[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Put a Second Windows Environment on Your PC here

[JamesVelasquez]

The thing about Windows XP mode for windows 7 is its not a true virtilization enviroment. It has some type of shell intergration that makes it act like an extension of windows 7, because of that some applications install in windows xp mode show up in windows 7.

Its just something to keep in mind if your thinking "oh free license for xp" there are several strings attached.

[ericscarlett3321]

There is one exception to not being able to install Windows on an external drive - eSATA. If your BIOS supports booting from the eSATA external connection, you can setup Windows on an external eSATA hard drive.

[Smooth1]

What about VHD in Win 7

[russlakeside]

You tight wadds need to let XP die. Most of your conflicts are due to XP.

[john3347]

russlakeside, on 17 August 2012 - 02:23 AM, said:

You tight wadds need to let XP die. Most of your conflicts are due to XP.

No russlakeside, most of the conflicts are due to Windows 7. I am gradually moving my 8 computers back to XP and am experiencing significantly "smoother" and extremely more stable operation with XP than Windows 7 SP1. Granted, Windows 7 is faster loading programs from the harddrive or downloading items from web, but I don't have to reboot XP once or twice a day to clear some glitch that mysteriously appeared. Unless Windows 8 shows considerably more stability than Vista or Windows 7, it will just become another Vista.

As is touched on in the article here, XP Mode is NOT an installation of Windows XP. It does not have all the features of XP and it does not have all the configuration and control settings of XP. It does not have the same "look and feel" of XP. It also does not offer the stability and general performance equal to a stand alone actual installation of XP.

If you are looking for the stability and operation ease of Windows XP, you have to install Windows XP.

[umpquajim]

There is a third way to have two (or more) operating systems on one PC, but it takes a little more effort. I have two drives on mine, WinXP and Win7. I access the one I want by going into the BIOS and changing the boot priority as it boots up. I don't boot up to Win7 very often because I use WinXP almost exclusively and I have never had any serious problems with it. It is easier to configure it the way I want it and to solve problems when they do crop up.

[brainout]

Thank you, Mr. Spector. I've been ruminating about how to create a dual environment for months. The Acer 8573-9627 allows you to dual boot in Win7 32-bit, or 64-bit, but if neither version is sufficiently backwards-compatible with XP, then it wouldn't be helpful. Now, reading your article here and the other links within it, plus the comments made, I have a good strategy. Instead of doing dual-boot with Linux and XP, I can instead dual-boot with XP and Win7. Then, gradually over time, without undue time spent, play with the glitches in Win7. So could keep a dedicated Linux machine, with or without its own dual boot.

Most importantly, I noticed you have Outlook Express. Win7 can't run it, so the article seemed to show you running it in a virtual machine. I've not tried that route, either. Looks promising, at least for certain applications.

So I'd do the two-drive approach rather than partitions -- even though, Macrium Reflect 5 Pro (my new favorite program of all time) will allow you to resize the partition during Restore: even, on different hardware. (I also have the full panoply from EASEUS, but don't use it.) So it seems like a no brainer: get a PC made with two 1TB hard drives but no OS, with all the hardware bells and whistles, then go through two installations. First or second one can be a simple restore using Macrium Reflect. The other one, can be Win7.

Do you know if one should precede the other? Should I do the Restore first on one drive, or Win7 first on a drive? Seems like I should follow the procedure you mentioned, but instead of partitioning, seems like I should first restore. Then, install Win7 (probably Ultimate, so I can get XP Mode and DOSBOX) on the other drive.

Thank you for whatever time you spend, in reply!

[brainout]

Quote

russlakeside said
You tight wadds need to let XP die. Most of your conflicts are due to XP. No russlakeside, most of the conflicts are due to Windows 7. I am gradually moving my 8 computers back to XP and am experiencing significantly "smoother" and extremely more stable operation with XP than Windows 7 SP1. Granted, Windows 7 is faster loading programs from the harddrive or downloading items from web, but I don't have to reboot XP once or twice a day to clear some glitch that mysteriously appeared. Unless Windows 8 shows considerably more stability than Vista or Windows 7, it will just become another Vista. As is touched on in the article here, XP Mode is NOT an installation of Windows XP. It does not have all the features of XP and it does not have all the configuration and control settings of XP. It does not have the same "look and feel" of XP. It also does not offer the stability and general performance equal to a stand alone actual installation of XP. If you are looking for the stability and operation ease of Windows XP, you have to install Windows XP.

I just bought a used Windows 7 Pro Dell machine arriving today. I also have a full NEW retail (not OEM) XP Pro with SP2 and have the SP3 CD from MS. Do you think I could create a dual boot with both Win7 and XP on the machine? Both are 32-bit. Thank you for your time in reply!

[brainout]

Edited version

brainout, on 08 November 2012 - 08:18 AM, said:

Quote

russlakeside said
You tight wadds need to let XP die. Most of your conflicts are due to XP.

Quote

John3347 said
No russlakeside, most of the conflicts are due to Windows 7. I am gradually moving my 8 computers back to XP and am experiencing significantly "smoother" and extremely more stable operation with XP than Windows 7 SP1. Granted, Windows 7 is faster loading programs from the harddrive or downloading items from web, but I don't have to reboot XP once or twice a day to clear some glitch that mysteriously appeared. Unless Windows 8 shows considerably more stability than Vista or Windows 7, it will just become another Vista. As is touched on in the article here, XP Mode is NOT an installation of Windows XP. It does not have all the features of XP and it does not have all the configuration and control settings of XP. It does not have the same "look and feel" of XP. It also does not offer the stability and general performance equal to a stand alone actual installation of XP. If you are looking for the stability and operation ease of Windows XP, you have to install Windows XP.

I just bought a used Windows Vista and also 7 Pro Dell machines arriving today. I also have a full NEW retail (not OEM) XP Pro with SP2 and have the SP3 CD from MS. Do you think I could create a dual boot with both Win7 or Vista and XP on the machine? Which would be better? Both are 32-bit. Thank you for your time in reply!

Sorry about the editing. The machines arrived as I was typing.

This post has been edited by brainout: 08 November 2012 - 09:59 AM