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Dual Boot Win7 & WinXP, 2 Different Hard Drives


login123

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Success, but not finished yet.

As it stands now, the p7 will boot to win 7 on SATA 0 or to win xp on SATA 1.

Don't need any 3rd party boot loader, just select the desired HD from the boot menu.

Have not had time to do anything at all to win xp, so not sure how well it is working, but it boots.

 

I always get the feeling that everybody on the internet already knows this stuff. But i didn't, and this computer uses an ornery, new-ish boot setup, so maybe not. So here goes.

 

I used the 8 step method:

STEP 1: Read everything on the internet. This may take a while.

STEP 2: Download every driver set that might possibly work for your hardware. I have about 650 mb, about 1000 files.

STEP 3: Read all that stuff again. See if anybody seems to know what he is talking about. See if anybody actually DID it.

STEP 4: Make many ISOs and try them in Virtual Box. If they won't install, make more. If they will, try them on the real computer.

STEP 5: Make more ISOs because the ones that worked in Vbox didn't work on the real computer.

STEP 6: Re-examine your reason for living. Attend a support group. Avoid alcohol.

STEP 7: Focus on that person who seems to know what (s)he is talking about. Use the drivers (s)he recommended.

STEP 8: Make an ISO with those drivers and try it. If it works, you're done, delete those other drivers. If not, start back at STEP 3.

- - - - - - - -

OK, enough now of levity. Here is what worked.

 

The biggest hurdle was which mode to use when installing. This may vary on your system.

The conventional wisdom, found on almost every site I read, says to set the BIOS to IDE mode, then make the installation.

Didn't work. Used AHCI instead. Worked

 

The next biggest hurdle is slipstreaming the correct drivers.

At this time, I don't think HP makes a driver for win xp which will recognize this computer's hardware.

Not sure yet if that is true, but if it is, a pox on the house of HP. :angry:

I used a modified driver, found on a different forum.

Not sure if I should link to it on here, will wait for approval from one of the moderators. Its all legal, but if there is an issue about linking to the other forum, I won't.

 

- set BIOS to AHCI mode (contrary to most tutorials).

- Put the installer ISO with the new drivers in the DVD drive and close it.

Note: I chose to unplug the power. SATA drives may be "Hot Swappable" but avoiding electrocution is very important to me.

- unplug the original SATA HD (win 7)

- plug in the new SATA hd (empty, 1 partition formatted to NTFS)

- Start the computer and boot from the DVD drive. This computer doesn't do that by default, so I had to go to the boot menu and select it.

- Win XP will now install.

 

That is where it stands right now. Will post later about how xp is working.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

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Xp is working but not properly. No internet yet, Took about an hour to get it to recognize USB drives. Still have not found the real driver for the DVD drive, although it is working. The graphics work oddly. Even though apps respond faster, the screen painter is slow and jerky.

 

On the other hand,the apps that work are fast as lightning. And, whaddaya know, no blue screens yet. So the saga continues.

 

I wouldn't recommend this project for anyone unless they just like to experiment. But its better entertainment than TV. :P

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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keep going login 123 and posting about what's happening, I'm proud of you :)

 

I know that on one of the xp machines I have it will only recognise a USB if it is the first time one has been plugged in after boot, otherwise I have to reboot again.

 

It's always been like this and I've gotten used to it over the years. Doesn't seem to happen on Win 7.

 

Is it onboard graphics or dedicated?

 

By the way I love the 8 step method you used in this experiment!!

 

STEP 1: Read everything on the internet. This may take a while.

STEP 2: Download every driver set that might possibly work for your hardware. I have about 650 mb, about 1000 files.

STEP 3: Read all that stuff again. See if anybody seems to know what he is talking about. See if anybody actually DID it.

STEP 4: Make many ISOs and try them in Virtual Box. If they won't install, make more. If they will, try them on the real computer.

STEP 5: Make more ISOs because the ones that worked in Vbox didn't work on the real computer.

STEP 6: Re-examine your reason for living. Attend a support group. Avoid alcohol.

STEP 7: Focus on that person who seems to know what (s)he is talking about. Use the drivers (s)he recommended.

STEP 8: Make an ISO with those drivers and try it. If it works, you're done, delete those other drivers. If not, start back at STEP 3.

 

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support@ccleaner.com

 

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Well, thanks, Hazel, that's high praise indeed. :)

Never heard that about the USB situation. ??? Strange. Too many occupied mount points? << Wild guess.

I don't know the graphics answer. Will find out soon.

Would you like some nice coasters?

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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....

Is it onboard graphics or dedicated?

...

 

HP describes the graphics and audio as "integrated" . http://h20000.www2.h...ectID=c03359127

 

Still working on it. I think I have the drivers, just not had time to try them yet.

Grandchildren, Halloween, leaves to rake and jump in, etc. :D

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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Login, you mentioned you used slip streaming, & how difficult some processes were for you.

 

I know from testing n-Lited XP configurations, if you choose for it to remove parts from the installation, it will cause weird problems or crashes on install sometimes.

