Dual boot systems with win7 - install older or newer first?

thor

I'm about to change my system from a winxp - win2k dual boot to a winxp - win7 dual boot.
The new system will be a clean install for both operating systems but I am wondering if it makes a difference which I install first? The last time I did this 8 years ago, the advice on microsoft's website was that you install the older one first. This is still their advice but I have also read elsewhere that this does not need to be the case with windows 7.
So should I install the newer op system this time round? Has anyone got experience of this?

myhouse_2

If you want the easy life, definitely install XP first - you will have issues with booting which are complex to resolve otherwise. Should be easy enough if you take my advice though.

hareng

Do a clean install of WIN7 first.

I have WIN7 64, WIN7 32 and XP64 on triple boot.
Its been nearly 3yrs but the WIN7 is on an SSD drive, the others on conventional.

TakeThis

No chance to run XP Mode?

gavpowell

You only get XP Mode with pro and even then, it's apparently a glorified VM - no 3D, limited gaming support etc.

TakeThis

gavpowell wrote: »

You only get XP Mode with pro and even then, it's apparently a glorified VM - no 3D, limited gaming support etc.

Pro or Ultimate. There is also VMware.

Anyway, just a suggestion.

gavpowell

Ah yes, I forgot ultimate existed!

VMWare has similar issues for graphics sadly - in order to play my old DOS/win98 games, I'm having to build a vintage machine from scratch

jon142

Partition the hard drive with a 50:50 split of GB's

Install each OS onto the partition and it won't matter which was around you do it.

Hopster_2

If you want a stress free dual boot then it should be XP first then 7 as 7 supports dual booting.
If you install 7 first then XP the XP install will wipe the 7 bootloader.
There are ways to get the 7 bootloader back by either using the 7 install disc which will repair it or use a free program called Easy BCD which will rewrite pretty much any bootloader..

LucianH

I don't wish to change the direction of this thread too much but I'm just about to do something very similar with a new PC I'm about to receive. I want to do the same (Windows 7 Pro 64 bit and Windows XP) but also add a third boot option of Ubuntu.

I've only tried a dual boot recently with Ubuntu onto my XP machine which uses the Ubuntu boot loader. This was the first and only time I've done a dual boot and have not investigated how boot loaders really work and what options there are for boot loaders etc. The Ubuntu boot loader does not look too elegant in my eyes (gives 3 unwanted boot options) but, not having done anything like it before, I don't know how others work.

One basic question is:- will the bootloader (that will be used in the final system) be the one that is installed along with the last operating system that is installed?

Any advice on install steps/process would be greatly appreciated.

(And apologies if it diverts away from the OP's initial question).

thor

Hopster wrote: »

If you want a stress free dual boot then it should be XP first then 7 as 7 supports dual booting.
If you install 7 first then XP the XP install will wipe the 7 bootloader.

Are you sure about this? I installed winxp second after win2k on my present system and this dual boots perfectly. Or is the difference that 2k does not support dual booting like win 7? Even if xp does wipe the 7 bootloader won't xp's bootloader do the job?