partition is just good insurance.

 

[Chang10is]

Originally posted by: TheStu

There are almost no 'Win XP' programs. I would say that about 99% of everything that you use in XP will work in 7 no problem. The remaining 1% will either require you to run it as an admin or in compatbility mode.

Is this true when going from 32-bit Win XP to 64-bit Win 7, or just when migrating from 32-bit to 32-bit?

 

[pcslookout]

Originally posted by: Chang10is

Originally posted by: TheStu

There are almost no 'Win XP' programs. I would say that about 99% of everything that you use in XP will work in 7 no problem. The remaining 1% will either require you to run it as an admin or in compatbility mode.

Is this true when going from 32-bit Win XP to 64-bit Win 7, or just when migrating from 32-bit to 32-bit?

Good question. I would say for the most part yes but it may be more like 98% of everything that you use in XP will work in Windows 7 instead.

The only reason I say that is because some sandbox like programs won't work in any 64 bit OS, right now, still and a few other things. Though it is not nearly a problem like it once was. We are headed toward a 64 bit OS being the standard soon so why not have it ready when it is time ? Easier than having to redo your whole computer again down the line. You can not upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit which really sucks for some people.

 

[Chang10is]

Originally posted by: pcslookout
We are headed toward a 64 bit OS being the standard soon so why not have it ready when it is time ? Easier than having to redo your whole computer again down the line. You can not upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit which really sucks for some people.

Thanks for weighing in on that. I was thinking exactly the same thing about trying out the Win 7 RC 64-bit--I should use it eventually, so why not now? But then I read that you have to do a clean installation of the final release Win 7 if you're running the RC. The necessity of reinstalling everything from scratch is a bit of a hassle. Strange that you can't just install the final release on top of the RC (or even just update the serial number).