Insider Secrets: Dual boot Windows 7 beta

Inspired by CNET's Quick Tips and First Looks on Windows 7 beta, but not sure how to install it correctly? Never fear!

This video guide will help you create a dual-boot configuration, so you can run the preview of Microsoft's latest OS without destroying your older operating system.

Seth peers into the deep, dark corners of software so that you don't have to. He has yet to suffer a single nightmare about OS/2. You can follow him on Twitter.

Topics:: Windows Software

Tags:: Windows 7,; beta,; Windows 7 beta,; operating system,; Insider Secrets

Share:: Digg; Del.icio.us; Reddit; Facebook

See all Windows 7 coverage.

Full coverage: Windows 7

Recent posts from The Download Blog: Yahoo Messenger 10 waves bye to 'beta'; Multiple updates for Chrome stable and dev; NBA Basketball and a squishy driving game: iPhone apps of the week; iTunes music library makes its way to the browser; Office 2010 beta leaks early; Google buys Gizmo5 for Google Voice; Microsoft opens online mobile Marketplace; PressReader brings 1,300 newspapers to your iPhone

Add a Comment (Log in or register) Showing 1 of 2 pages (30 Comments)


by nick0D January 23, 2009 2:31 PM PST: Fantastic!! Now all I need is a new USB and then it's WINDOWS 7! That was a great video, by the way. Very helpful indeed; Like this Reply to this comment


by January 23, 2009 6:23 PM PST: great; Like this Reply to this comment


by fraist January 24, 2009 7:12 AM PST: great! Can I install it in an external hard disk?; Like this Reply to this comment


by jellojerry January 24, 2009 1:19 PM PST: Win7 on an external HD?

If you use a USB or Firewire external HD, the flow of commands to the motherboard and onto to the microprocessor will be slower than an HD plugged into the motherboard. The USB/Firewire interface will really slow things down.

An e-SATA-300 external HD would be faster that the above.

Faster still would be a SATA HD meant for internal installation, but housed in an external HD case with it's own power supply and that tiny SATA cable running through a slot on the back of the case to the MB.

I even ran an extra 4-pin molex power cable out the back of the case to power an internal SATA HD connected to the MB as described above.

The Best Solution: Add a cheap internal SATA drive to your system. Partition it, giving about 25 Gb for Win7 and install Win7 there.; Like this Reply to this comment


by armadaspence January 24, 2009 5:13 PM PST: So i have some questions. what if it "crashes" can i just uninstall it and "un:partition my hardrive so its all back to normal?; Like this Reply to this comment


by January 25, 2009 7:40 AM PST: It will only let me shrink 1687mb in the vista disk management!; Like this Reply to this comment

by brain2028 January 25, 2009 10:09 AM PST

Thankyou for the great video on dual boot , i set up ok and windows 7 runs great
dont know if i will buy as paid alot for vista ultimate ,, so my question is if i buy would it be best to delete this new partition , and upgrade my vista .,, also a video on how to remove the partition would really help
thankyou
brian eardley

Like this Reply to this comment


by dplorde May 19, 2009 11:42 AM PDT: I second this question. I partitioned by hard drive to install Windows 7 RC1. When I decide to upgrade to Windows 7, I want to do it from my existing Vista Ultimate partition and remove the partition. A video would be helpful.; Like this


by gillesmarchand January 25, 2009 6:04 PM PST: Hello,
I tried it and it wont work for me. I'm using windows xp pro with a 250 hard drive, when it boots up
it's telling me that it has an error.Any help out there?
Would appreciate anyone to give advice!
Tried Easus partion and Parted magix...
Gilles; Like this Reply to this comment


by cjay702 January 26, 2009 4:51 PM PST: If you wish to delete the partition, just format it then resize the C drive and add the unallocated space back to the C drive.; Like this Reply to this comment


by rrossit January 26, 2009 10:16 PM PST: I have a 80g drive and it will only let me partition 7g. is there any way to free up more space?; Like this Reply to this comment

by lilskiddabug January 28, 2009 3:17 PM PST

I downloaded windows 7 and used img burn to make a iso file on dvd. it worked fine, I then went to install and it does but it never asks for name and key. so when it restarts computer it says it's missing window\system32\winload.exe file. so I redownload it from windows site just to be sure. it installs but doesnt ever ask for name and key so it never complety installs. I know there is no help availble but am hopiung some nice person might have some.

Like this Reply to this comment


by bodhitree3 May 13, 2009 12:20 AM PDT: Can you supply more detail - does the error message come up after or before the welcome window? Have you tried booting from the DVD and then selecting the 'repair' option?; Like this


by rrossit January 29, 2009 12:43 PM PST: Alright, let me explain my situation a little better. I have an 80gb hard drive with basically just windows vista on it and I'm only able to partition 10GB. Is there anyway to partition more? The space is there it just wont let me do it.; Like this Reply to this comment


by kculp February 1, 2009 7:45 PM PST: Great installed precisely as directed, went to my new partition. BUT, I don't get an OS choice on boot up. What happened? Not fun. Luckily I back stuff up; Like this Reply to this comment

by cmnguyen14 February 4, 2009 10:17 PM PST

I have followed all the instructions up to the reboot and I can't get it to load the disc on a reboot. I just clicked the start button and clicked restart. I'm assuming there is a different way to reboot the computer. I am using Vista and would like to know how to do this.

Like this Reply to this comment


by dplorde May 19, 2009 11:39 AM PDT: You may have had the same problem as I. I used Roxio to transfer the download ISO image to a DVD after carefully reviewing Roxio help to create an ISO image on the DVD. The resulting DVD did not boot on restart and a message said there was no operating system present. I downloaded/installed the free utillity Active ISO image and burned another DVD which the booted into the Windows 7 installation. You might try this approach.; Like this

by abehr February 9, 2009 8:24 PM PST

I know that this must seem like a stupid question..but here goes. I have loaded both systems...can access both but can only access my applications from the Vista side...what did I do wrong...what do I need to change...please do not tell me that I have to reinstall my apps under win7...

Like this Reply to this comment


by bodhitree3 May 13, 2009 12:25 AM PDT: Yes, you will have to. In effect you have two independant systems residing on your hard drive. You didn't do anything wrong, other than misunderstand this fact :-); Like this

by Dermfellow February 28, 2009 7:20 PM PST

I did the same thing, and no choice on boot-up. Goes stright into Windows 7. I know that XP is still there on its partition- I can see it. But can't get it to run. Any luck on you machine?

Like this Reply to this comment


by bodhitree3 May 13, 2009 12:26 AM PDT: Have you looked at msconfig to see what settings arein effect?; Like this


by MasterCorban May 18, 2009 5:24 AM PDT: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306559

Have a look at this-helped me.; Like this


by Paul McNulty May 12, 2009 7:46 PM PDT: Can this be loaded as a duel system on an iMac using BOOTCAMP?; Like this Reply to this comment


by theancientsailor May 12, 2009 8:40 PM PDT: Interested in forum discussion about Windows RC1; Like this Reply to this comment


by bodhitree3 May 13, 2009 12:22 AM PDT: To anyone installing the 32 bit Enlish version of 7 RC please note that it shipped with a bug initially and that you should download the hotfix from Microsoft before installing ANY applications.; Like this Reply to this comment