Best to leave all the XP files there.

 

What is safe to change, is the settings. Get it set to install how you want, as well as add NVidia Sata drivers (text mode is what you need, I believe).

 

This may help when your creating an ISO, & if it does then I am glad to have helped you.

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Thanks, super. The project continues, in fits and starts. I will certainly post back when there is significant progress.

Its going to work, if I have to write the drivers myself. ugh.

The biggest issue is that at the start I knew absalootely nothing about the nlite process. Steep learning curve.

Thanks for the encouragement.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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No problem!!!

 

It seems to work ok adding drivers, changing default settings for XP, or integrating service packs.

But removing things will break parts of the setup.

 

N-Lite creates modified cabinet files that it repacks when you do subtraction of files/drivers/windows components.

Which causes problems. Sometimes halfway through the setup, or later.

 

So addition works, but subtraction fails (usually).

 

:)

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... to go forward or not, that is the question. ...

 

:lol: Right on target, mta. Its done, am logged on here now using IE8 in win xp on a UEFI (oofy) based win 7 computer.

The setup looks like FrankenPuter right now, and works like a charm. There are still a few glitches, just minor things. Both operating systems are working and would make microsoft proud.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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Sounds like you are now qualified for the Microsoft Certification exams.

Job well done - don't you feel impowered now !

 

The sad news is, now you have all this knowledge, unless you use it again, it's all going to fade away - how sad. all those hours & hours.

 

But enjoy the high and the satisfaction of besting the machine.

Backup now & backup often.
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Three things are certain; Birth, Death and loss of data. You control the last.

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The sad news is, now you have all this knowledge, unless you use it again, it's all going to fade away - how sad. all those hours & hours.

 

I always automate things that are hard.

 

For OS, I store them as bootable ISO files so I don't have to recreate boot loaders when I have to create a copy from backups.

 

This way, you don't have to worry about it fading away.

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Well, yes mta, its gone...I have slept since last post... :P ...have to re-learn it all now.

 

Kroozer, this computer is fast as lightning, for win 7 and win xp both.

 

There is one issue left. I can select the boot HD just by tapping escape at startup. That is what i wanted.

 

The issue is, win 7 can see the win xp installation in windows explorer, and can read, write, add, delete, etc to it.

But win xp does not see the win 7 installation.

Would like it better if neither OS could see or write to the other.

Is there a way hide win xp from win 7?

Not a huge issue, just thought someone might know an easy way.

Yeah, right, an easy way.

 

Edit:

Super, I am not knowledgeable enough to do that yet, but am getting there. Got some leftover DVDs. :-)

Is there an easy guide somewhere?

I guess that is pretty easy for those who are already tech savvy, but right now the old brain is fried.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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You can sort of hide XP from 7.

 

-> Right-click XP folders/Properties/checkmark Hidden, apply to current folder(s) only.

 

Note that 7 will still bring up XP files when doing a search, but if you hide the folders for normal views & have Windows set not to reveal hidden or system directories, it should provide at least a basic form of hiding them.

 

Is this what you had in mind, or did you want a different kind of hide?

 

Edit: If you have a bootable CD/DVD disk of Windows that you created, I believe ImgBurn will make a 1 click backup of it to ISO if you select for it to do so.

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The issue is, win 7 can see the win xp installation in windows explorer, and can read, write, add, delete, etc to it.

Is there a way hide win xp from win 7?

That should be easy.

 

Using Win 7 select computer and right click and choose Manage.

This give "Computer Management"

Under Storage select "Disk Management"

This will identify all Disks and all partitions together with allocated "drive letters"

Win 7 will probably show :-

itself as (C:) with status of (Boot,...Primary...), and

XP as (D:) and status (Primary...)

 

Select this XP partition and right click and "Change Drive Letter and Paths"

Click the Remove button and then OK

 

The partition will in no way be affected, but Windows Explorer under Win 7 will NOT see it any more

unless you return and use the ADD button.

 

Even though most of Win 7 cannot see XP, you can still boot into XP and it will still see itself as C:\

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In Win 7 right click "Computer" and select "Manage".

 

Right click and under Storage select "Disk Manaagement"

You should see the Win XP partition.

Right click and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths"

Click "Remove" then "OK"

 

Win 7 will no loger see XP unless you click "ADD" then "OK"

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OK, I'll do that. Thank you. A question, though. Does that lock that HD from writing, or just hide it? In other words, if a bug attacks the win 7 HD can it also get to the win xp hd? I'm not on that computer right now, cannot test it.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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This little project was completed successfully.

Many thanks to all who helped and offered encouragement.

Page 2 of this thread is gone, but it didn't have much useful information.

- - Edit 22 nov 2012: Page 2 is back.

The complete list of steps and links can be found at the HP Forums HERE in post 35. They will probably be different for different systems.

A couple of surprising aspects of this project were that you do NOT need to change your BIOS at all.

Just leave it set to AHCI and unplug the original hard drive while installing win xp to the new one.

