Free Computer Repair Service

Many people asked how to install Windows XP over Windows 7. The following method can be used: no drive to install original Windows XP, install XP in the conditions of existing WIN7/VISTA to own a dual-boot system.

First. Preparing the following work.

1. A partition of the computer to install Win XP, because we will have to install the original edition, the target partition’s data is not to be covered as GHOST version, so installation no impact the data on the partition, it’s not need to backup.
2.The ISO files of original XP on the hard disk or U disk.
3.All drives Win XP needed.
4. A bootable U disk with Windows PE, which should bring a virtual drive.

Second. Installing Windows XP over windows 7 system

1.Boot and enter into BIOS settings, if you are using a laptop, switch to SATA mode, select IDE mode, save and exit. Incidentally, if necessary, modify the boot device order, make sure the USB device is the first.
Note: Because the original XP installation does not support SATA hard disk , SATA driver must also be loaded through the floppy in the installation process, otherwise it will fail to find the disk and can not continue.(It is said that some OEM installing version integrated SATA drive can not need to change modes) .Changed the mode will lead to the installed WIN7/VISTA can not enter, it does not matter we will solve this problem.

2.Plug in your U disk, boot from U disk enter into PE. Load XP, open the virtual drive load Win XP ISO, start XP Setup.

3. Installation type must choose “clean install”, enter the key.

4. This is the most crucial step, this is the reason why many people cannot install XP from the U disk.

5.Open the “Advanced Options”, select “copy all files from the installation CD” and “I want to … …” , in “to this folder of the hard drive “, write the location that temporary files for installation will be copied to, such as D: \ Windows. Note that this refers not the location where XP will be installed, it’s the location where store the temporary files of installaion.

Why this is important: Install version of XP can only find Installation source from the drive, which is the reason why store the original XP ISO to U disk only can lead XP but can not install XP in windows 7 system. Because the handicapped XP installer does not know use U disk as the installation source. Now WIN7 have no problem of this.
The following is the XP automatic installation, just follow it.

Three. The finishing-up after install Windows XP over Windows 7 system.

1.Repair boot. If your computer have installed WIN7 or VISTA, now you will find inaccessible, there is no start menu. We need a tool to generate boot menu which simultaneously exit WIN 7 and XP to allow two systems could enter, i arbitrarily chosed NTBOOTautofix, the tool can be run under PE, XP, WIN7/VISTA.
2.After the repair boot, you will find WIN7/VISTA still cannot enter, and this is the SATA mode problems the above mentioned.

The solution method: first manually install the SATA drivers to XP, and then change it back to SATA mode. If directly change it back to SATA mode, the results is WIN7/VISTA can start, XP Start the Blue Screen.
Method:

1) Install the latest motherboard drivers.

2) download Intel ATA controller driver , unzip to a folder. At present most of the chipsets available, please view the readme file to use.

3) Enter into the Device Manager to manually update the IDE device driver, select the folder just decompressed.

4) Restart, enter into BIOS and change it back to SATA mode.

After install XP in Windows 7,  if you have time, optimize your XP and Win 7 .

Windows XP Optimization Tips   Windows 7 Tips

This way of installing a dual-boot system of Windows XP and Win7 through install Windows XP over Windows 7 is used successful, if there is any wrong or you have the better methods, welcome to share!