How to Dual Boot Windows 7 with XP or Vista
Download the Windows 7 Beta and burn it to a DVD
Once you have downloaded a copy of Windows 7, you will need to burn it to a DVD in order to do a fresh installation. Burn the ISO to a DVD.
Step 1: Partition you hard drive
Before installed Windows 7, you need to create new partition on your hard drive to hold the new installation of Windows. Partitioning your hard drive will vary depending on whether you’re running XP or Vista. Vista has a partition tool baked in, XP does not.
Partition your hard drive in XP
You will need to download a third-party partitioning software. There are many options available. I prefer to stay with the GParted live CD. To use it, just download the GParted Live CD, then reboot your computer (booting from disc). You’ll boot right into the partitioning tool.
1. Resize your current OS drive to free up enough space for a Windows 7 partition (the minimum system requirements ask for 16GB).
2. Create a new partition from the newly freed space.
3. Apply your changes.
Partition your hard drive in Vista
Go to Control Panel>System and Maintenance (skip this if you’re in Classic View)>Administrative Tools>Computer Management. Once you launch the Computer Management tool, click on Disk Management under the Storage heading in the sidebar. You will need to shrink your current OS partition to free up at lease 16GB of disk space (per the Windows 7 minimum system requirements) then create a “New Simple Volume” from the free space.
Step 2: Install Windows 7 on your new partition
Insert Windows 7 disc and reboot your computer (you’ll need to have enabled booting from your DVD drive in your system BIOS, but most PCs will have this enabled by default).
Once the DVD boots up follow the installation wizard. When choosing installation type, be sure to select Custom (advanced) and choose the partition you set up above.
Windows will run through some installation bits, restart a few times in the process. Eventually you will be prompted to set up your account, enter your license key and set up Windows.
You should now have a new entry for Windows 7 on your boot screen when you first start up your computer.
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