And there is no need to change the boot order, just open the boot menu and select the device you want to boot from.

And that HP doesn't appear to make a driver for this hardware. There is one, but HP doesn't make it, had to find it elsewhere. Shame on HP.

 

Edit 12 nov 2012: The whole trick to this was getting a driver that worked in win xp and recognized the new hardware. I could have made ISOs forever and would just have kept getting those arcane error messages. I suspect that drivers will be the big obstacle for most anybody trying to put XP onto a new computer.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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Shame on HP indeed (and their printers!!)

 

You did a great job login and I'm sure Piriform are racing around the server corridors looking for page 2 of this thread :)

:lol: Well, we can only hope that the Golden Laptop was not harmed.

A funny thing did happen, though, on the last installation of win xp.

When it offered to format the partition before installing, I selected "Leave the file system intact".

Its all 1 big partiton, NTFS, 1 tb, so I thought to save time and just install over the old OS, which I had messed up by installing conflicting drivers.

After the installation finished, a black screen offered the option to boot from "WINDOWS XP" all caps or "windows xp" small case.

It looked like the normal screen black that shows while the boot loader waits for you to select the boot partition.

One of those choices was the first installation, with some software already in and the conflicting drivers still in. Still there.

I didn't try the other option, just did a full format and reinstalled. That worked normally.

Anybody seen anything like that before? I just thought the new OS would install the over the old one, wiping it out.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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I have seen this before on a machine and went into msconfig and both OS's showed up in the boot.ini tab. I just deleted the old entry. Sometimes happens when a quick format is selected instead of a full format.

 

Of course you have to make sure to delete the correct one :lol:

 

Support contact

https://support.ccleaner.com/s/contact-form?language=en_US&form=general

or

support@ccleaner.com

 

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What's funny is that (the last three classes of) my COMPTIA+ course we are making a tri-boot xp/vista/seven machine...if only that were weeks ago when this thread started

 

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OK, I'll do that. Thank you. A question, though. Does that lock that HD from writing, or just hide it? In other words, if a bug attacks the win 7 HD can it also get to the win xp hd? I'm not on that computer right now, cannot test it.

Normal access under Windows 7 will not allow reading or writing the XP drive,

BUT access will be gained by using Windows Disk Management and adding a drive letter.

I believe there are special commands that can be used to identify and access a drive with no letter,

but I forget the details and never mastered them.

 

I believe that whilst you are logged in to Windows 7 :-

 

It is unlikely but an Internet hacker might be able to penetrate your Windows 7 system and gain authority to use Windows Disk Management

and thus allocate a drive letter to the XP partition and search for credit card / bank details on both drives ;

 

A physical intruder could do the same - or open the box and steal the drive ;

 

It is extremely unlikely but a virus might have the same capability, when you think of the Flame and Stuxnet attacks on Iran.

I am thankful that my PC is not controlling a nuclear centrifuge :)

http://www.globalpos...an-israel-obama

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What's funny is that (the last three classes of) my COMPTIA+ course we are making a tri-boot xp/vista/seven machine...if only that were weeks ago when this thread started

 

Well, I read a lot of stuff, and none of the conventional wisdom worked.

Probably because the HP drivers don't work for win xp

Did you guys use one HD partitioned? Seems most everybody does that.

 

Alan, I think ?? I can write to the win xp partition. Not sure.

Have not tried it yet, will do so and report back. Will be a day or two.

If so, it would be OK but not ideal.

What would be really good would be the ability to unlock win xp, write files to it, then lock it out again.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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When you have only HDD's it is worth thinking about Pagefile

and detesting the horibble waste of time use when Windows stops accessing the Disk for code,

and sends the Disk read/write head trundling between the outer radius and the inner radius of the platter to reach the Pagefile.

 

If you have, or create, some unused space on your XP disc you could create partition P:\ in that space,

and move your "Windows 7" PageFile to Partition P:\.

P:\ is not mandatory - just easy to remember and assosciate with Pagefile.

 

When Pagefile is in P:\ on a different mechanism from that which holds C:\,

then a Pagefile access will allways find the read write head for P:\ in the correct place,

and the read/write head for C:\ will also not have to twitch.

 

I have never measured the benefit of the above,

but it is one of the first things I did when I had a Desktop with two Internal HDD's,

and it never caused me any grief.

 

What would be really good would be the ability to unlock win xp, write files to it, then lock it out again.

When you boot into the XP disc it will work as normal and still see itself as being drive D:\ regardless of what Windows 7 chose it to be.

 

When you boot into Windows 7 you only have to open Windows Disk Management and you can then see all Partitions on all Disks,

and regardless of any Drive letters that may or may not be assigned,

you can select any partition that is not in use and Add / Remove / or Alter the letter assigned to it under Windows 7.

 

You should of course NOT be able to Remove or Change the drive letters C:\ ( or P:\ whilst holding Pagefile ),

You will instead either achieve a BSOD or be told it is in use :o

 

So long as a Partition / Drive has a letter assigned then Windows Explorer can explore it and your applications can read and write to it.

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