Installing two versions of Windows on one PC

[Kristijonas]

Hello, I have one hard disk with one partition and Windows 8 in it.
Can I also install Windows XP so I can use sometimes one, sometimes the other? How would I go about doing that?

 

[JackMDS]

The key is to install XP first.


http://superuser.com/questions/3354...ot-windows-xp-and-windows-8-developer-preview

 

[fjmeat]

Would it be easier to install a second HDD to install Win8 on?

Then just hit F2 when PC boots up - and tell it which HDD to boot Windows from?

 

[MontyAC]

You can also just run the XP OS in a virtual machine.

 

[Kristijonas]

You can also just run the XP OS in a virtual machine.

How can I do that? I have Windows 8 Enterprise if that matters.

 

[MontyAC]

Install VMware Player or VirtualBox. check this:

http://lifehacker.com/5714966/five-best-virtual-machine-applications

 

[Chiefcrowe]

You also could be better off enabling the Hyper-V hypervisor that is built into Win8, and running the VM through there. I'd try that first if I were you since you don't have to install any other software to run it.

How can I do that? I have Windows 8 Enterprise if that matters.

 

[Steltek]

You also could be better off enabling the Hyper-V hypervisor that is built into Win8, and running the VM through there. I'd try that first if I were you since you don't have to install any other software to run it.

+1

Here are a few articles giving a walkthrough - you need to do them in the order shown, though.

Enabling Hyper-V in Windows 8

Installing Windows XP in Windows 8 Client Hyper-V

 

[Ketchup]

I have a few XP Virtual machines, and they run fine on modern hardware, although I found some tweaking was involved to make them run great.

Vmware Player gets my vote for this. It just works, and does it very well.

 

[Kristijonas]

Thank you! All wonderful suggestions. Off to do research!

 

[FalseChristian]

I use VirtualBox with an 18GB partition. This is all you need as most programs and games WILL work in Windows 7 64-bit. Hell, Even, Doom with the JDoom mod and good ol' GLQuake with HD Darkplaces mod work just fine in Windows 7.

I like to play Quake II now and then. Quake II will run in Windows 7 but the expansions won't so I go into Virtual box to play these and a few other windows 7-resistant programs.