Ok, I was having some problems last night installing the new RC of Windows 7. I downloaded it fine, and used Paragon's Partition Manager to create a partition for the installation. However, I only have the ISO, but no Writeable DVD, so I used MagicISO to create a virtual CD drive, and I could then launch the installation. However, while Vista was booted, Windows 7 would only let me it install it in the C: Drive, not the partition, or even my D: drive. I decided to use the Partition Manager's OS Wizard to install it, but it said I needed a bootable CD. I figured out that I need to boot from the virtual drive on the very first screen I see. However, when I go into the boot manager (the system's), the virtual CD drive is not there. How do I install this OS on a private partition, with out buying a Writeable DVD?
Installing Windows 7 RC
(11 posts) (7 voices)-
thenameipicked
MemberPosted 14 years ago # -
GMMan, Hexadecimal Blacksmith
BlockedYou're in a bit of a pickle here. Any Windows installer will try to upgrade your current installation if possible, if you launch it directly from Windows. And since your virtual CD drive will only work in Windows, you can't boot your computer to the install disc. What I'd do is to mimic your setup in a virtual machine, install to your D: drive, and shut down before it starts configuring the system and installing drivers (because a VM's hardware config is completely different from your real PC's). Export your D: drive on your VM to your real D: drive. And then you have to somehow install Win7's bootloader on your computer. Another way is to load all the files on a USB drive, and make it bootable to the setup. I know that someone did this with Vista, and the install system is similar in Win7. Try googling up "vista install from usb drive" or something similar.
Am I being confusing?
Posted 14 years ago # -
thenameipicked
MemberI think I will try the first option. I know how to boot from a usb, but I can't find one bigger than 2 gigs. However, it was pretty straight forward, but I have 2 more questions now...what virtual machine program should I use? And how do I stop it (how do I know when) before it configures the system and installs drivers? Finally, Once I transfer on to my partition (it won't be my D: drive), how do finish the installation of the drivers and such. Thanks!
Posted 14 years ago # -
GMMan, Hexadecimal Blacksmith
BlockedQuestion 1: I think there was an option in Virtual PC 2007 (free) to use a partition as a virtual hard drive. It might be what I was thinking. If you use that option, you don't need to install the bootloader, as it should be automatic. You can add the info for your Win 7 partition into your Vista's bootloader config, as they use the same generation of bootloaders. If that doesn't work, you'd need to change the boot options for the Win7 bootloader to match it to your PC's configuration (second partition instead of first, for example). You might also need to set that partition as active, and add your current Windows so that you can boot from it.
Question 2: After setup has finished copying the files needed, just power off your virtual machine when the setup tells you that it is going to reboot in 20 seconds or something. Then, export the virtual hard drive, set up your bootloader, boot to Win7, and the Setup should continue and install drivers etc.
Note: I have never done such a install before, so I'm not so sure of the specifics. You might run into some problems, such as the Windows directory being D: instead of C:. In any way, back up your computer first and when you need help, consult Google. It'll also be handy to have a Linux LiveCD in case neither Windows would boot. I suggest Puppy Linux. It saved my butt after I completely screwed up my file alocation table. Also have your computer's Windows disc ready, just in case.
Posted 14 years ago # -
thenameipicked
Member/e wishes that there were forum points he could give to other users.
Posted 14 years ago # -
mythicalme
MemberIf you're not going to run it in Virtual PC (only the 32 bit version will run) then you're best option is to write a CD. Once you boot into the CD you'll be given the option of where you want to install Windows 7. That installation will be drive C for Windows 7.
I'm going out on limb here and say that Windows 7 is extremely sophisticated in it's approach to many devices, and unlike previous versions, it must have the C drive as it's system drive.
Posted 14 years ago # -
mynamehere
MemberThis well written article tells how to dual boot W7 with just about any other OS no matter which is installed first, also how to manage the bootloader:
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_windows_vista_and_windows_7_vista_installed_first.htm
Vista & W7 use a different bootloader than XP & prior MS OS's, so there are actually 2 bootloaders at work.
It seems that with W7 no matter which OS you boot into the OS is on C:\ drive.
The article says, "If you boot into windows 7 and open Windows Explorer, you'll see that there's only one disk partition - the Windows XP partition isn't there." I found it not to be true (I'm running 32 bit XP Pro & W7 on a 2 partition HDD), but I found that the other OS is the D:\ drive. I'm not sure if things are handled differently with 64 bit or not.
It also tells how to your OS of choice from the bootmanager. EasyBCD is needed to nodify the bootmanager because W& doesn't give you acess.
Some people are getting a "Windows 7 Cannot boot from CD: Code 5" error, it seems many are ASRock boards, but they're not the only ones with this problem. I got the error on one off my ASRock mobos, but not the other (the older VIA based board gave the error, but not the ULI based board). I personally like ASRock mobos, I have 3 systems based on their boards & my son has another.
Use the boot utility Gujin & use Diskwriter to image a floppy disk (Gujin is linux based, so you won't see any files on the floppy, but you can see that the disk's not empty), you'll only need it for the initial boot, after that everything works fine.
The last part may or may not help someone, but I hope this helps.
