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General discussion

Need help installing Windows 7 with VM and Dual boot option

Aug 31, 2010 6:14AM PDT

Hello all, thanks for reading.

I'm trying to install Windows 7 on my new hard drive and make it so that I can manually dual boot between Windows 7 and Windows XP, but at the same time I like to make it so that I can use VM workstation 7 to load either windows 7 or XP through virtual machine while on XP or either 7. How would I go about it? Or do I need another VM software cause I read that VM workstation doesn't support VHD format but that was over a year ago and I'm not sure if version 7 supports VHD format or not.

The ideal situation I prefer would be to use Windows XP and be able to access Windows 7 while on XP through VM, but at the same time if i wanted to manually boot onto Windows 7 without VM, that remains as an option.

I also would like to install Norton Ghost 2010 onto Windows 7, would that get in the way of things?

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!

Discussion is locked

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While I would not do that.
Aug 31, 2010 6:22AM PDT
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disk2vhd
Aug 31, 2010 6:56AM PDT

Hi Bob, thank you for sharing with me your experience.

I've taken a look at disk2vhd, is that application something that allows virtualization of existing OS later on to be accessed by VM software?

Basically with disk2vhd is it possible to install Windows 7 manually first then later convert it using that software so that I could use Windwos 7 through VMworkstation 7 on my Windows XP? And is it also possible to then manually boot my Windows 7, the same installation manually without VM presence?

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Sorry no.
Aug 31, 2010 7:07AM PDT

I can't answer since the question is incomplete. For example you may only VM 32 bit OSes as far as I know.

Good luck in your trials.
Bob

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Need help installing Windows 7 with VM and Dual boot option
Sep 13, 2010 12:21AM PDT

For details on configuring Windows 7 to boot from VHD see <a href=?http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd758779.aspx?>this video on the Springboard site on TechNet</a>. Note that VHD boot is only supported on Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Windows 7. For VHD boot support with an existing Home Premium or Professional edition Windows 7, Windows Anytime Upgrade, available <a href=?http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/anytime-upgrade/home-premium.aspx?>here</a>, to Windows Ultimate provides support for VHD boot.

Brandon
Windows Outreach Team- IT Pro