How To Install Windows 7 Alongside Windows Vista for a Dual Boot System?
Are you a Windows Vista user and planning to test out Windows 7 before upgrading it? Consider installing Windows 7 alongside Windows Vista by creating a dual booting system. By dual booting, you will have Windows 7 as well as your current state of Windows Vista in your PC. After the setup will will be greeted with a Boot screen with two options -Windows Vista and Windows 7.
How To Create Windows 7 And Windows Vista Dual Boot PC?
Before attempting dual boot mode, we suggest you to take a backup of your important data in Windows Vista so that you have your data if something accidently goes wrong (Just in case!).
1. Click Start–> Run.
2. Type compmgmt.msc and hot enter.
3. Right-click on the current Windows partition system (in most cases it is C drive) and select ‘Shrink Volume’.
4. Windows will now shrink your drive. Note that not all free space on your drive will be available as shrink space. Windows will reserve some space for page file, hibernation file, System Restore points etc considering that these features are enabled in your PC..
5. Windows will now create a new partition from the free space you have allocated.
6. Insert Windows 7 Installation DVD disc and restart your PC.
7. Windows will prompt for selecting a drive. Select your new, blank partition as the destination for your Windows 7 installation.
Windows 7 Setup will start. During this process Windows will automatically detect your existing Windows Vista installation and creates a boot menu. Using this Boot menu you can select which OS you want to boot when starting the system.
After restart of your system you will get a boot screen in which you can choose to boot your existing Windows Vista or the brand new Windows 7 installation.