Posted 14 years ago # -
thenameipicked
Memberthank you all so much! However, my question here was not on dual-booting windows 7, but was how to dual boot windows 7 with out the use of a CD or DVD (and hopefully usb drive). Thanks mynamehere for the tutorial, however, because I will probably use it when I finally give up on the no-CD rule. Thanks all! (I'm now going to go find a flash drive that can hold more than 2 gigs...but if any of you can figure out a different way, it will still be appreciated!
Posted 14 years ago # -
Anonymous
Unregisteredfit XP & Windows 7 in XP Windows 7 is F disk and in windows 7 you can jump over to XP and get your files so I did not need USB to get in to windows 7 as for a usb min mic say is 16 GB but size is 6 GB I know it will go on less than 10 GB ok
in XP & windows 7 windows is C:\windows only one at a time.Posted 14 years ago # -
barb
MemberI am not a developer so am not a 'technical' person. In last 2 days, I am hearing that 64-bit operating systems will not run most proprietary software, i.e. most programs from smaller software companies. This applies to vista 64 bit and windows 7 64 bit. I am also hearing that you cannot install vista 32 or windows 32 bit on top of 64 bit and fix the problem. Supposedly microsoft is trying to charge a large fee to allow these programs to install/run on their new 64 bit operating systems. A program I use all the time has been affected and so far there is no way to make it run on these 64 bit systems. So my question is: are any of you aware of this and/or have you found a way around it. I understand if you install virtual pc you can run on xp and then run these programs. but I also understand the average 'user' won't know how to install virtual pc or run virtual pc.
Posted 14 years ago # -
watcher13
MemberBarb, welcome to the forums! I hate to say it, but your post is kind of off topic. 20 lashes with a wet noodle. :) I only say that to let you know that you could have easily started your own topic on this very subject - probably on General Discussion - and it would have been quite welcome. All you do is click on that or whatever category on the bottom of the front page you think it would fit into, and on the bottom of the index page the link will take you to, you'll see a box for starting YOUR VERY OWN NEW TOPIC (he said in his best game show announcer voice). Feel free any time. It's just that our moderators are tasked with trying to keep things on topic, because sometimes inconsiderate people do hijack a topic, but it's rare.
Now, let me give you my thoughts on your question and if one of our moderators objects, they'll probably move it to a new topic for us. From what little I know, it's a little different than you've framed it. It's more that many, not just smaller developers, haven't caught up with 64 bit technology. I hadn't heard about 64 XP being more friendly to software, I would be surprised if that was the case. If you could provide any links on that, I'd love to see them. I always prefer to get smarter. I'd probably make a bad politician. ;) I think that what you may have heard is just the same type of people who preferred 32 XP over Vista liked 64 XP over Vista. Not because of compatibility, but because they didn't like Vista.
http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista_64-bit_compatibility.htm
Hadn't heard about higher charges for 64 bit support, either. I think thay may be for hardware companies so they can produce 64 bit drivers, though many of them have caught up. MS sometimes plays it's card close to the vest and doesn't give developers all the code support they need.
http://news.cnet.com/64-bit-PCs-Drivers-wanted/2100-1003_3-6200517.html
This whole thing is similar to the .net framework situation. If you're not familiar, .net framework is the current underlying archetecture for Windows, starting with Windows Server 2003, but really becoming firmly entrenched with XP. It replaced the Visual Basic/Visual Studio series (though Visual Studio is now also the developing environment for .net, as well as other languages). Many of the software given away by GOTD is still developed in Visual Basic. So if these small developers, especially, haven't caught up with .net, it's not surprising that they haven't caught up with 64 bit.
And Microsoft must take a share of this criticism, too. It originally released .net with only 32 bit support and have been playing catch up with it's 64 bit support ever since. That's doubly ironic, because one of the big advantages of .net is the ability to write commands without having to worry if they'll run on every kind of chip, as you had to in VB and many other languages. If Microsoft's playing catch up on it's own core platform, it's hard to be too critical of developers, at least on the 64 bit issue. Especially the smaller ones.
And there are two reasons that often cause developers to lag behind. One, if you've already developed crack code under, say, Visual Basic, you don't want to throw out the baby with the bathwater and start over. Though that's likely not the case with .net, a lot of the small fry aren't convinced. The other is Microsoft's recent trend of abandoning failures. This started with ME, which never should have been released in the first place. But when MS finally gave up on Vista, it got people thinking they could wait MS out. A lot of people thought MS would just release an improved XP, but 7 is really a simplified Vista. I think the same thinking is that MS is dumping .net, but, so far, this is still an unsubstantiated rumor. So, right now, many developers can't even decide what language to try to use to come up with 64 bit support for their programs. They're stuck in the mode of just trying to tinker with their old 32 bit code to try and get it to work on Vista, then 7, and not even sure what to do about 64 bit.
Sorry, I get long-winded. I just wanted you to understand that, unless you heard right and I heard wrong, you're just going to have to be patient. As to Virtual Pc, I haven't tried it yet, but you seem smart enough to try it, and there are people here who use it and I'm sure they'd help. You could probably handle adding a new partition and dual booting if you'd prefer that. You can get definitely get help for that from here. In fact, some of those questions have already been answered. You should use the search box to check on some of those old threads. Good luck, let us know, and don't be a stranger!
Posted 14 years ago #
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