Dual Boot on Different HDDs

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Drklighter

n00b
Joined
Mar 13, 2005
Messages
25
Greetings...

I have a "Workshop" computer I have built from spare parts. I'd like to set up a dual-boot WinXP/Win7. I have 2 HDDs, a 160GB SATA drive with WinXPSP3, and an IDE133 80GB drive with Win7. I have presiously set up a dual boot on another computer with 2 IDE drives and read of many dual boot systems... however, they all boot to a "boot options" screen that offers:

Windows 7
Earlier Version of Windows

That's what I was hoping for here, but it keeps booting into whatever Windows is set as the primary boot drive. My only guess as to why is ther two different types of drives. I don't really want to F8/choose boot everytime I turn this thing on, so I'd appreciate if anyone knows the following:

1) Can a WinXP/Win7 dual boot set-up be done with an IDE and SATA drive(s)?
2) If so, what am I doing wrong?

NOTE: I installed WindowsXP first, then Windows 7, as instucted by numerous tech sites and my own previous experiences. Both installs are clean and new. Both drives are checked and good.

Hardware:
ASUS M3N78-VM
AthlonII 7750BE
4GB GSkill PiBlack PC-6400
XFX 9600GT XXX Ed.
Antec EarthWatts 500W PSU
WD 160GB SATAII HDD (WinXP)
Samsung 80GB IDE 133 HDD (Win7)
LG Super-Multi Burner (IDE)

Any help appreciated, thanks.
 
Windows 7 will have XP Mode (well, the more expensive ones will, anyway), so you could just use that.
 
Thanks for the replies.

1. Windows 7 "XP Mode" only supports certain Programs and Apps, and no games... it is not what I had hoped it would be, and certainly doesn't replace XP entirely.

2. I had WinXP installed first, then installed Win7... tried several times. It worked before when I was using two IDE drives, but now that one is a SATA... nada.
 
What apps do you have that won't run in 7 let alone XP mode? That being said, what games? There really should be no reason you need a full install of XP anymore.

Where are you getting your information about it only supporting certain apps... that is untrue.
 
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criccio said:
What apps do you have that won't run in 7 let alone XP mode? That being said, what games? There really should be no reason you need a full install of XP anymore.

Where are you getting your information about it only supporting certain apps... that is untrue.
Click to expand...

Man what do you have against the guy running XP in dual boot mode? Not everyone wants to use a virtual edition of XP. :rolleyes:

gwarren007 said:
Have XP installed first then install 7. Otherwise 7 will always boot.
Click to expand...

Bingo. I think that if you wipe the copy of Windows 7 away and then reinstall it you should be fine. In a Windows dual boot always install the oldest version of Windows first. Then the newer versions. If installed in this order the boot loader should automatically adjust. Good luck.
 
metallicafan said:
Man what do you have against the guy running XP in dual boot mode? Not everyone wants to use a virtual edition of XP. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I just am trying to figure out why he thinks he needs XP installed at all. If you don't want to run it virtually for the very small amount of minor things that won't work in 7, then you should just be running XP as your main OS in the first place...
 
Drklighter said:
2. I had WinXP installed first, then installed Win7... tried several times. It worked before when I was using two IDE drives, but now that one is a SATA... nada.
Click to expand...
Enter the BIOS. Make sure the drive that has XP on it has boot priority over the other drive.

Now, if you install Windows 7 on the other drive, you will get the boot option.

Since you already have 7 installed on the other drive, you may be able to just perform a startup repair after making sure that the XP drive has boot priority, and get it going.

Edit:
I actually prefer dual booting the way you have it. Set the BIOS to give boot priority to the OS you use most of the time.
When you want to boot to the other, press F12 during post and select the other.
 
Thanks for the replies.

1. My info about WinXP mode comes from Microsoft, via newsletters (like Lockergnome and Fred Langa), and CPU Magazine... also the description on the MS site outlines the WinXP mode as being for "older business software"
(EDIT: There's no DirectX support, so that clinche's it)

2. I want to dual boot so I can have the two independent OSes for a variety of reasons (troubleshooting, experimentation, etc.)... this is my "Workshop" computer, and I am using the RC version of Win7 (so I want XP for when that runs out as well). Also, it gives me a chance to get used to Win7 before I buy it as my main OS.

3. Once again, I already have a good clean version of WinXPSP3 installed on the SATA drive in the computer. Now I have added an IDE drive and want to put Win7RC on it... but after several tries it will not "automatically" set up the dual boot as it did previously when I was using two IDE drives on the same system. I have tried EasyBCD but it didn't work, and I didn't want to have to mash F8 everytime I want to change OSes.

MrF: I can't remember if I installed Win7 with the boot priority still being set to the WinXP drive, so I will try that again... thanks.

If anyone else has info, please keep posting, I appreciate it.
 
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