Windows 7+ Windows XP

I am currently running Wiondows 7 on a newly installed disk drive and I would like to know how to use my Windows XP system on the same computer. The disk has been used once on an old computer of mine. I know I have only a licence to install it on one computer but the original computer has gone so this one will be the only one with XP on it. The reason I need XP is that I have a program that just won't install on Windows 7 for me but it will in XP. To get round this as a temporary thing I have made a virtual drive and installed XP on that. This has allowed me to install the program I need on that virtual drive but it's not very satisfactory in a virtual environment as it gobbles up memory.

 

That's what I would recommend, is a virtual drive. If you have 2GB memory then give a third to XP which will be happy with that unless you're running Photoshop or some other big resource hog. Alternatively, check to see if there are XP drivers available for your machine before you even think of dual booting which is somewhat difficult, more so on a laptop.

Perhaps post the program you want to run in W7, maybe someone has an easy out for you. Otherwise, if you have the drivers, install XP first(a cloned drive might not work because of hardware) and then install W7, that's if you have the install disk. Easiest way. Maybe install another gig or two of RAM if you only have 1GB at the moment.

 

Thanks for that. It looks like I might be stuck with the virtual drive. The program I am having problems with gave me exactly the same angst when I was using Vista and I opened a thread on here but I never got to the cause of the problem.

 

Agree with augie, if you only need XP for access to that one program then stick with a virtual drive. There are ways to dual boot XP and W7 with W7 already installed, but more trouble than it's worth in your situation.

 

That's it then, the virtual drive it is.