So, I finally did it, I geeked myself all the way up to nerd herd status. How did I possibly do this you may ask? By installing three operating systems all as options on my windows boot screen. And what’s even better, they all work.
Option 1: Windows 7 64 bit
Option 2: Windows Vista 64 bit
Option 3: Windows XP 32 bit
Why you may ask would somebody spend time even doing this? First of all if you are asking this question do not read any further, stop here, you are not a geek, go back to living your cool life. If you are still here, you know the answer. Neither operating system seems to work for everything. In fact, this is the main complaint probably everyone has when using windows in the first place. The upgrade is great but afterwards, you have to upgrade the rest of your life to work with your new OS. Chief example here: I lost use of syncing my old Palm Zire 71 which despite all the recent excitement about smart phones still suites me just fine. But, after an upgrade to a 64 bit OS no longer could I sync. I loved my Tarascon Pharmacopeia (which will only work in 32 bit XP with the Palm Desktop), I love the new interface and usability of Windows 7, and Windows Vista came preinstalled on my computer. Hence the quest for a multi-boot computer. Better yet, I did the whole thing for free.
Step 1: Download and install Easeus Partition Magic free edition
Step 2: Make two more partitions on your hard drive, in my case labeling one XP and one Windows 7 (vista was preinstalled on my computer)
Step 3: Installing the Operating Systems on Each Partition.
Step 4: Frustration at boot that all three systems not showing.
Step 5: Restoring an image of my original partitions as I could no longer boot to my Windows system because I was getting an error screen.
Step 6: My wife asking me what I was doing that could possibly be so interesting.
Step 7: a great Google find
Step 8: reinstalling XP on it’s partition.
Step 9: initiation of the “Google Moment” and EASYBCD
Step 10: An amazing success. A tri-boot system and recovery of beloved PALM sync and my Tarascon Pharmacopeia. Take that I-Phone!
For a great online discussion of this process and the site that saved me here is the link… go get em you windows crazy’s!
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html