Need help to setup dual boot

Need help to setup dual boot

The previous post is right. The best way to create or install multiple operating systems on a computer is to have a separate partition for your data files. Before formatting your hard drive, backup important files on a separate drive or in a USB flash drive. You can use PowerQuest Partition Magic in creating the partitions.

Since you want to install Windows XP and Windows 7, create a partition for Windows XP, a separate partition for Windows 7, and another separate partition for your data files. Format your entire hard drive to delete all partitions. After that, create the three partitions, two will be used for the operating systems, but don’t format the partitions.

Set the first partition as “active” and restart the computer. If you don’t do this the drive will not boot. Once the first partition is “active”, install Windows XP on the partition and let Windows XP format the drive. Once it is installed, install Windows 7 on the second partition and then complete the installation. Also, allow Windows 7 to format the partition.

In case Windows 7 doesn’t boot, this is probably because the second partition is not active. In this case, set the second partition [where Windows 7 is installed] as active therefore having two active partitions on the computer. The reason for setting both partitions to “active” is because the computer only allows one “active” partition when booting.

When the computer has two “active” partitions, the other “active” partition will be hidden during boot up so only one “active” partition is visible. If you don’t do this, both drives C and D where Windows XP and Windows 7 are installed respectively will be visible and since the default system drive when booting is drive C, booting on Windows 7 will cause an error because drive C contains Windows XP.